Did you know a bathroom can be half-sized, or even quarter-sized? It has nothing to do with square footage. A half-bath has a toilet and a sink. It’s sometimes called a powder room. A three-quarter-bath has a toilet, sink, and shower, but no tub. A full bath – of course – has everything.
Often, your home will have a full bathroom and one or two ‘partial’ ones. Today, we’re going to look at all options, and the various ways you can style them. Some ideas are simple tub-to-shower conversions, while others require a complete bathroom overhaul, so let’s check it out.
1. Curves and lines
This full bath seamlessly combines lines and angles. The large window offers a gorgeous view, but is tinted for privacy. The unifying factor in this décor is white marble with gray striations.
The whole bathroom floor is marble, and inside the glass shower cubicle, the walls and bench are made of marble too. Plus, this unique tub has both clean lines and soft curves.
As for the shower enclosure, it has recessed lights and a recessed shower head that’s fed by rain water, making the whole bathroom self-sustaining. The shower tray is made of mosaic tile.
2. Tempered timber
Sparse décor doesn’t have to be ugly, as this bathroom shows. The simple, curvy, freestanding tub fills one side, posing in front of a textured PVC wall. The floor is speckled gray stone.
Perpendicular to the tub, there’s a glossy gray wall with floating, open shelves in the same shade, and narrow straw-like faucets that open into shallow twin timber sinks. It’s beautifully simple.
3. Wood works
This next bathroom is similar, with a curvy standalone tub and floating shelves. Except for the shelves, in this case, are made of gray stone, with small twin bowl sinks positioned on top.
Each sink has its own mirror and black faucets, while the wall behind the tub is gray tile. As for the floor, it’s parquet wood laid in herringbone patterns, so avoid over-filling the tub.
4. Carved sink and nickel
When you’re working with limited space, combine your tub and shower space. Recessed lights sit on the ceiling above the tub, while the nickel shower head is positioned to drip into the tub.
The tub/shower walls are gray tile, while the rest of the décor is largely white. Of note is the eccentrically shaped sink, with a curvy basin scooped out of a square porcelain base.
5. Spanish villa
The bright natural lighting and sunshine-yellow tones in this bathroom are reminiscent of Mediterranean vacations. Two large windows light up the angular trough tub and glass shower.
They offer unmatched views, and enhance the yellow glint in your tiles, which covers the shower walls and bathroom floors. There’s no shelving, so rich wooden stools are a helpful accessory.
6. Olive ovals
Bathroom tiles are a safety measure to avoid water damage. But they can get expensive and sometimes feel restricting. Instead, ‘hide’ the ‘wet’ parts of the shower behind a glass partition.
In this case, the tub and shower section are lined with green olive tile, leaving the rest of the bathroom dry. This lets you install wood floor panels and a wooden vanity below an oval sink.
7. Bright bathrooms
Most bathrooms are built with limited natural light. But if you’re involved in the construction process, you can pull a full 180º. This bathroom has two windows plus large skylights.
The recessed ceiling bulbs and massive use of glass brighten the room even more. Two large mirrors, reflective shower enclosures, a standalone tub, and twin sinks tie it all together.
The floor tiles are heated, meaning the bathroom is both warm and stylish. The color scheme is white, beige, and brown, with polished sinks atop a dark wooden vanity.
8. Angular bathtubs
If your walls have unusual corners (above or below 90º), a rounded tub could be your way out. It’s easier to fit it into an oddly-angled frame. In this case, the tub is tucked behind a curtain.
The color scheme is pale green and white, and the jungle-themed shower curtain matches the light brown tile on the floor. Shelves above the tub provide extra storage.
9. Espresso tones
The Carrara marble walls, counters, and floors in this master en-suite are gorgeously off-set by the espresso-colored wooden twin-sink vanity. There’s a freestanding tub just out of sight.
Inside the glass shower enclosure, the shower tray is tiny striped tile, surrounded by the same marble wall tiles that cover the rest of the bathroom, floor to ceiling. Sheer luxury.
10. Lit up attic
Attics are often musty, poorly lit spaces with no headroom. So if you opt to use it as a bathroom, light up your space. This vaulted bathroom uses skylights and white tile everywhere.
Fixtures line the walls, creating a spacious arena in the center. Apart from the blue-toned mosaic framing the tub, and the matching mosaic backsplash inside the shower enclosure, everything else is gleaming white, including the floating toilet, sink, and bidet.
11.
With tiny bathrooms, every fixture has to be perfectly fitted. There’s literally no room for errors. In this example, the tub fits snugly into the corner and a flat black shower head floats above it.
