Art inspiration for when you want to decorate your bathroom

Many sins have been committed in bathrooms — at least when it comes to decor. Cluttered with crude “dad humor” cartoons, sappy inspirational wall hangings and peeling travel posters, these intimate spaces are often artless. But they don’t have to be.

Don’t waste the chance to adorn your washroom. “Every room needs a focal point, an artful place where your eyes can land,” says Los Angeles-based designer Jeff Andrews, who designed his primary bathroom around a vintage abstract oil painting by Aubrey Penny. “I love putting art in unexpected places — and the bathroom is no different.”

In fact, with its cold, hard surfaces and less-than-photogenic features, the bathroom is arguably more in need of decor than other parts of a home. A captivating painting can help a tiny WC feel less claustrophobic and distract from the room’s base function.

Just stay away from “bathroom art,” warns New Jersey-based designer, Beth Diana Smith. Although it might seem logical to hang prints that say, “welcome to the bathroom” or “toilet tissue here,” resist. “Ugh, don’t do that,” Smith says. “Treat the art the way you would in the rest of your home.” Here’s how.

Anything goes

Think broadly when it comes to bathroom art. If framed travel photos or ceramic wall hangings are aesthetically pleasing or stylish, they can function as decor. “Strange but not valuable items,” like postcards or a poster, are fair game, says Washington, D.C.-based designer Annie Elliott. “I do not mean a Monet poster from a long-ago art exhibition, but one from a much cooler event, like a film festival or your early adulthood. Something you can’t make yourself get rid of.” Elliott had been planning to donate a framed block print she’d owned for years. But then her daughter intervened. She was attached to the piece and ended up propping it against the wall in the center of her bathroom vanity. “It looks great,” says Elliott.

Be silly

The world is your oyster when it comes to bathroom art. Although you want to avoid cheesy or cringey pieces, consider injecting some humor. “Don’t take yourself too seriously,” says New Jersey-based designer Sarah Storms, who hung a small, ornately framed painting of a pink swan in a tiny bathroom with blue wallpaper. “I wanted a pop of contrast, and the pink and blue look pretty together,” she says. In a similarly small powder room, Elliott situated a painting of a dog in a business suit against a backdrop of playful, French Revolution-inspired wallpaper. Since the painting hangs directly across from the mirror, the effect is as if the pup is observing itself. A duck figurine on the sink adds to the whimsical feel.

Or take a cue from Atlanta-based designer Jessica Davis and showcase your kids’ artwork. In their bathroom, Davis hung paintings her children had made in the style of the artists Piet Mondrian and Yayoi Kusama. The pieces’ geometric shapes and primary colors echo the subway tile on the walls.

Of course, fun can also swing sinister. When an artsy client asked for a “cool, edgy, funky” feel for his Beverly Hills bathroom, Andrews chose dark, somber oil paintings. One is of a full face, while others depict portions, such as an ear or nose and mouth. Together, the people (or their parts) seem to stare creepily at guests. Their juxtaposition with a live-edge-topped wooden backsplash conjures a rough and violent effect reminiscent of a slasher film set.

Designer Jeff Andrews added oil paintings for a client seeking a “cool, edgy, funky” feel in their bathroom.

(Grey Crawford)

Embrace elegance

Maybe you’d rather veer high-end or traditional. Elliott notes that a Picasso painting hangs in the anteroom to a prominent political family’s Washington, D.C. bathroom. “Wouldn’t that be nice, to glimpse a Picasso on your way to the bathroom? You can hang your Van Gogh there if you trust your guests,” she says.

That statement doesn’t need to be tongue-in-cheek. Just like any room, a bathroom can have a gallery feel, says Andrews. In his client’s glam Beverly Hills refuge, he hung a red ink sketch of abstract dress forms. Since the room is all white, the piece pops. “It’s the one little piece of jewelry that catches your eye and takes away from the cleanliness of all the white,” he says.

Rifle Paper Co. dessert plates add contrast to the black and white wallpaper in this bathroom designed by Sarah Storms.

(Aimee Ryan)

For a lower-budget alternative, try a strategy from Storms. Over a client’s toilet, she hung a set of three Rifle Paper Co. dessert plates featuring images of different cities.

Mind the moisture

Splashed water or condensation can damage art. So, “if you have a super steamy bathroom with condensation dripping down the mirror, avoid including anything valuable,” Elliott says. Instead, choose art you’re willing to “let die a long, slow death.”

But if your bathroom is well-ventilated and not showered or bathed in often, you have more options. In her primary bathroom, Elliott hung two engravings of birds, protected under glass. Despite 20 years of exposure to steam, the pieces have held up well, she says.

Advanced placement

Here are some tips for mastering the art of bathroom art:

Art doesn’t have to match the walls: Smith often chooses art in a color scheme complementary to the walls. “I don’t try to color match art to anything specific in a bathroom. I want the art to feel distinct and not blend in,” she says.

You can and should hang art on wallpaper: “If you don’t hang art or a framed mirror on wallpaper, the room won’t look finished,” says Elliott. But there’s one exception, according to Storms: murals, since they’re meant to be seen in full. She recommends choosing a wallpaper pattern with a small repeat, so hanging art won’t obscure key portions.

Prop it up: Lean a framed print against the wall in the center of a wide vanity or on a shelf above the toilet. As part of a vanity vignette, Elliott can envision small photos of grandparents in silver frames interspersed with perfume and cologne bottles.

A large, bold painting pulls in the black of the tub in this Jeff Andrews-designed bathroom.

(Christopher Stark)

Consider a small gallery wall: Either opt for a cluster of three to five images or cover the entire wall, says Elliott. For an affordable approach, buy 4-by-4-inch oil paintings from Etsy and keep either the frames or the art consistent, says Storms. Think all black-and-white photos in different frames or a variety of botanical prints in the same frames.

But don’t overdo it: “Sometimes less is more with art layering in a bathroom,” says Storms. If you only have space for one great piece over the towel bar or toilet, go for one great piece. Make it slightly larger so you create a moment. Don’t try and cram too much in.”