5 Decorating Mistakes Everyone Makes With Their Half Bath

Half bathrooms often challenge your DIY design senses. The space is small and may only be used occasionally, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it. In fact, because this space is often used by guests, it should have a thoughtful design so it makes a good impression. As you're deciding how to style your powder room, it's often helpful to look at some common decor mistakes everyone makes, which range from poor lighting and lack of storage to no personality and incorrect sizing. Learning from the mistakes of others means you won't have to redo your design choices, which can save you time and money. Changes after you start your renovation usually increase your budget, especially if you've already ordered materials or fixtures, so avoid this by designing the space right the first time.

Size is a common design challenge for powder rooms. Half bathrooms usually only have about 15 to 26 square feet to work with, so getting creative with storage, decor, and layout decisions is essential. Lighting can also be a concern, especially if your powder room doesn't have any windows to provide natural light. Paying attention to common half bathroom design mistakes helps you put together a space that's functional and looks great.

You might not get ready every day in your half bath, but adequate lighting is still important for making the space functional and inviting. Start with a flush-mount, pendant, or chandelier overhead to cast ambient lighting in your half bathroom. A fixture with a shade to diffuse the light creates a soft, inviting look. Don't be afraid to show your design personality with a statement fixture.

Install shadow-free half bath lighting with sconces placed at eye level on either side of the mirror. If the layout of the bathroom doesn't allow for side lighting, consider a lighted mirror with backlighting or frontlighting for the vanity area. With these options, you'll get an even glow across the mirror without the need for additional fixtures. Or, install an over-mirror fixture that's 24 inches or longer to provide a wider illuminated area. Diffused lighting with a minimum of 150 watts often works best for overhead fixtures to cut down on shadows.

Accent lighting isn't just for spacious bathrooms. Even in a small bathroom, you can use accent lighting to tie together all the various sources of light. For instance, you could add backlighting to an alcove or open storage shelf to guide guests to supplies they might need. If your half bath has a vanity instead of a pedestal sink, add motion-sensing LED strips to the base for a warm glow. You can even elevate your bathroom with a cozy and affordable lighting addition that doubles as decor: flameless candles.

Even if your half bath doesn't get used as much as your main bathroom, it still needs some storage for essentials like toilet paper, hand soap, and towels. In-bathroom storage makes restocking easier and eliminates embarrassing requests for more toilet paper from your guests. The trick is to choose storage that's both functional and attractive.

Pedestal sinks are common in powder rooms, but they don't provide any storage. Consider styling your small bathroom with a narrow vanity instead. Standard vanities usually start at a width of 24 inches, but you can find narrower versions that are under 20 inches wide. Corner vanities offer another space-saving option if a standard vanity doesn't fit well. To choose the perfect bathroom vanity, begin by measuring the available space. You can even cut out a piece of cardboard to the size of the vanity you're considering to see how it fits into the bathroom layout.

Using a mix of open and closed storage gives you a spot for everything without letting your half bath become cluttered. For items you keep out in the open like cotton balls or q-tips, choose decorative storage containers such as pretty trays or glass apothecary jars. If you need additional storage, consider wall shelves, freestanding cabinets, or over-the-toilet options with a mix of open shelves and storage hidden behind doors.

White remains a classic bathroom color option when you want to keep the space bright and clean-looking, and smaller spaces in particular are often decorated in a white scheme. However, you don't have to make your half bathroom boring or stick with white if it doesn't fit your style. Showing your personality and incorporating bold designs and colors can make the space a showpiece in your home. In fact, a half bathroom is an ideal spot to play with color. This is because darker, bolder tones in smaller rooms add personality without feeling too overwhelming since they provide a smaller amount of drama. Other ways to add style to the bathroom include hanging a stunning patterned wallpaper, installing a statement sink, or adding decorative lighting that fits the design scheme.

If you want to keep the walls simple, consider adding personality on the floor. Look for ideas for bathroom flooring that you haven't seen before, such as uniquely-shaped tiles with intricate patterns or textures. Mixing tiles to create unique designs will make your bathroom floor stand out. Because you're working with such a small space and don't need as much flooring, you can splurge on higher-end or unique options while keeping the overall costs lower.

Logic tells you to go small in a tiny bathroom, and sure, a huge chandelier or oversized vanity won't work well in most half bathrooms. But going too small could be just as much of a design mistake as choosing oversized pieces. Tiny items, whether it's light fixtures or wall decor, will get lost in the shuffle. The other issue with going too small is the tendency to add more. You might hang several small floating shelves, put multiple tiny organizers on the shelves, or decorate with several small decor pieces. More items, even if they're tiny, add up to excess clutter that can make your half bathroom feel messy.

Scale and proportion describe how the sizes of pieces work in the space. Scale describes how the size of a piece relates to the overall room dimensions, while proportion describes how well the sizes of the pieces fit together. Balancing the sizes and filling up the space without overcrowding it are key. Instead of using lots of tiny framed prints for your bathroom gallery wall, choose one larger art piece to anchor the wall with a few smaller decor pieces as accents. Measuring the space helps you choose pieces that fit well, but trusting your judgment and deciding if items look like they fit well will ultimately help you design a balanced space.

Instead of ignoring the walls in your half bath and keeping them empty, going vertical with your storage and design decisions gives you more options for fitting everything into the space. It's a simple way to make your half bath feel bigger by giving you more storage and display areas while keeping floor space open. Taller items also cause you to look upward, giving the sense of a taller, more spacious room. Try hanging a taller mirror above your vanity for this purpose. A large, vertical piece of artwork could also work and will help you show off your personality.

It also makes sense to use vertical space to increase storage. The type of vertical storage you choose depends on how much space you need, the current bathroom layout, and your design preferences. Tall standing shelves or over-the-toilet organizers give you lots of storage in one area. Floating shelves offer a clean look and can go anywhere on the wall. Hooks mounted around the room also offer flexibility in where they're installed and provide hanging storage solutions. To incorporate texture, mount a basket to the wall with the opening facing out toward the room. Consider what types of items you want to store and display in the bathroom and choose vertical options that work well for those items.