34 Of The Best Basement Bathroom Ideas This Year

1. Go White and Bright

It’s no secret that using lots of light paired with an all-white palette can make a room feel more spacious and airier. But, going with this look, like Oh Sweet Basil, is an exceptionally great choice for a basement bathroom that might otherwise feel small and dark.

The walls, door, trim, vanity, and tile all stay white, while a bold pattern on the floor helps ground the room and keeps it from feeling too cold. 

2. Surround the Room in Stone

Basements can get a little damp, and when you’re dealing with a bathroom, moisture can do damage if you’re not careful. While there are certain things you can do to keep your basement high and dry, choosing water-friendly materials in the bathroom is an extra precaution.

This bathroom featured on The Spruce uses stone throughout the space, making the room impenetrable when it comes to water, plus it looks amazing. 

3. Shower Under the Stairs

If you’re working with a smaller basement, you likely don’t want to take up too much space with a bathroom. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have one. You just need to be thoughtful with your space planning.

So, carve out an area near your basement stairs and place the shower underneath the stair area, like this Pinterest inspiration. Position the shower head near the taller side of the space to get as much headroom as possible. 

4. Use Space-Saving Storage

Storage is a vital part of any bathroom design, but it’s even more critical in a basement bathroom that tends to be on the smaller side. After all, you need a place to keep all of your bathroom essentials, like towels, body wash, makeup, and all sorts of other items.

Instead of letting the space around your toilet go unused, opt for a classic over-the-toilet cabinet like this one from Overstock.

5. Balancing Act

No matter your style preference, a basement bathroom is an excellent opportunity to show off your personal aesthetic. This rustic style basement bathroom featured by Michael Bunch, Keller Williams does a great job of balancing earthy tones and natural elements with modern lines and fixtures.

The combination comes together to create a warm and sophisticated space that’s inviting and relaxing. The oversized round bathroom mirror makes a significant impact in the room, as does the large tiled shower.

6. Use a Wall-Mount Sink

Basement bathrooms aren’t always small, but let’s face it, many times, you’re working with limited space. While you might not be able to fit everything you want in your basement bathroom, some items are pretty essential, like a sink.

But, if there’s no room for a vanity, opt for a wall-mount sink like this compact one from Lowe’s. It takes up less space and makes the room seem larger since it doesn’t take up floor area.  

7. Create a Spa Retreat

When you go to the spa for a relaxing massage or just to unwind, typically, they keep the lights low, and you feel a general sense of calm.

Since basement bathrooms have a tendency to be on the darker side, especially if it doesn’t have windows, consider embracing it and go for a spa vibe. This bathroom from improvenet uses serene colors, clean lines, and dimmers to create a spa-like retreat.

8. Consider Placement

If your basement has low ceilings, which many do, headroom is a big consideration. If certain areas of the ceiling house ductwork and pipes, then these spots can drop your ceiling down even lower, making standing upright almost impossible (unless you’re five feet tall).

If this describes your basement bathroom, you can counter the short spots by placing your toilet and tub below them, like this bathroom from Jordan Price’s Pinterest. 

9. Wall Mount the Faucets

When you’re working in a bathroom where every inch counts, then it’s critical to maximize every opportunity to save a few extra notches on your ruler. Selecting a shallow vanity and placing the sinks as close as possible to the wall can make a big difference in a small room.

Using wall-mounted fixtures like this modern chrome faucet set from Moen means you don’t have to take up your valuable vanity space. 

10. Modern Masterpiece

Long gone are the days of dingy, builder-grade basement bathrooms. There’s no reason your space can’t make a significant and stylish statement, whether it’s big or small.

This modern masterpiece from Jennifer Allwood Home keeps things light and bright with white walls, a crisp white vanity, and a beautiful sink. But it then adds a dramatic color pop with the stunning teal vanity and gold hardware. The bold black mirror also adds its own statement.

11. Creative Storage Solutions

Finding storage solutions in unexpected places is a great way to keep clutter and chaos to a minimum in any space. After all, the more places you have to hide away your stuff, the fewer things you need to have out in the open.

If your basement bathroom includes a bathtub, use a tub surround with a built-in cabinet like HGTV to stash some of your bath essentials or back stock items. 

12. Install Vanity Lights on the Mirror

If your basement bathroom doesn’t have access to natural light, it’s even more important to pay careful attention to the artificial lighting in the space. If you don’t want the room to feel dark, but you also can’t install lights all over the place, no problem.

