Designing my downstairs loo – my tips for transforming a tiny, practical space into a beautiful little sanctuary for both you and your guests
It's a small space with big impact
Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.
If there is one room in your home where you can truly let loose and have a little fun designing, it’s the downstairs loo. While a 'main' bathroom costs a fortune to renovate and comes with a mountain of practical storage factors to consider, the downstairs cloakroom is a golden opportunity to showcase your personality. It is the perfect canvas to get playful, bold, and a little bit brave.
Our downstairs loo was my very first foray into using wallpaper, and now that it’s done, I honestly don’t know what took me so long! I may have started a whole new addiction – I now want to paper every wall in the house. The beauty of using a bold pattern is that everything else can be kept relatively simple, and who doesn’t love that?
To help you tackle your own space, I’m breaking down a few key points to consider when designing a small loo so that it not only works hard for you but looks incredibly pretty doing it.
Storage solutions
A downstairs loo doesn’t need to house thousands of toiletries like a family bathroom, but it's great to have somewhere to hide your cleaning products and maybe some extra loo rolls.
- The clever cabinet – You could add a cupboard over the loo painted in a gorgeous pop of colour, or source something vintage to marry the old with the new (something that is always worth considering and gives a home instant charm). I love how clever my Instagram pal, Beck from @the_interior_lens, was by adding fabric to her nifty storage unit. Adding texture and introducing another pattern (in this case, a classic stripe) is a brilliant way to make a room feel beautifully lived-in and helps to soften the space.
- Stylish storage bins – I also love having a little basket or bin next to the toilet to hold grab-and-go cleaning supplies. The Strand rattan bathroom bin from Kalinko has been on my wish list for years; the design is completely timeless, and that lid is crucial – no one wants your toilet cleaner of choice on display!
- The sink skirt – I so nearly added a skirt to our sink when we redesigned our space, but the other half vetoed it. He doesn’t often say no to my design ideas, but he was adamant on this one (and I guess he does live here too, after all!). I still think they look so chic, and who doesn’t love the idea of extra storage under a basin to hide the ugly stuff? Don't worry, I’m still working on him…
This gorgeous space by Ciara Kenaston showcases perfectly how a sink skirt can add instant softness and pattern to a room.
The power of a ledge
I’ve spoken before about my love for a ledge, and I stand by the fact that it is well worth considering a concealed cistern when making over a small bathroom.
Building out a wall to hide the plumbing creates a built-in ledge, giving you the perfect opportunity for a little styling moment (pretty things only, please!).
It’s a lovely spot to showcase trinkets, treasures, and handy extras like room sprays, candles, or even a mini lamp to make the space feel cosy and inviting.
Now, let's talk wallpaper – the fun bit
There are so many gorgeous, bold wallpapers out there catering to every single budget. I fell hard for Annika Reed’s 'Red Coat' paper and went all out – wrapping it up and over the ceiling and even matching the window blind. It still brings a smile to my face every single time I use the space.
If a full wallpaper moment feels a bit too daunting, consider tiling the bottom half of the wall and adding a fun printed design above, just like Hannah from @atnumbereighteen.
I adore Hannah’s wallpaper choice here from Soff Studios. It’s such a fun pattern, and I spotted some genius concealed storage at the back that almost disappears because of the clever layout. She even wallpapered the flat part of the extractor fan – absolutely brilliant!
Finishing touches
Now on to my absolute favourite part: the details.
We're talking mirrors, shelving, hooks, loo roll holders, and lighting – all the little pieces that are easy to skip past but make all the difference when you get them right.
- Hardware and accessories – In terms of the little details, you can’t go far wrong with MG&Co. Pricier than the high street, but my goodness, do those details sing! We have a wall caddy mirror and a towel hook from Matilda Goad, and they completely finish the room off, instantly elevating the space. Beata Heuman’s 'Pigeon' hook hangs on the back of our door too – it has that perfect mix of beauty and function that you come to expect from a top interior designer.
- The loo roll holder – The Bilton toilet roll holder in antique brass from Rowan & Wren is another fantastic find (we actually have it in our main bathroom). There are plenty of beautiful brass designs out there, but I love the ease of this one for replacing rolls without any fuss. We went with a Grace & Glory design in here to mix it up a bit.
- Little luxuries – One thing you should never skip in a space that will likely be used by guests is a fancy hand soap. Personally, I love the chic, simple packaging of both Verden and Austin Austin (and they smell like an absolute dream). Purdy & Figg also make a product called 'Oh! de Loo’ – deodorising drops you pop right into the toilet bowl. It is super bougee, and frankly, I’m 100% here for it.
Ultimately, a downstairs loo is a great opportunity to show your home a little love as it’s the one room in the house guaranteed to be seen by almost every guest who walks through your door. So why not give them something to talk about?
By pairing smart, hidden storage with unapologetic pattern and those thoughtful finishing touches, you can transform a tiny, practical space into a beautiful little sanctuary for both you and your guests.
Go bold, have fun, and embrace the drama. And if anyone needs me, I’ll be over here with a roll of wallpaper in one hand and a tape measure in the other, trying to figure out which room I can cover next... (and still working on that sink skirt!).
