8 modern small bathroom ideas that are chic and contemporary

If swish style is your thing, modern small bathroom ideas may be for you. Add sparkle to your space now, and you'll feel so much better when getting cleaned up.

We've spoken with interior designers to scope out how they bring a current feel into this room. From freeing up the floor space to going for luxe colors, they have plenty of sleek tricks up their sleeves.

If you're redecorating and are in need of small bathroom design ideas, going for a modern look will help refresh the room in a refined way.

Modern small bathroom ideas from the pros

As well as finding out how to update an outdated small bathroom, modern styles will also come in useful when bringing a contemporary finish to your home.

Our pros have mentioned useful picks throughout, so we have shopped these in case you want to start zhuzhing up your washroom.

The prices below were correct at the time of publishing this article. 

1. Clear, open showers

In a small bathroom, one of the most eye-catching features has to be the shower — so it’s important to give it the love it deserves.

“Small bathrooms should have walk-in showers in clear glass enclosures,” says Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight. 

Artem Kropovinsky

Artem Kropovinsky is an interior design expert and founder of Arsight, which has twice been honored as finalists in the international SBID Awards and acknowledged in the NYCxDESIGN Awards. He has a decade of extensive and global residential and commercial interior design experience. Recently, he completed a modern small bathroom in a Brooklyn townhouse, which is featured in this piece.

“They remove visual obstructions thus creating a feeling of a bigger, even more amiable room,” he explains.

This will also make your small bathroom appear lighter and more airy, thanks to the material being clear.

2. Freestanding units

Create more space for light to move through by choosing smart, freestanding units (such as this compact corner Wagstaff freestanding bathroom cabinet from Wayfair), as these will help make your small bathroom look bigger.

“Opting for wall-hung basins (such as this floating IKEBANA wall mounted sink from Amazon) and wall-mounted vanity spaces will help open up the space,” says Ivo Iv, design expert and founder of Decor Home Ideas.

Ivo Iv

Ivo Iv is a home improvement expert and founder of Decor Home Ideas. He loves inspiring people with interior design ideas and showing them the practical steps to make these happen. He's always on the hunt for new and creative ways to improve your home, steering clear of anything boring, blah, or been-there, done-that. This is why he loves bringing in modern designs.

For instance, this floating sink in the bathroom Artem designed (above) gives the impression of a larger bathroom. 

“The smooth, postmodernity design is also promoting the contemporary appearance,” he adds.

3. Monochromatic colors

Go for a cohesive color scheme with one of the best paint colors for small bathrooms, in order to bring in a modern look.

Artem says, “The use of monochrome tones, particularly those in lighter shades, produces a united, spacious, and contemporary feeling.”

If you can't paint walls in your bathroom due to renting, you could always learn how to upcycle a furniture piece and paint these in optimal shades.

4. Strategic tile placement

If you aren’t ready to pick up a paintbrush but want a quick injection of modern style, tiles could be the way to go for you.

“Consider using accent tiles strategically, such as framing the full mirror over the vanity in marble,” suggests Nina Lichtenstein, principal home designer and founder of Nina’s Home Design.

Nina Lichtenstein

For close to a decade, Nina has showcased her in-depth construction and design expertise. She has been celebrated for designing, renovating, and building elegant family homes with modern feels. Her motto is bringing together function and beauty, without compromise, to embody unique visions of life.

“You could extend this marble to the shower curb, vanity wall niche, and shower niches for a cohesive look,” she says.

This not only ties the areas together but also creates standout features throughout, drawing attention away from the size of your bathroom and putting focus on the style. 

These eye-catching Smart Tiles Peel and Stick Tiles from Amazon would work well for this.

5. Polished hardware

Keeping finishing touches feeling fresh is a key part of modern small bathroom design.

“I like to add matching brass hardware fixtures, as these can stand out as warm accent features,” Nina explains. "This brings a touch of sophistication to the bathroom design."

We’re big fans of switching up handles to do this and think these highly-rated Ravinite Cabinet Pulls on Amazon would elevate any space.

6. Storage solutions

We always recommend learning how to declutter a small bathroom to keep it looking stylish and modern. Once you’ve done this, you can bring in small bathroom storage solutions to maintain this cleanliness.

Nina says, “Optimize space with a wall niche by the vanity for easy access to products stored decoratively. An over-the-toilet storage cabinet can also house functional yet decorative items like jars or bowls."

Artem adds ladder shelves can also help create a clean and sophisticated minimalist design.

As well as this, we love using the best shower caddies in our spaces, and think this Iperlife Corner Shower Caddy from Amazon would make any small space look look luxe.

7. Indoor plants

Introduce a touch of nature by incorporating some of the best indoor plants into your modern small bathroom design. 

“Selecting greenery with subtle foliage adds a refreshing element, contributing to a balanced and inviting atmosphere in the small bathroom,” Nina explains.

One plant which thrives in bathrooms is the peace lily. This Large Peace Lily from The Sill comes with free delivery and measures between 16”-24” tall. Making use of the best trailing plants will add character to your space, too.

8. Matching walls and floors

You can give your small bathroom a bold look by matching the floors and the walls.

“Matching patterns ensure the room has few visual interruptions, creating an expansive feel,” Ivo explains.

If you are using tiles or marble, Ivo says you can easily match your wall and floor pattern for a really striking finish.

By paying attention to modern small bathroom ideas, you can create a place you truly enjoy scrubbing up and winding down in.

“The bathroom is one of the most essential spaces in any house and modern small bathroom ideas can change the entire outlook of your space,” Ivo finishes by saying.

If you’re looking for more subtle design ideas, minimalist small bathroom ideas also always look graceful and gorgeous.