Bathroom

Bathroom Flooring Ideas Guide: Designs and Material Options

There are a whole host of different materials, and design options when it comes to bathroom flooring ideas. In this post I go over design ideas and the pros and cons of different materials, hopefully to help you choose what kind of flooring to use.

Design Ideas

Color

The color choice of your flooring will play a big role in how the bathroom feels. The floor takes up so much space, you see it everywhere, so the color and design style is important. To create a bright and spacious feeling bathroom use neutral and light colored flooring. Like marble, white, tan or light grey flooring. Darker colored flooring, like slate grey or black, will make the space feel cozy, smaller, but also more luxurious – just like the bathroom in picture (1). Have a look at my mood board post here for ideas on overall color schemes for a bathroom.

If you have a small bathroom and want to create a spacious feeling bathroom to use floor tiles that blend with the walls – just like in picture (2). Using large tiles, the same for the floor and the walls, is ideal for a small bathroom – as it creates a unified look. Also keep the floor design the same throughout a small bathroom. If you have a larger space you can divide up the floor design – for example having the tiling inside the shower different than the rest of the bathroom.

Size

Interior designers debate whether the size of flooring tiles makes a difference in a space feeling larger or not. But one thing is for sure, and that is large tiles create a more modern and luxurious looking bathroom. They also use less grout meaning a cleaner design. But they are more expensive and harder to install.

Design Options

It is easy to get creative with the flooring design. Mix square tiles with rectangle ones (3) – or use different sized tiles to create different patterns (4). Or use tiles that are 2-3 different shades of one color. There are also insets – little diamond tiles that are fitted at the tips of larger square tiles – seen in picture (5).

Don’t forget about floor trim as a final touch. If you have a small bathroom space, it might be best not to use any trim. As you want to create a continuous, uninterrupted design to make the space feel bigger.

For the top 8 bathroom remodeling design ideas, have a look at my post here: The Upgrade: Top 8 Bathroom Remodeling Ideas and Design Tips.

Safety

Look for flooring options that are textured and a little bit rough as these help in preventing slippery floors. This is ideal if you have young kids.

Bathroom Flooring Options: Materials

Here are some quick design notes on the different kinds of materials you can use for your bathroom flooring. Things to consider when choosing what kind of flooring to use: cost, durability, ease to install, how slippery it will get, does it work well with underfloor heating, and the design style.

Concrete

Concrete is an inexpensive flooring option for the bathroom. It can also be stamped to look like hardwood, tile, or even stone. It can be polished to create a more refined look and stained to create a different color. You can even design graphics on it or have glow in the dark parts. Go for a textured finish for a more non slip finish.

Another good thing about concrete flooring is that it works well with underfloor radiant heating.

Tiles

Tile is always a classic choice and for me would be the best flooring option. It is more expensive than most bathroom flooring options, but with it you get the authentic porcelain or stone finish. You want to get specific bathroom tile flooring as it will have moisture protection. I wrote a lot about the different design options when it comes to bathroom floors above (mixing sizes, colors), most of it relates to tiles. This shows how versatile it is in designing your floors.

You have a lot of design options when it comes to tiles. This is because you can essential design the floor piece by piece if you wanted to. You can use different sized floor tiles, or different colored pieces to create designs. You can create borders, outline the shape of the room, or even create paths with different tiles.

With tiles you have the porcelain kind or stone. Stone tiles are durable, and can be textured to make the floor not so slippery, but they will be cold on the feet in the winter. For a spa like feel, use river rock or pebble stone tiles – especially inside the shower (8).

For a vintage style, go with a herringbone or chevron design pattern. Or use black and white tiles.

Laminate

Bathroom laminate flooring is cheap, easy to clean, soft, and durable. You can find laminate in all kinds of design styles from wood to tile.

Vinyl

When I hear ‘vinyl’ I think of a plain rubber looking floor. But vinyl flooring comes in all sorts of designs. From hardwood looking floors, to tiles, marble, and stone. Vinyl is inexpensive, easy to install, and highly resistant to moisture. You can get it in sheets or tiles. It also feels warmer than stone, tile, and concrete in the winter time.

Home Depot has a huge collection of vinyl flooring designs which can be seen here.

Hardwood

Hardwood is a classic choice. It brings warmth in a bathroom and will always be an elegant design style. It does need protection, and some maintenance. But if properly cared for, hardwood can outlast other bathroom flooring materials.

It can be expensive though. Salvaging barn wood or hardwood from houses that are being remodelled is one way of getting inexpensive pieces.

Carpet

Carpet is a viable flooring option in a bathroom. You don’t want to use any ordinary carpet though. There are carpets that are specifically suited for the bathroom. They are water and mildew resistant. You can get them in tiled pieces for easier installation. The good thing about bathroom carpet, apart from it feeling great, is that it is warmer on the feet compared to other materials in the winter time.

Cork and Bamboo

For eco friendly bathroom flooring go with cork or bamboo. Bamboo flooring is durable. Both bamboo and cork flooring are resistant to mold and naturally repel moisture. They are also warm on the feet in the winter – and they look great.

