53 small bathroom ideas from the House & Garden archive

Space for display can make all the difference in whether a bathroom looks sterile or pretty. We love how in gallerist Lyndsey Ingram's bathroom, the boxing in has created a small shelf where Lyndsey can display some of her lovely Eric Ravilious mugs.

Get in storage wherever you can: you're going to need somewhere to keep all your lotions, potions and beautifying products, so you might as well make sure it's contributing aesthetically. If you use panelling, build a small shelf on top of the panelling where you can put your toothbrush and cosmetics; install hooks everywhere you might want to hang a towel or dressing gown. For loos where the cistern is boxed in, make sure there is enough room on top of the boxing to put things. Antique or bobbin shelves, too, pair perfectly with a small bathroom. Follow the adage that if everything has a place, you won't feel the small size of the bathroom too much.

No matter its size, a room will have four walls, each a perfect canvas to show off one's penchants in decoration. Tongue-and-groove panelling in a small bathroom, for example, is a great way to demarcate spaces (you might use it, for example, to create a special zone for the bath), and lends a traditional look while avoiding the pitfalls of wallpaper in a badly ventilated room. If you do have ventilation in the bathroom, on the other hand, we love a bathroom wallpaper - nothing adds character in quite the same way. Tiles and backsplashes, too, offer ample opportunity for inventiveness: a small bathroom is a perfect place to try out some beautiful tiles as a backsplash for the sink (you won't need too many) or experiment with a bespoke panels behind the bath or shower.

Once you've panelled, wall-papered or tiled your small bathroom, let your next consideration be the art. It might seem counter-intuitive to hang art in the bathroom (and it may not be where you want to keep valuable paintings), but prints, posters, photographs and other framed pieces will add plenty of charm.

We love a highly decorated bathroom like this one in the home of photographer Harry Carr in Islington. The walls are papered in lemon yellow ‘Squiggle’ wallpaper from Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler, with tongue and groove panelling painted in ‘Bancha’ gloss from Farrow & Ball. Harry found the antique Chanel cabinet at Kempton Market.

Mark Roper

Is there anything worse than looking ghoulish under a harsh bathroom light? We know there are lots of requirements for bathroom lighting, but creating a thoughtful scheme will go a long way in such a small room. Stores like Pooky, Original BTC and Hector Finch sell plenty of IP-rated lights that are still beautiful and elegant (and help you to avoid the poorly-lit pitfalls that come from basic, dreary lighting).

When it comes to small bathroom ideas, the smallest of details matter the most. Pay attention to the room's fixtures and fittings: taps, towel-rails, light switches, handles and hooks are the things you touch, so splash out a little on these if you can.