Embrace neutrals with our white small bathroom ideas. After all, whenever space is at a premium, white is the color we all reach for, and it's a great way to transform a tired room for sure.
It lifts and brightens and is ideal for small spaces in need of clever interior design tricks, and the beauty of white is that it acts as a blank canvas. It means that the world is your oyster when it comes to key design aspects and you can add accent colors, patterned flooring, beautiful tactile textures, and metallics.
Take a look at our small bathroom ideas below and see which you love the most, you could even implement more than one idea within the space.
White small bathroom ideas to transform your space
Size can be an issue, but starting with a white scheme will help no end, updating a small bathroom can be tricky, but we have some fabulous ideas below that can be applied in a weekend.
Browse our white small bathroom ideas and check out our top buys too below.
Prices were correct at the time this article was published.
1. Bounce the light with a large mirror
It's no secret that mirrors can transform a space with their reflective quality, which makes them ideal for a white small bathroom.
"This was for a young girl's bath space," says Paulina Hospod, president, Aha Interiors. "There was an old door that we added a mirror onto; the door was recessed and the mirror was a 1/4 inch – it made the space bigger to get ready."
Hanging a mirror on a door is a great idea, it saves on wall space and the large size will bounce light even more.
For a similar shaped mirror check out Nordstrom's Gervais Full Length Mirror.
With over two decades of remodeling experience, Paulina excels as a project manager for high-end residential renovations and is an architectural cabinetry and interior design expert at Aha Interiors, a family-owned design firm specializing in design, millwork, and construction.
2. Use metallics to add a luxe feel
You can perk up a simply designed white small bathroom by adding metallics. Brass is a big trend right now across the board – including kitchens – and it looks great in a fresh white bathroom whatever its size.
Use it for your fixtures and fittings like shower heads (try Wayfair's Victorian Full Fixed Shower Head) and faucets like Target's Heritage Bathroom Faucet.
3. Add rustic elements for a cottage style
What's great about white is that it sits across all styles and eras. For a farmhouse-style small bathroom, consider opting for a rustic look to add authenticity.
This can be done by adding a pine-topped vanity unit, characterful shutters, and textures. Emma Sims-Hilditch, creative founder of the design house, Sims Hilditch explains:
"Choosing the right color scheme for your space is a matter of personal preference. However, you can make the space feel more inviting and less clinical by incorporating different materials and textures. Your choice of materials will also affect the amount of light that enters the room. If you want to brighten up the space, you can consider using reflective materials such as glass, marble, or mirrors. These materials can reflect and bounce light around the room, creating a brighter and more open atmosphere."
Check out our textured buys below for a farmhouse-style bathroom.
Under Emma's guidance, Sims Hilditch has been recognized as one of the Top 100 design studios by a range of publications over the years, including House & Gardens, Country Life, and Andrew Martin.
Price: $59.98 for 10 sheets
Size (in): W11 x D10
Ideal for bathroom backsplashes, these white peel and stick tiles will transform your bathroom in no time.
Price: $68.99
Size (in): H24 x W23.5 x D11.75
A rustic style bathroom vanity that has an option for a basin, if you love a farmhouse look then this is for you!
Price: $46
Size (in): H17 x W17 x D18
This sturdy seagrass basket can be used for storage toilet roll or towels.
4. Decorate the fifth wall
You can introduce color and pattern into a white small bathroom, we love the idea of painting or wallpapering the fifth wall – the ceiling. It's a fabulous trend right now and what could be better than lying in the tub looking at a stunning design?
Lauren Lerner, CEO and founder of Living with Lolo added a bold design to this small white bathroom, with a couple of other stylish additions too, "This is a poolhouse bathroom, so we knew we wanted to create a fun and colorful space. The teal cement tile anchored the space and the yellow sink added an additional pop of color. We kept the lighting, mirror, and wall color neutral so that the fun colors could pop!"
For a similar wallpaper in teal and orange, have a look at Wayfair's Peel & Stick Fruit Roll.
Lauren Lerner is the principal designer and founder of Living with Lolo, the interior design firm based in Scottsdale, AZ, since 2017. Fueled by her love for clean lines, mixed metals, colors, and timeless pieces, Lerner thrives on bringing a client’s home to life from the very beginning.