Here’s a trick from Home Adore that allows you to create more light. Mount your vanity lights onto the mirror to maximize how it bounces light around the room.

Related: The Best Bathroom Lighting Ideas

13. Let It Flow

Help your entire basement design scheme flow together and feel larger by ensuring your bathroom color scheme and style blend well with the rest of the basement. In this example from Sebring Design, Build, Remodel, the various shades of gray stretch through the bathroom into the outer hallway and bedroom beyond.

Plus, white trim carries throughout the entire space. The similar tones and matching trim help tie everything together and give the whole design a thoughtful and intentional look. 

14. Bluesy Bathroom

We’re loving this small basement bathroom from Park and Oak Design, which makes a big statement, with rich blue walls, dramatic wallpaper, and stunning gold fixtures.

The gold pipes used as vanity legs are an especially nice touch, and everything pops against the white penny tile floor and bright white sink. A simple bouquet of pink flowers offers a nice contrast against the blue, and the wood mirror and woven basket help soften the overall look.

15. Go with a Monochromatic Look

Using a monochromatic color scheme can be a great way to help a small space feel larger. It’s simply taking a color and using various shades of it throughout the room to help everything flow.

In this basement bathroom from Meridian Design, Build, Remodel, they opt for classic monochromatic with whites and browns and some splashes of black. The artwork is black and white, and the decor is kept to a minimum, giving this whole space an open and fresh feel. 

16. Powder Room That Packs a Punch

If you don’t have enough space to fit in a full bathroom, consider adding a small powder room to your basement. Whether your basement serves as a game room, media room, or guest suite, having a sink and toilet on the same level is super convenient.

This small powder room from Glass House Interior packs a major punch, with a simple color palette, dramatic wallpaper, and stand-out light fixtures. 

17. Choose Cheery Colors

Help people forget they’re in a basement with a selection of cheery colors and happy accents, like this bathroom from Haneen’s Haven. Here, the walls, ceiling, and floor remain relatively subdued, but the turquoise door and bright floral art print create moments that make you smile.

The turquoise detail on the mirror helps tie things together, as do the pink and yellow accents, like the flower vase and towels. 

18. Give Your Showerhead More Headspace

Are you worried about not being able to stand up in your shower? Then, take a closer look at the ceiling when you’re planning your layout.

Depending on what’s going on up there, you might be able to raise just enough of the ceiling in between the joists, like Wow Great Place. It gives you the perfect place for your shower head, giving you an extra foot or so of headspace.

19. Fun and Games

A common use for finished basements is a game room or a playroom, full of all sorts of fun and games. Basements often also need to serve as kid-friendly spaces as well, so why not create a bathroom to match?

This LEGO-inspired vanity from Revashelf is a great way to add a playful touch to your basement bathroom. You can go all out with the rest of the decor or let it be a standalone feature. 

20. Build Recessed Shelves

Small spaces beg for creative storage solutions and creating extra space where there doesn’t seem to be any. So, if you’re working with a small room or just want to do something more custom, try recessed shelves like Griffey Remodeling.

Instead of taking up valuable floor space with a storage cabinet or shelves, these shelves give you additional space inside the walls, between the wall studs. They’re perfect for towels and other small items. 

21. Double-Duty Sink-Toilet Combo

Here’s a real space saver that you likely don’t see too often, unless you’re maybe in an RV or tiny house. But, when it comes to a small basement bathroom, borrowing ideas from these types of places is a great way to maximize your space.

This sink and toilet combo from Etsy not only saves space but also saves water so that you can be eco-friendly and style-savvy at the same time. 

22. Make a Bold Statement

You’ve heard the saying, good things come in small packages, right? Well, this tiny bathroom from Home with Krissy shows that it couldn’t be more true. The bold pattern on this tile floor not only creates a dramatic statement, but when you concentrate all the pattern into one place, the space feels larger.

The other black accents throughout the space help play off the floor, and the wooden vanity keeps things from getting too harsh. 

23. Have Fun with Quirky Touches

Is your basement a home theater or media room? Is it where you have movie nights and host preview parties? If so, why not carry the movie theme into the bathroom to add to the whole experience?

This cinema-inspired shower curtain from Amazon is an easy way to incorporate the movie theme into your basement bathroom. Pair it with some gray walls and marquee-style lighting around the vanity to complete the look. 