Mats

Don’t forget about simple bathroom rugs or even teak/bamboo mats. These can be placed by the shower door, to keep water off of the floor and to protect the feet from feeling cold. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

Smart and Decorative Bathroom Storage Ideas

From the smart double shower curtain rod to the mirror shadow box, here are a range of creative and stylish bathroom storage ideas.

Smart Bathroom Design

Towel Storage Ideas

If you find it hard to hang a towel bar on the walls around the sink, then one smart place to fit one would be under the sink just like in picture (1). A second option would be to fit a bar to the front of the vanity counter. For more ideas have a look at my mood board here: Unique Ideas for Bathroom Towel Bars and Racks.

Another smart towel bar idea is the invention of the double shower curtain rod seen in picture (2). What makes it so smart? Say you are showering. After you are done you open up the shower curtain and then have to reach over or step out to get your towel. With the double curtain rod, you simply open the shower curtain which is hung on the rod closet to the shower. On the second rod, protected from the shower by the curtain, is your towel hanging right in front of you.

Smart Shelving Solutions

Have a look at the backsplash in picture (3). It also acts as an elegant shelf – creating the ideal placement and easy access to toiletries. This prevents all the clutter surrounding the sink.

Having a recessed shelf in the shower makes for convenient storage of soaps, shampoos, and conditioners (4). A recessed light fitted to the top of the shelf adds a luxurious touch and lighting in the shower area.

10 Bathroom Toilet Paper Storage Ideas and Styles

Space Saving – Small Bathroom Storage Ideas

Some space saving bathroom storage ideas include:

Built in storage makes the most efficient use of the space in a bathroom – as it is customised to your specific layout. Since the built in units will be painted and decorated to blend with the bathroom, it will make the space feel larger.
Make use of the walls as much as possible – over the toilet, above the sink, etc. Floating shelves, mirror cabinets, wall cabinets, or a shadow box mirror just like in picture (5) are some wall storage ideas. For more shelving ideas have a look here Design Guide: Bathroom Shelving Ideas Mood Board
The back of the bathroom door can be fitted with hooks or a towel bar helping to save space if you have a narrow bathroom.
If you have a bath, a simple plank of wood acts as an elegant shelf (6).
The storage tower unit in picture (7) is a smart design. It can be spun around to show different shelves. This is ideal if your bathroom is used by a number of people. Each side of the unit can be allocated to a different person.
In some bathrooms the space under the sink is wasted. This space can be fitted with shelves, draws, or can be curtained off for floor storage.

Furniture Ideas and Decorative Storage

More decorative storage ideas include using a ladder to hang up towels, just like the bathroom in picture (8). Wicker baskets are also great for storing fresh towels, linens, dirty laundry, and toilet rolls – and they look good too.

Invest in luxury items like the shaving set in picture (9) or the wooden toothbrush holder in picture (10). Leave these items out on display as the elegant craftsmanship of the pieces make them great decor pieces.

If the area around your sink suffers from clutter, get some clutter trays. By grouping everything in these trays you clean up the area a bit.

There is one last bathroom storage idea, this one is for people with large bathroom spaces. An island, like the ones you get in kitchens, can be fitted in a bathroom for added storage and countertop space (11). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11

Here are some other bathroom posts to get more ideas from:

January 31, 2014 in Bathroom, Storage

Bathroom Color Ideas: Palette and Paint Schemes

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace 2121-70

For more grey ideas have a look at my mood board post here: Grey Bathroom Ideas and Design Styles.

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Summer Shower 2135-60

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Evening Dove 2128-30

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Rosemary Green 2029-30

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore How Blue Am I? 752

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Rich Cream 2153-60

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore November Rain OC-50

When it comes to bathroom color ideas you need to remember that a color scheme is made up of more than just the wall colors. If you look at the pictures above, the color combinations are made up of the wall color and the main focal pieces in the bathroom: cabinets, countertops, flooring, shower curtains, the bath and shower. Below I’ll go over design tips on how to create a well defined color palette for your bathroom.

3 Bathroom Paint Ideas for the Walls

Neutral shades like a warm tan, white, and light grey are popular bathroom color schemes. If you want to use a bold color like purple, here are 3 design options on how to decorate the bathroom:

1) Paint all of the walls in the color you want.

2) Paint one wall in the color of your choice (purple, red, blue, etc). This will be your feature wall. In the bathroom this is usually the wall that is against the sink. The rest of the walls are painted in a neutral color like white, grey, cream, tan. This way, you get that color but it is not as overwhelming compared to having all of the walls painted in the color.

3) The last option is to create a blank canvas. Paint the walls in a neutral color – then decorate the bathroom in the color scheme you want. Say it is blue – then use a blue shower curtain, a blue mirror frame, blue towels. You still create that blue color scheme, but you leave out the walls.

Divide and Conquer

For a more refined bathroom design, break up a solid painted wall by using a wainscot, beadboard, or tile divider. Just like the bathrooms in pictures (1) (3) (7) (8) and (9). This will also help small bathrooms feel larger.