5. Create a focal point
Adoring your all white small bathroom but feeling it needs a little update? Why not add a colored basin – it will lift an existing scheme and create a stunning statement.
“Incorporating a statement basin in an all-white bathroom can be a transformative design choice that brings elegance and focal interest to the space. It introduces a sense of sophistication and personality without overwhelming the serene ambiance associated with white spaces," says Anna Callis, founder and director, London Basin Company.
Inspired by old porcelain, fabric archives, wallpaper, antiques, and magpie finds they discovered while travelling, interior designer Anna and her daughter, Nathalie, created The London Basin Company. In place of cold, characterless monochrome, bathrooms around the world now come alive thanks to our unique handcrafted countertop basins adorned with breathtaking patterns and delicate detailing.
6. Use color on the floor
For a hint of color consider adding it to your floor. It will ground the 'white' and add an accent at the same time – which can then be used within the space. There are several options, you can invest in a specific floor paint, lay tiles or simply add a bath mat.
Our buys below will help add the finishing touches if you want to copy this modern white bathroom with a pink floor.
Price: $293.91
Size (in): H20.5 x W18.5 x D24.5
A mid-century modern style white vanity that comes with a ceramic sink basin.
Price: $10.20 per sq ft / $118.34 per box
Size (in): W8.63 x L9.88
A pretty pastel pink hexagon porcelain tile that will give a contemporary look to an all-white bathroom.
Price: $140.99
Size (in): H30 x W1 x D22
A sleek rectangular vanity mirror that will help bounce the light around a small white bathroom.
7. Distract with wallpaper
Another well used interior design trick is to distract the eye when a space is small. And choosing a monochromatic scheme is one way to do this. Black and white, or charcoal and white if you want a more subtle look, is a bold choice, and certainly makes a statement. It's a great option for an existing white small bathroom that can be updated with striking wallpaper.
"Using wallpaper with an off-white background in a bathroom can cleverly create an illusion of space, diverting attention from its size without overwhelming it," agrees Jamie Watkins, co-founder, Divine Savages.
"Opt for delicate, painterly patterns with a nod to nature, such as our Crane Fonda design. Restricting the wallpaper to a two-tone color palette helps to keep the design understated whilst at the same time the bold design adds both pattern and personality. Charcoal is the perfect shade to complement off-white and offers a softer, more calming take on a classic black and white monochrome scheme," Jamie adds.
Divine Savages specializes in creating exquisitely crafted wallpapers, fabrics, accessories, and limited-edition art prints for the brave and bold. It was founded by husbands Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy in 2017.
8. Layer textures for interest
To add interest to a truly all-white small bathroom add texture. It can be done in subtle ways like how you lay out floor tiles, or by choosing a range of white shades for the walls and cabinetry.
Use a white paint that's not too bright – so it adds a little warmth instead, we like Lick's White 06 Matt, it has pink undertones instead of cooler blues that can leave a white room feeling clinical.
9. Paneling will add character
Wall paneling is perfect for adding an extra element to a room. It introduces texture and interest, and if you love the feel of a period property it will add that authenticity.
"We used picture paneling to make the room feel more cozy and elevated, a fully fabricated sink to make the space feel completely custom, and new stone floors to make the space feel more complete," says Kim Lapin, founder of Kim Lapin Interiors.
Update your vanity with some marble effect film, Amazon's Very Berry Stick and Peel Waterproof Removable Film looks great.
10. Be storage savvy
One of the biggest challenges with a white small bathroom is having enough storage that gives you want you want, but doesn't compromise on style or takes up too much visual space.
We like the look of Ikea's GODMORGON Wall Cabinet with 1 Door in White, you can double up if you need more storage. Don't forget you can use the back of the door too, Nordstrom's Canvas Wall Organiser is perfect for this.
Small can be perfectly formed, so don't think that your white small bathroom can't become the space you've always dreamt of. All you need is a few clever design tricks and you can take it from tired and clinical, to stylish and feeling more spacious in no time.
Updating your floor can be one such idea, read our small bathroom flooring ideas for more inspiration.