24. Use Wallpaper to Create Perspective

There are all different kinds of ways to make a space feel larger. If you want to make your basement bathroom seem bigger, how about creating an illusion that tricks the eye?

That’s exactly what 2 Co Design did with this train track wallpaper, making it look like the wall pushes back much farther than it actually does. Besides the visual trick, it’s also a conversation piece, making a bold statement in the space. 

25. Install a Flush-Mount Light with Fan

Bathrooms, in general, can get damp and steamy, leading to issues like mold and mildew if you’re not careful. That’s why proper venting is so important.

This can become even more critical in a basement bathroom, but installing a vent fan doesn’t have to be aesthetically unappealing. Instead, consider a flush-mount exhaust fan and light combo, like this one from Wayfair. Plus, the flush-mount design won’t take up valuable headspace. 

26. Add Some Sparkle

Give your basement bathroom a little pick me up with some glam touches that help reflect light around the room. This bathroom from Natalie Worley’s Pinterest keeps things neutral.

But it incorporates elements like sparkly tiles and a mirror with beveled glass to help catch the light and send it around the room. The added sparkle not only helps brighten things up but can help make the space seem larger. 

27. Put the Vanity in a Corner

To help maximize your available space in your basement bathroom, make use of dead space, like corners. One way to do this is with your vanity. Position the vanity in the corner with a special corner unit, like this one from Ana White.

You still get some storage and surface space without taking up so much floor area. And, painting it a bright color can help add some interest and pizazz. 

28. Use a Slim Toilet

Obviously, if you have a bathroom, no matter what size it is, you need a toilet. But, you don’t have to have an oversized or even regular-sized one. Save yourself about three inches of wall space with this slim, compact design from Wayfair.

The tank is slightly over 17 inches wide, compared to a typical toilet that is closer to 20 or 21 inches wide. The height and depth are the same, so you can still sit comfortably.

29. Showers and Stripes

Many basement bathrooms only allow room for a shower, and sometimes a small one at that. But that doesn’t mean you have to feel cramped. This narrow shower from Ariella Horowitz Design Group features horizontal stripes within the tile that wrap around, helping make the shower seem wider and longer than it is.

They also offer the perfect tie-in to the rest of the bathroom, blending well with the rich wood tones of the vanity and mirror.

30. Corner Shelving Unit

Remember how we mentioned corners could become dead spaces in a room? Sometimes, you just don’t know what to do with them, and they become forgotten and bare.

But, adding storage is always a good idea, so solve two problems with one solution. Make use of that empty corner and add functional organization at the same time with a sleek corner shelving unit, like this stylish gray piece from Wayfair.

31. Deluxe Shower

If you only have room for a shower in your basement bathroom, even if it’s a small one, make it a luxurious, spa-like experience. Use beautiful tiles, high-end fixtures, and other special touches to create the ultimate shower space.

In this example from Aqua-Tech, oversized dark tiles on the walls contrast nicely with the lighter floor, the all-glass enclosure helps brighten up the room, and a rainfall showerhead provides the perfect finishing touch. 

32. Go Rustic in a Man-Cave Bathroom

Is your basement the consummate man cave, full of sports events, beer-drinking, pool, and poker games? If you’re leaning toward a more rustic, man-cave vibe in your space, have some fun in the bathroom with some unique touches.

For example, this Jack Daniels whiskey barrel vanity and glass vessel unit from Hubert K’s Pinterest is a real conversation piece. Set against the concrete shelf and exposed brick wall, the whole picture is one of rustic perfection.

Related: The Best Rustic Bathroom Ideas

33. Use a Japanese Soaking Tub

What do you do when your basement bathroom is too small for a traditional bathtub, but you don’t want to give up your nightly bubble bath? You get creative and inspired with unconventional choices, like a Japanese soaking tub.

Lisa le Duc Design shows off a gorgeous white soaking tub, set against all terrazzo tile walls and floors in this small basement bathroom. Plus, the awning window provides some great natural light. 

34. Mixed Metals

Dramatic colors and wallpaper can certainly add interest to a space, just like this bathroom from House of Jade Interiors. But, it’s not the only way. When you’re working in a small area, you can add interesting moments in all sorts of places.

Here, the designer mixes various metals to create a room that has personality. The brushed nickel features and antique brass knobs, towel hooks, and light fixtures all work well with the raw steel mirror.