21 ingenious windowless bathroom ideas from the House & Garden archive
It's the perennial oxymoron of design: the smaller the room, the more difficult it is to design. Even more difficult a room is to decorate when natural light is lacking and even further, it seems, windowless bathrooms – common fixtures in many a house – can be the most perplexing to zhuzz up properly. Of course, with our stylish windowless bathroom ideas, you'll soon find that there are plenty of ways to brighten up even the darkest of spaces. No window? No problem!
Great panelling is a guaranteed way to add texture to any room. By choosing light, zippy or plain white paint colours, as Rita Konig did in this Manhattan house, your windowless bathroom is instantly given a new sense of vitality. To minimise the darkness of a room, be sure to paint your panelling in colours which have no grey tones, as recommended by the design duo Salvesen Graham.
Tiles are a surefire way to make the most of any bathroom's decor. For those of the windowless variety, however, Salvesen Graham say that being creative with your tile design is of utmost importance: ‘Even with an inexpensive tile,’ says Mary, ‘you can create great patterns’. For those uninterested in pattern, opt for more colourful options – still perfect for adding verve to your space (after all, even without a view, you still have something interesting to look at). Additionally, tiles are an excellent choice for darker, ill-ventilated bathrooms, as they impede mould and bacteria growth and are easier to clean. If you have a generous budget, try a dramatic style of marble, as this will add a sense of luxury to the room, distracting from the fact that windowless bathrooms can feel a little mean.
Painting any dark room in lighter colours can help to brighten the space. However, with windowless bathrooms, dare to do even more with that paint. Consider painting a trim around the room or giving your bathroom a multi-toned spin, as the Salvesen Graham duo suggest. 'It's all about interesting details,' says Nicole.
No matter how good the interiors, it is great lighting that makes the room. For windowless bathrooms, adding lighting (strategically, of course!) wherever you can will help revive the space. By adding a great lighting scheme in your shower, for instance, as Georgina Cave did in her London house, the room feels instantly fresher and the space more breathable.
By simply adding a large mirror or two, as Zoë Zimmer did in her London flat, any light in a dark or windowless room will be captured and amplified. As a bonus, too, mirrors create the optical illusion that your space is twice the size, giving you a bit more wiggle room in the bath.
Windowless bathroom ideas from the House & Garden archive
Dean Hearne1/19This charming Cornish coastal holiday cabin is the vision of PR guru Bianca Fincham. The bathroom tiles by Bert & May are of a slightly larger size to avoid problems Bianca previously experienced when renovating the bathroom of the Georgian house next door, which she also owns. In two earthy tones, they work well with the natural colours and textures of the oak and Carrara marble sink and basin stand from Neptune. They also complement the terracotta floor tiles laid throughout an adjoining living space.
Chris Snook2/19The bathroom of a 16th-century cottage decorated by Holly Vaughan of Vaughan Design. Panelled walls in ‘Sand Dune by Rose Uniacke coupled with ‘Honey’ handmade tiles by Milagros bring warmth to this bathroom. The walls and ceiling are painted in Atelier Ellis's ‘Beginnings’, providing a very complementary neutral.
Christopher Horwood3/19In the bathroom of this two-storey apartment in West London redesigned by Natalie Tredgett with its owner Tara Nash, rows of green and white European Heritage ‘Metronome’ tiles are reflected in the mirrored side of the bath – ‘the smallest tub we could find in London,’ as Tara describes it.
Sharyn Cairns4/19Why not make a small bathroom the place where you experiment with the bold colour you're slightly afraid to put elsewhere. Take this tiny windowless room in a west London townhouse designed by Suzy Hoodless. Adhering to the time-honoured rule that if a room is already dark there is no off-white on earth that will change it, seductive black walls have been combined with good lighting, plenty of mirror and chic, unfussy fittings. The scheme is anchored by monochrome cement tiles from Popham Design.
- this Notting Hill house</a>, interior designer Natasha Quick has taken the jewel-box approach to this downstairs loo. Wrapped in Soane's ‘Persian Maze’ wallpaper, it has joinery specially designed to house the sink, painted in ‘Caddie’ by Paint & Paper Library. The curtain is made from another Soane fabric, while the tiny lampshades were made bespoke by Eloise Scotland.","contentType":"photo","credit":"Sarah Griggs","segmentedSources":{"sm":[{"height":415,"width":320,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_320,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"},{"height":829,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_640,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"}],"md":[{"height":829,"width":640,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_640,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"},{"height":1658,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_1280,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"}],"lg":[{"height":1327,"width":1024,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_1024,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"},{"height":2653,"width":2048,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_2048,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"}],"xl":[{"height":1658,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_1280,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"}],"xxl":[{"height":1658,"width":1280,"url":"https://media.houseandgarden.co.uk/photos/67a5d1e18675aee1e55cbfb0/master/w_1280,c_limit/Philamena_2024.10.21_westbourne%20grove3602_amended.jpg"}]}}}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Sarah Griggs5/19In this Notting Hill house, interior designer Natasha Quick has taken the jewel-box approach to this downstairs loo. Wrapped in Soane's ‘Persian Maze’ wallpaper, it has joinery specially designed to house the sink, painted in ‘Caddie’ by Paint & Paper Library. The curtain is made from another Soane fabric, while the tiny lampshades were made bespoke by Eloise Scotland.