The taps, shower rod, and towel rack are black too. The tub tile is gray with dark borders, while the walls outside the shower curtain are painted beige, with matching beige floor tiles.
12. Beach-time bath
There’s a certain bathroom aesthetic that’s stereotypically boring. Luckily, you can change it with a simple color tweak. This bathroom does it with warm peachy tones instead of blue.
The oval tub is sunken into glossy, sand-colored ceramic tiles. The bathroom floor and shower walls are paved with the same color, while the upper wall is painted beige. Yellow lights help too.
13. Frilly, not feminine
This bathroom would be right at home in a bachelor pad, despite the tufted shower curtain. That’s because the rest of the bathroom décor evens out the ‘girly’ effect.
Off-white brick-patterned tile lines the walls between the tub and the ceiling, and a brass-colored showerhead sits above the tub, matching the shower rod and faucets.
The floor is hexagonal brown mosaic, matching the deep brown vanity. A round mirror … mirrors … the oval sink beneath it, and the counter is Carrara marble for a touch of elegance.
14. Beige bounty
White and gray expands small bathrooms. But with so little space, you’re bound to lean on the walls and smudge them with soiled hands. This bathroom goes beige as a compromise.
Sandy-colored tile paves the floor, while white tile coats the shower and tub. The vanity is light brown wood fitted with a porcelain sink, while a large mirror adds depth and volume.
15. Tan and tight
Tan is a few shades darker than beige, so it’s a good alternative if you want to a bright bathroom that’s a little less susceptible to dirt. In this case, tan shower curtains match tan painted walls.
An adjustable shower head with a long chord is mounted above the tub. Like the other shower faucets, it’s black. The tile is speckled gray, while the vanity is a semi-spherical wooden style.
16. Make-up mirror
This master en-suite is every couple’s dream. The gray tub and floor tile, plus matching cabinets, keep it gender-neutral. Bright lights above the mirror are great for shaving and face-beating.
The tub is tucked behind a partial wall, and above it, there’s a high-powered, square-shaped shower head with a large surface area, providing more water jets for a satisfying shower.
17. Linear luxury
Long lines are a good way to expand the appearance of a bathroom, and this one uses them liberally. The bulk of the wall and floor tile has unbroken wood-grain imitations, including the section behind the glass shower enclosure. The center bathroom tile is more cubic.
A freestanding tub sits off to the side, leaving wide, unfettered space in the middle of the bathroom. Recessed ceiling lights and wooden window detail offer even more linear stretch.
18. Spartan spectacle
Do you know those homes that have nothing but a recliner, a fireplace, and a huge TV? This is probably what their bathroom looks like, and it’s oddly elegant. Mosaic tile fills one wall.
The floor is black tile, and the only bathroom fixture is a large rounded standalone tub. Its plumbing comprises a gilded adjustable shower head, suspended like a retro phone.
19. Vaulted wet room
Two things distinguish a wet room – continuous floor plans and open showers. In this case, the vertical shower head and black faucets have a partial glass enclosure, open on one side.
The vaulted roof opens into a French window behind the comfortable tub. The whole wet room floor is waterproofed concrete with impressive marble imitation striations.
20. Bathroom zen
Bamboo makes a great bathroom plant, and you don’t even need soil to plant it in (stones and water in a pitcher will suffice). This bathroom has two bamboo trees sitting on a tiled floor that has herringbone faux wood patterns. The flooring style is reflected by a wood panel ceiling.
Next to the tub is a lush, steam-proof upholstered bench, which can be pulled up to the marble vanity. Said vanity has two portable stools of its own, great for make-up and coiffing. Floating shelves above the tub provided storage space for bath supplies.
21. Curtain color
Curtains can soften the clinical, cold look of a typical bathroom. In this sample, a rainbow-colored curtain brightens up the bathroom. Behind the curtain, there’s a tub topped with white tile. There’s an adjustable white shower chord to go with it. The tub niche has a gentle top arch.
That subtle curve adds character, and it’s painted a rich peachy ivory shade that matches the countertop and backsplash above a brown wooden vanity. It’s fitted with a double sink.
22. Walk into the yellow
Walk-in showers are safe (from water damage) and stylish. But for the most elegant results, use frameless barely-there glass, as seen in this bathroom. Just make sure no one crashes into it. The shower is tucked into the corner, with the bath tray resting on a raised threshold.
The shower cubicle is tiled in ivory from floor to ceiling. Outside the glass partition, a large, rounded tub with black taps is surrounded by brighter yellow tile, both for its frame and backsplash. The top half of the walls are painted a powdery shade of ivory.
23. Panoramic shower space
Whether you face the ocean or a penthouse city-scape, frameless French doors offer unmatched views. Extend the safety glass into a shower enclosure so you can enjoy the view from there.
In this bathroom, the tub and shower both have a wide-open feel, and one wall is completely clear glass. Gray floor tiles hold the room together, while wide steps lead downstairs.
24. Lines and angles
This bathroom sticks to the basics, but it’s in no way conservative. Brick-patterned white tiles start at the ceiling and stop at the floor, including the walls inside the glass shower enclosure.
The floor is black-and-white tile in diagonal layout, while the vanity is a highly glossy black. With a large window and this many reflective surfaces, you don’t feel the absence of a mirror.
25. Fire up the marble
Under ordinary circumstances, fire and water don’t mix. But modern technology allows you to have your very own furnace, right inside your bathroom. In this sample, it’s installed opposite your glass shower enclosure, which is on the larger side. It has its own recessed ceiling lights.
The entire bathroom uses roof-to-floor marble tiles. The shower tile patterns match the floor, while the counter tile matches the fireplace accent wall. Espresso cabinets provide storage.
26. Double delight
Your master en-suite or twin bath can be surprisingly luxurious if you use the right floor plan. This beige bathroom has twin doors and a twin layout. Instead of a dual-sink, it has elaborate dual vanities on either wall, with a shower cubicle between. The shower is a sort of ‘island’.
It’s six-sided, with glass on five sides, and two shower heads – one fixed, one adjustable. It’s big enough that you can both shower simultaneously. The beige tile and sandy striated walls offer warmth and ambiance, while the massive floor space speaks of luxury.
27. Wooded wonder
A bathroom loft can be an interesting décor idea, and this sample has a wooden accent wall. It looks pretty, but you’ll soon stop using the shower – too much maintenance. So you should only use this option for long, relaxing baths. Otherwise, your wood repair bill will traumatize you.
28. Bed and bath
This bathroom feels more like a bedroom, so it’s an intriguing style for your en-suite. The standalone tub is designed to resemble a storage trunk, and the conical bowl sink mirrors the conical light fixtures above it. Tile backsplash avoids messy water damage.
That said, the top half of the vanity is painted royal blue, with a round mirror. There’s also a rounded stool that doubles as storage hamper. The floor is done in wood-imitation tile.
29. Curves and corners
That neglected, ambiguous corner space can easily be converted into an extra bathroom. It’s much simpler than you’d think. A large, curvy, standalone tub fills one side, with just a little ‘leg room’ for a palette stool and a shallow tray-type porcelain sink.
White, brick-shaped tiles can completely pave the walls, right up to the ceiling. For the floor, black-and-white tile creates a receding effect, making the tiny bathroom feel bigger. You’re done!
30. Lengthy shower enclosure
In smaller bathrooms, the tub and its frame can fill one entire wall. In this wet room, it’s the shower cubicle that runs the entire width of the room, even though the glass shower door only covers half that length. A stainless steel square shower head is recessed into the ceiling.
Recessed shelving protects your bath products from shower water, and the whole floor, both behind the glass and in front of it, is covered in gray floor tile. The walls on all sides are white tile in brick patterns. A floating vanity with open shelves provides extra storage.
31. Free, floating, and fabulous
Very few sections of this bathroom are anchored down, and it’s a stylish, yet practical design for a shared space. It can be especially useful for tweens and teens forced into a communal space.
How so? Every area is segregated. Both the shower and the tub have their own glass enclosures. In the middle, there’s a floating vanity and a second floating cabinet. Inside the shower cubicle, there are two additional mini-sinks and an extra mirror, ideal for shaving and brushing teeth.
Both the tub and the shower have adjustable faucets and showerheads. The bathroom has gray tile walls and white tile floors, making space seem bigger. And despite all this detail, the separate glass enclosures and ample storage shelves keep the room from looking cluttered.
Half or full?
You don’t need a shower and a bath in every single room. Instead, you can find other ways to work around your daily hygiene needs. Your ‘public’ bathroom – the one day-time guests use – only needs a sink and a toilet. Guestroom en-suites can survive with a shower. No tub needed.
But however big, small, or accessorized your bathrooms are, size doesn’t have to compromise style. The 31 bathrooms we’ve looked at are the perfect testament. So, what do your bathtub and shower look like right now? Show us in the comments and we can suggest some changes!