12 Half Bathroom Décor Ideas

Get ready to wow your guests with these half bathroom decor ideas including creative DIY projects, daring paint colors and more.

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Floating Vanity

A floating vanity, like this one by @blacksuburbanfarmhouse, helps to save precious floor space. It makes the tiny room feel light and airy. This DIY project was done by purchasing a salvaged maple slab (preserving the beautiful live edge), and cutting an opening for the sink drain. Be sure to seal the wood with a waterproof sealer to protect it from all the inevitable splashing and dripping that happens near a bathroom sink.

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Painted Stripes

Here’s a way to dial up the drama in your half bathroom, with paint! Even though it looks like wallpaper, these black and white stripes by @heygirlfriend.blog were created with paint. The stripes add style and interest, and also help guide the eye around the room making it look more spacious. The finishing touches are the gold accents on the mirror, light fixture and accessories that bring the perfect dose of glam.

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Bold Wallpaper

A half bathroom is a great spot to splurge on bold, colorful wallpaper, as seen here with this vibrant citrus print used by @thelivelyhome. You don’t need many rolls of wallpaper to cover the limited wall space, so you can choose a gorgeous designer brand. When your guests open the door they’ll be blown away by the stunning jewel box inside.

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Statement Mirror

The playful squiggle mirror steals the show in this half bathroom designed by @nicolezarrassociates. Because a half bathroom is so small, too many graphic or colorful elements can overwhelm the space. Instead, try to pick one statement piece to be the focal point. An unexpected mirror like this one, a brightly painted vanity or a striking piece of artwork will all do the trick.

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Black Shiplap

One wall covered in floor to ceiling with black shiplap makes a big impact in this half bathroom by @cvi_design. Shiplap brings pattern and texture to a space without the visual clutter that comes with other wall treatments. A shiplap wall is a great choice if you like things clean and simple, but the space feels like it’s missing a little something.

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DIY Wood Vanity

There’s a lot to love about this DIY vanity by @happilyeverafterinrosharo. The open frame design doesn’t cramp the room, while still providing storage for extra toilet paper and hand towels. The wood was treated with a method called shou sugi ban to waterproof and preserve it. Here’s how it’s done: first the wood is charred with a torch, any residue or ash is removed with a wire brush, then to finish, it is sealed with tung oil.

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Modern Black and White

A black and white color palette looks great in any room, and a half bathroom is no exception. This space by @katierosehui uses the classic combination on the wallpaper, vanity, accessories and even the art work. Sticking to black and white is an easy way to design a chic and modern space even if your decorating skills are beginner level.

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Clever Storage Solution

Storage can be a challenge in a half bathroom, which is why this over-toilet ladder by @happily.ever.nashville is so brilliant. She built it herself using 2x2s as the legs, and 1x3s as the horizontal pieces. To build your own: connect the wood with nails, stain in a color of your choice, then add hanging baskets and decor. And there you have it, functional and beautiful storage above the toilet!

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Budget-Friendly Design

This elegant half bathroom by @oliveandmax looks expensive, but was actually created with budget-friendly projects. The vanity, with gorgeous cane details, was built from scratch! (Using a tutorial from @honeybuilthome.) The board and batten on the walls is also a DIY project, painted Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore (at 60 percent tint). This space proves that with creativity and a few power tools, you can get the look you want for less!

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Gallery Wall

A small half bathroom might not be the first place you think of hanging a gallery wall, but as shown here by @designing_in_iowa — it works! The framed artwork is a combination of travel memories, family, friends and original drawings. The pieces pop against the dark walls (painted Downing Slate by Sherwin-Williams) and bring beauty and sophistication to what could be a plain, boring bathroom.

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Bring on the Color

Just like bold wallpaper, a daring color like this Kelly green used by @wilder_eden_design_company makes a half bathroom reach its full potential. Other inspiring choices include the salvaged dresser used as a vanity, the gorgeous patterned floor and an abundance of bathroom plants. Entering this small bathroom feels like you’ve come upon another world!

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DIY Wall Treatment

The main elements in this half bathroom by @thisoldcolonial provided a great blank canvas, but these homeowners wanted to do something special. Enter the DIY-friendly skinny board-and-batten wall treatment! Because they used thin pieces of wood, there wasn’t a lot of extra cutting to fit around the sink and baseboard trim. Of course the real star is that earthy green color that takes the whole space up a notch.

Erica Young
Erica Young is a freelance writer specializing in home trends and lifestyle topics. She contributes regularly to Family Handyman, and has written about home decor, organization, cleaning, landscaping and DIY projects. Erica’s work has also appeared in Taste of Home, POPSUGAR, The Belladonna, Your Tango, The Organized Mom, Reader's Digest and Curbly.