Christopher Horwood6/19The bathroom in this Hackney coach house by Evelina Mamedovaite is a lovely room, thanks to the interior window that allows light to flow in from the landing. If you're considering a major renovation, an internal window can be a brilliant solution.
Christopher Horwood7/19The handsome second bathroom in this elegant west London pied-à-terre is lined in marble, which creates a sense of luxury in a windowless space. The green stone is Vert d’Estours – chosen for its uniform green grain and butter-coloured background, which provides a striking contrast to the soft grey of the Carrara marble. The taps and light are by Waterworks.
Christopher Horwood8/19This ensuite bathroom in a Chelsea townhouse restored by Steph Hill Designs and Devereux Designs has a fresh and pretty colour scheme to counter the lack of natural light. The vanity unit is painted in Edward Bulmer's ‘Invisible Green’, while the zellige tiles are ‘Bles’ from Ann Sacks.
Michael Sinclair9/19This small space off the hallway in Rita Konig's London house is now a powder room, its walls lined with Antoinette Poisson’s ‘Torrent - PP Rouleau'. Rita even had the ventilation fan papered – ‘I had a brilliant wallpaperer and you can barely spot it now,’ she explains. An antique Venetian mirror, which Rita bought from Camden Passage for her first flat over 25 years ago, sits just above the sink, while she had an antique unit, which had been knocking around her office, sunk into a void in the wall. ‘It now sits completely flush and I quite like how it’s a sort of vitrine.’
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Mike Garlick10/19The shower room in the same Sarah Vanrenen-designed Notting hill flat pictured above, is a festival of pinks and greens, from the diamond-tile flooring and mirror to the painted woodwork and walls.
Simon Brown11/19Expanses of intricate Calacatta Vagli marble lend depth and luxury to the bathroom in Emma Burns' compact London flat. 'It distracts me from the fact that there isn't a window,' says Emma. The basin is from The Water Monopoly.
Simon Brown12/19Panelling in a deep shade of blue livens up this small bathroom in a Georgian house revived by Salvesen Graham. Adding panelling up to a dado rail is an easy way to bring decorative character to a windowless bathroom.
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Owen Gale13/19Georgina Cave of Cave Interiors chose these reclaimed patterned tiles to cover the floor and back wall of the bathroom in her London house. The lighting in the shower is strategic, playing well off of the lighter colours in the tiles and drawing more light into the space.
Owen Gale14/19The cupboards in the upstairs bathroom of Joanna Plant's west London home are painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Arsenic’. The chic wall lamps are by Hector Finch, the tiles are from Bert & May, and the brass-edged mirror is one of Joanna and Nick’s own designs. The colour palette, tile patterns and strategic mirror placement bring life to the windowless room.
Simon Brown15/19Each area of the open-plan main room in this small west London flat has its own distinct atmosphere, thanks to the inventive details introduced by interior designer Beata Heuman, who relished the creative challenge of making every inch count. A bespoke Carrara marble shower surround and vanity unit contrasts with walls in a dark blue gloss paint. Best Tile’s ‘Moroccan Encaustic Cement Pattern 06k’ tiles add decorative detail to the floor. Even without a window, the bathroom is stunning and beautifully lit.
Michael Sinclair16/19Fonace Brioni tiles create a show-stopping shower space in Pandora Taylor's southwest London home. Fonace's use of different tiles and patterns is a prime example of a well-decorated, windowless bathroom.
Owen Gale17/19The bath in the master en-suite of Georgia Cave's London home is a perfect example of mixing textures and materials, which makes for a visually interesting room. The combination of brightly-coloured tile and marble is a bespoke design, with the walls and steps covered in Ruivina marble and Clay Atelier handmade wall tiles from Artisan of Devizes. Riven black slate tiles line the inside of the bath and cover the floor.
Paul Massey18/19Finding a compromise between the minimalist tastes of its owner and her love of tactile fabrics and pattern, Rita Konig has subtly enhanced the airy interiors of this house in Manhattan, New York.. In the bathroom, walls painted with faux panelling cleverly conceal storage and add to the subtle country theme found throughout the house. The panelling, too, adds particular intrigue to the space – necessary for a windowless room.
Chris Horwood19/19The bathroom in James Shaw's Shoreditch house is tiled in Domus ’Seta’ mosaic tiles with ‘illustrations’ created from colour samples. James cleverly covered the side of the bathtub with a reflective material that helps create the optical illusion of more space and light in this tiny bathroom.
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