Another tip for small bathrooms is to use light colors – on the walls and for the focal pieces. Bathrooms in pictures (2) (3) (7) and (9) are the best examples of color palettes to use.

Remodelling or Working With What You’ve Got

The items that take up the most space in the bathroom, the focal pieces, will play a big role in the style, design, and color scheme of the room. Take a look around your bathroom and see what the main pieces are – the cabinets, the countertops, the mirror, the shower curtain.

You will either have to remodel the bathroom to suit the color palette you choose. Or you’ll need to use a color palette that suits your current bathroom style.

Say you want a red color scheme for your bathroom. But you have blue floor tiles. This will clash. You will either have to re-floor the bathroom or work with what you have – go with blue or neutral colored walls to collaborate with the floor color.

Modern Bathroom Design Ideas: From Lighting Design to Color Choice

Test Bathroom Colors

Check out the bathrooms in picture (1) and (9). According to the designers they both use the same paint color on the walls: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC-172. This is why you can’t solely rely on online pictures. The lighting in the bathrooms can make the paint color look different, the camera settings and computer screens can also alter colors in photographs. Because of this you need to go out and get samples and see how they will look in your own bathroom. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

Small Bathroom Ideas and Designs

Below are the main design elements and small bathroom ideas that will help you make the most of your space. From the color palette you use and lighting, to the tiles and smart storage designs – a lot can play a role in how your bathroom feels.

Small Bathroom Color Ideas

The color palette you use in your bathroom will have a big impact on how the space feels. If you want to create a bright, spacious feeling, and airy bathroom then the best color options would be light shades – mint, yellow, white, cream, tan, light grey, like the bathrooms in pictures (1) and (2). This means using a light paint color on the walls, and decorating the space in light colored pieces – light colored countertops, shower curtains, flooring, and decor pieces.

Black can also make a space feel larger. Use it on one wall (the one against the sink and mirror), and have all the other walls in white. The black will make the wall feel like it is sunken, further away.

Light color shades do make a bathroom feel more spacious. But there is always the option of embracing a small space, and creating a cozy feel instead. If this is the way you want to go, then opt for darker paint colors. Use candles and dim lights at night. Make use of the Shabby Chic style (Shabby Chic Bathroom Decor and Design Ideas).

For more pictures and bathroom color ideas have a look at my post here:

Lighting for Small Bathrooms Designs

Lighting can also play a big role in how a bathroom feels. If you want the space to feel bright and open, light up the bathroom as much as possible (Bathroom Lighting Ideas: A Well Designed Space). Use recessed ceiling lights as they hide away all the fixtures in the ceiling, creating a modern look. Light up all areas of the bathroom, every corner, including inside the shower area (Bathroom Shower Lighting Ideas).

Try and bring in as much natural light during the day. By adding frosted windows, a skylight or solar tubes – just like the bathrooms in images (3) and (4).

Tile Ideas and Design Tips

If you are planning on using tile in your bathroom, there are a few things you can do to make a small bathroom feel larger.

You want to avoid ‘framing’ the tiles, because this will draw more attention to the individual tiles making the space feel smaller. So find a grout color that blends well with the color of the tiles you are using. Also light colored tiles and glossy ones (since they reflect light) are best for small bathrooms.

People debate on whether the size of the tile helps make a bathroom feel larger. But one thing is for sure. Larger tiles look more modern, and use less grout creating a more elegant design. But they are more expensive and harder to install.

The Power of the Mirror and Glass

A large mirror, or a group of smaller ones, creates added depth. And because mirrors reflect light around the bathroom, it makes the space feel larger.

How To Make A Small Room Look Bigger: Creative Design Ideas and Tips

Go with transparent furniture pieces, like vanity tops, shower dividers (5). Because it is see through, it takes up less ‘visual space’.

Smart Storage Solutions

If you have a small bathroom, you’ll want to have smart and efficient storage solutions to make the most of the limited space. Here are some smart bathroom storage ideas:

Use The Walls: Make the most of the wall space you have for storage and organization. Fit wall cabinets (6), floating shelves, hooks and railings. Install a recessed walls in the shower. These will all save you countertop space.

The Door: The back of the door is another place where storage space can be added. Fit hooks and railings to the back of the bathroom door.

10 Bathroom Toilet Paper Storage Ideas and Styles

A Double Curtain: You can buy double shower curtain rods. You hang up the shower curtain on the rod closest to the shower. The second rod is where you hang up your towel. When you are showering, the curtain stops the towel from getting wet. And when you are done showering, you open up the curtain and your towel is right in front of you – saving you from reaching or getting out of the shower to get the towel.

Under the Sink: A few bathrooms really lose a lot of storage potential because of the sink design. You want vanities that have storage underneath just like the bathroom in picture (7). Either have open shelves, draws, or have it curtained off.

Built In: If you are doing a remodel or a renovation of your bathroom, see if you can get built in units fitted. Not only are these custom designed to make the most efficient use of the bathroom layout, but the built in cabinets will be designed to blend in with the design of the bathroom. Because everything blends well together – this creates less visual chaos, meaning the bathroom will feel more spacious. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

For more bathroom storage ideas, have a look at my posts here: