89 Fun Bathroom Remodel Ideas

1. Install a Bathroom Fireplace

An electric bathroom fireplace can truly up the ambiance! Whether you are going for a cozy, rustic feel or an ultra-sleek modern mood, a bathroom fireplace can keep you toasty and happy. Just be sure to pick on that is designed for use in high-humidity locations.

2. Attend Bathroom University to DIY & Save Big $$$

While you may not want to DIY plumbing or electrical work, there’s certainly a lot of money to be saved by doing the bulk of remodel work yourself. Try a video-based bathroom remodeling course, that will walk you step-by-step through any bathroom remodel project on your list.

3. Convert Your Bathtub Into a Jacuzzi

There are several ways to transform a regular bathtub into a jacuzzi. You can simply use a jacuzzi bubble bath mat or you can get a conversion kit and DIY.

4. Grow Your Garden With Recycled Bathwater

With a grey water tank, you can redirect gently used bath water to grow your garden! This system filters the water that comes into the tank to get rid of lint, hair and other impurities. A family of four can save up to 40,000 gallons of water per year. The earth will thank you!

5. Upgrade to a Smart Shower

Smart showers offer more features than conventional showers. Aside from convenience, they reduce water usage and can make showers safer for children and seniors. You can choose to build a smart shower system from scratch or convert your existing shower by purchasing smart shower upgrades.

6. Take Inspiration from a Treehouse

The New York Times writes about a Brooklyn architect who took inspiration from a treehouse to remodel his townhouse. In the bathroom, he installed speaking tubes so that a person upstairs in the living room could send a message below.

7. Get a Realtor to Pre-Fund Your Remodel

If you plan to sell soon, look for a realtor that will front you the money for a bathroom remodel. It’s a win-win model designed to get you and the broker the most money at sale. You can even pick your own contractors.

8. Feel Luxurious with a Towel Warmer

There are two types of towel warmers: electric or hydronic. Both types can be energy-efficient and can keep you cozy during chills. Many towel warmers will also add the flair of design to your space.

9.. Make a Statement with Your Tub Type

Let’s face it: Bathtubs can be gorgeous works of art or just functional after-thoughts. Choose a bathtub type that fits your space and truly turns your bathroom into a haven in your home.

10. Stop Polishing! Choose Brushed Nickel

Brushed nickel is the easiest faucet finish to maintain. It can develop a white sheen due to humidity but doesn’t require frequent cleaning. Other finishes might be more durable, but brushed nickel does not show spots or fingerprints easily. It is affordable and does not corrode.

11. See Clearly with a Steam-Free Bathroom Mirror

Steam-free mirrors are awesome because they make your mornings a little easier by preventing that post-shower fog. Shaving and makeup application is a breeze. Plus, you don’t have to clean your mirror as often, because you’re not constantly leaving finger smears when you try to wipe away the condensation.

12. Use Textured Ceramic Anti-Slip Tile on the Floor

If you’re looking for a ceramic or porcelain-glazed tile that will have great underfoot grip, you’ll want to consider textured tile. These tiles are usually made by adding sand and grit to the matte glaze, which creates an anti-slip finish.

13. Are You Tall? Get a “Comfort” Bathroom Vanity Height

If you are taller than average, you may not feel comfortable with a standard bathroom vanity height. No problem. Look for a “comfort height.”

14. Calculate What You’ll Make Back from Your Remodel

Use this awesome tool from remodeling.hw.net to figure out how much you can expect to recoup from your investment once you resell your home. It explains how much of their remodeling investment buyers recouped at the sale of their homes, by year and region of the country

15. Refinish a Clawfoot Tub

If you’re crafty, you might find refinishing an old clawfoot a super fun project that results in the crown jewel of your home. Just be aware of the hidden costs of refurbishing and installing a clawfoot tub.

16. Light Up Your Life

These super cool shower heads change colors while you relax. But they don’t use batteries or electricity; instead, the water pressure causes a small turbine to rotate, changing the colors on the LED lights. You can even get a model that changes the lights according to the water temperature.

17. Pick Your Accent Tile First

Choose a fun bathroom accent tile before you decide on the main tiles for your bathroom. The accent tile should reflect the ambiance you want to create. Follow the rule of proportions, making 10% of the bathroom tile the accent tile color.

18. Create a Mood with Smart Lights

With smart bulbs, you can choose from thousands of shades of white light and thousands of colors—whatever suits your mood in the moment. Smart lights respond to voice commands, are energy efficient, and last much longer than regular bulbs.

19. Use the Kitchen Counter to Get the Right Vanity

If the kitchen counter is a bit short for you, measure the height of your kitchen counter. Next, measure the height from the countertop to the top of your hip bones. Add the two numbers and that will tell you how tall of a vanity you need.

20. Design Curved Windows with Multiple Panes

Curved windows placed higher up on the wall above a freestanding tub can prevent a majestic aesthetic. Add multiple windows for a dappled light effect.

21. Look for the WaterSense Label

The US Environmental Protection Agency has introduced the WaterSense label for bathroom fixtures that have been certified to meet specific criteria to save water. For example, these high-performance toilets are water-efficient, using only 1.28 gallons per flush. Upgrading to a water-saving toilet could save your household 4,000 gallons of water annually! 

22. Make Your Mirror Hollywood Glam

Adhere these dimmable, touch-controlled LED lights onto your bathroom mirror to help with makeup application. You’ll see your inner movie star shine right through!

23. Hate Cleaning? Choose This Color Tile

Any tile colors that fall in the cream to tan range are great for bathrooms, since they will hide dirt and debris. Oatmeal color is a great color to consider.  

24. Get Walls That Wow with Textured Metal

Metal tiles are most often used on bathroom walls as bathroom accents. Available in a variety of different metallic tones and styles, patterns range from simple squares to more elaborate artistic designs and geometric shapes.

25. Take Your Vitamins While You Shower

This filter is made by Sonaki, a Korean company, and screens out 99.9% of chlorine and chloramine. Since many towns are using chloramine in the water, this one is a good bet. It also removes iron, copper, mercury and other heavy metals. And better yet, it adds Vitamin C back into your water.

26. Sizzle with Stripes

Add some pizazz to your shower by adding vertical stripes of color with tile! There are so many fun ways to use accent tile to liven up your bathroom design.

27. Use Privacy Glass Instead of Window Panes

You could install waterproof blinds, plantation shutters, or waterproof fabric curtains on a bathroom window. But consider privacy glass instead. It will give you the soothing, natural light that is so gorgeous in a bathroom space while still preventing anyone from seeing inside.

28. Feature Your Grout

While it’s more common to choose a grout color that recedes into the background, this isn’t always the only—or most fun!—option. Consider making your grout a feature of your design by picking a color that stands out.

29. Get Zen in a Japanese Soaking Tub

Today, many Westerners embrace the Japanese soaking tub as a way to relieve the stresses and strains of modern-day living. Discover the incredible health benefits, how one differs from a regular bathtub, and why you might want to get one for your home.

30. Go All-In with a Fun Accent Tile

Even though a statement tile is usually used sparsely in design, for a fun wacky vibe, consider going floor to ceiling with variations on a theme.

31. Repurpose Furniture to Make a Vanity

What’s trending now are vanities made from furniture. So just take a look around your house and see if there’s a sideboard or dresser that you’re ready to get rid of. Why not add a mounted sink and run the plumbing through the drawers below?

32. Invest in a Freestanding Soaker Tub

If your home is in an upscale market, invest in a tub that’s not only decadent for you to soak in but also is a work of art. It’s almost an expectation in the luxury home market.

33. Mix Metal Finishes on Faucets, Doorknobs and Fixtures

By mixing finishes on your bathroom faucets, fixtures and doorknobs, the decor will be intriguing and layered instead of monotonous. However, take care that the finishes compliment each other. Aim for a cohesive style.

34. Extend Your Vanity Backsplash to the Ceiling

Consider extending the backsplash from the countertop all the way to the ceiling. Though you’re quite unlikely to need such a high backsplash behind a bathroom sink for practical purposes, the extension can not only add elegance to your space, but also it can create a rich layered feeling to the bathroom.

35. Use Floating Shelves for Extra Storage

These easy-to-install and inexpensive inventions are a great way to make use of storage space that would otherwise be wasted. Put floating shelves on the wall above the bathtub or above the sink.

36. Go Contemporary Cool with a Modern Pedestal Sink

Pedestal sinks date back to the early 20th century, but they are still in style. Recently, manufacturers have upgraded the design. Modern pedestal sinks feature innovations like floor-to-waist-height basins and materials like acrylic and tempered glass instead of traditional porcelain. A great choice for a small bathroom.

37. Be Bold with Color

Harness the scientifically-proven impact of color on emotions to create the vibe you want in your bathroom. Try blues to create serenity, greens for earthiness and a Zen-vibe, or a pop of red for passion.

38. Choose a Bathroom Audio Solution

If you love to sing in the shower or mellow out to music in the tub, then don’t skimp on your bathroom audio solution. Having a hands-free, wireless surround sound system can truly turn your bathroom into an oasis.

39. Use a Frameless Glass Shower Door for the Illusion of Space

If you have a bathtub shower, look into replacing your shower curtain with a frameless glass shower door. Not only will it improve the look of your bathroom, but it also won’t stick to you while you shower—a definite bonus!

40. Create an Upscale Vibe with Satin-Finished Stone

Satin tiles are cast from durable rock, such as slate, and then passed through a series of polishing wheels. However, unlike polished stone tiles, satin tiles do not go through the same intense polishing process. This creates a smooth, soft texture that’s luxurious to the touch with a light sheen.

41. Unify Bathrooms With a Common Element

It’s okay to use matching vanities in the same bathroom. However, if you want a custom-built look for your home, resist the temptation to buy the same vanity for one bathroom as you have in another. Instead, choose a unifying element to match from one bathroom to the next. This could be the vanity material or the color palette.

42. Design a Magical Tub Surround

You can use epoxy on foam panels to create magically swirled wall panels around your shower and bathtub. Epoxy is low-maintenance and completely waterproof after it dries If your walls ever become dingy, simply wipe them down to keep them clean.

43. Pair Warm-Hue and Cool-Hue Metal Finishes

Putting stainless steel and chrome together can look like you made a mistake, as they can almost match one another but not quite. Instead put stainless steel, which has a cool hue, with a warmer hue metal like brass.

44. Create a Focal Point with a Vessel Sink

A vessel sink is a bowl-shaped sink installed on top of a bathroom counter or vanity. Vessel sinks are made of various materials, including glass, wood, and stone. And many are works of art!

45. Take Singing in the Shower to the Next Level

If you have a large bathroom, the Homewerks Bathroom Mirror with Bluetooth Speakers is one of the best models you can get. All four sides of the mirror are bordered with LED lights for complete viewing, and you can both listen to and communicate with your Bluetooth device using the speakers.

46. Save Big on Tile

Shop at Stone Tile Depot to save up to 40% on tile. This outlet has a range of styles and tile materials. Plus they have some gorgeous collections for the bathroom.

47. Repaint or Replace Bathroom Hardware

Giving your bathroom that five-star hotel feel may be as simple as replacing your hardware. Go ornate! This includes your drawer and cabinet door handles, towel racks and hooks, toilet roll holder, toothbrush holder, showerhead, and faucets.

48. Prevent Mold with a Humidity-Sensing Fan

These days, you can get a smart bathroom fan that will automatically turn on when the humidity goes above a preset level. This is an invaluable tool to prevent an expensive-to-fix and unhealthy mold and mildew problem.

49. Stack Your Subway Tiles

Subway tiles can look great, but you don’t have to use the traditional running bond layout. Instead, stack them horizontally on top of one another.

50. Go Tankless to Save Space

If you have a small bathroom, seriously consider going tankless. A tankless toilet does not have a tank to release and store water after each flush. Instead, water from the main water supply is directed through the pipes at high pressure into the toilet bowl, washing away the waste.

51. Use Brushed Stone Tile for a Rustic Look

Brushed stone tiles have more texture than polished tiles, giving more underfoot grip. However, brushed stone tiles are more likely than polished stone tiles to retain water, potentially leading to mildew. The overall look is more rustic than contemporary.

52. Play With Water

Play up the water element by choosing light blue tiles, glass bath accessories, and pick fixtures reminiscent of water drops like this Watersphere 3-pendant light from Riverbend Home.

53. Turn a Tuba Into a Sink

Brass instruments are beautiful. Got one you’re not playing anymore? Try this clever hack and turn your tuba into a bathroom sink.

54. Try a Marble Bathtub

The rapper Drake has a 4,000 pound marble bathtub so why can’t you? There’s nothing that shouts luxury like a marble tub.

55. Shop Salvage Yards for Unique, Vintage Finds

Try a bathroom salvage store like the Habitat for Humanity Restore that collects fixtures from homes, restaurants and office buildings. You can find some gems here and save bundles at the same time.

56. Use a Different Metal to Showcase a Unique Sink

If the sink faucet has a unique design element, you can highlight it with metal finish that’s different from the other bathroom metal finishes. You would not want to match the doorknob to the faucet and detract attention from the sink. Instead, make your sink the star!

57. Layer Your Lighting

Designers talk about 3 layers of lighting: task lighting, ambient lighting, and statement lighting. To create both a functional and atmospheric space, definitely layer your lighting.

58. Get At Least One Bathroom Plant: No Windows Required

There’s nothing so soothing as bringing the outdoors in. To create a Zen bathroom, hang a plant or place one on the vanity or toilet tank. Did you know there are bathroom plants that can thrive with no natural light at all?

59. Do NOT Replace Your Tub With a Shower

If you have a mid-priced home, or a home with just one bathtub, do not even think of ripping it out and replacing it with a walk-in shower…well, not before you consider the ramifications for the market value of your home.

60. Create a Spa-Vibe by Tiling or Painting from Floor-to-Ceiling

Nothing creates a more relaxing, spa-like feeling than tiling or painting from floor to ceiling in the bathroom. Choose neutrals or earth tones.

61. Heat Your Feet…and the Bathroom

Heated bathroom floors use radiant underfloor heating. But a system won’t only heat the bathroom floor; it will also heat the air. With radiant heat, you’re likely to save 25% on the cost of a traditional heating system.

62. Get the Quietest Bathroom Fan

Nothing can ruin a candlelit soak like the whirr of a loud bathroom fan. It can be grating. But a bathroom exhaust fan is critical to prevent bathroom mold, which is not only ugly but also a health hazard. So what’s the solution? Getting a bathroom exhaust fan with low sones.

63. Use a Floating Vanity to Make a Small Space Feel Bigger

To make a small bathroom look more extensive, you need to keep things airy and let the eye run around the room without sudden breaks in the theme. Setting a floating vanity into the wall will keep the tiling visible all around the unit, which will make the bathroom seem bigger. 

64. Go Touchless for Fewer Germs

Touchless faucets rely on an infrared sensor—some faucets use ultrasonic field sensors—that detects when their field of view has been interrupted by your hands. This automatically opens the valve, letting water flow freely. These faucets save water and stop the spread of germs.

65. Splurge on an Infinity Tub

If you’re looking for something ultra-luxury, consider the Stillness Experience bath coming soon from Kohler. This infinity bath is the ultimate in creating a Zen bathroom vibe.  Find out more about whether an infinity bathtub is worth it, as well as pros, cons and alternatives.

66. Be Eco-Friendly With an Engineered Quartz Countertop

Quartz is a better choice than marble or granite for a bathroom vanity countertop. Since quartz is engineered and not a natural stone slab like marble or granite, it’s less expensive and more eco-friendly.

67. Get Dramatic: Place a Soaking Tub Under a Window

A freestanding soaker tub under a bathroom window can create a sense of drama that is hard to achieve otherwise. Putting a tub under a window can also increase ventilation and decrease a potential mold or mildew problem. Just be sure to use tempered glass for safety reasons.

68. Expose Pipes for an Industrial Decor

Leaving pipes exposed on tubs and sinks can add to a rustic or industrial look.  

69. Bathe in the Best of all Bubbles

An air tub carbonates the water to give you an overall gentle body massage. Water jets can provide a targeted, muscle rub. But why can’t you have it all? Now you can! The hydro-massage system on this Woodbridge tub will surely bring on the bliss.

70. Pick Tile With an Unusual Shape

Tiles come in plenty of shapes other than rectangles and squares. However, be aware that when you choose a non-traditional shape, the shape itself may determine the layout.

71. Create a Tuscan Decor with Oil-Rubbed Bronze

Oil-rubbing is an excellent way to get a dark-colored faucet without having to plate it, and it’s perfect for Tuscan-styled décor. Additionally, since this is not a high-polish finish, watermarks and fingerprints will not be an issue, making it easy to maintain.

72. Soothe the Senses with Natural Stone Tile

Stone is beautiful and, like a plant or a fountain, instantly makes your space feel soothing. Natural stone, though, is at the expensive end of the bathroom tile options. It costs more than some tile, but there’s nothing like it. 

73. Change the Color of Your Bathtub

No need to live out your days with a boring white bathtub if you think a splash of color could be more fun! If you have an acrylic, porcelain or fiberglass tub, you can change the color with a DIY kit.

74. Keep Germs Out With a Diatomaceous Earth Bath Mat

Diatomaceous Earth is a new material being used for bath mats. It’s 100% natural, eco-friendly. It’s also antibacterial and repels mold and mildew. The material is made from naturally siliceous rocky soil.

75. Get Hot Water On-Demand

No need to stand in a chilly shower covered in goosebumps as you wait for the water to warm up. With a tankless water heater, you get hot water on demand. Plus you save money on your water bill and help the environment.

76. Find Pretty Textured Tiles in White

If whites or neutrals sound boring to you consider that there are lots of really pretty textures available in those whites and neutrals. I’ve grown to like the textures that evoke subtle wood, grain or aged concrete.

77. Install Waterfall Faucets for Your Tub or Sink

As water flows from this type of faucet, the sound mimics a natural waterfall.  Mesmerizing! These are often beautiful pieces of hardware too.

78. Wainscot Your Bathroom Vanity Backsplash

Maybe you want to incorporate a variety of materials on your bathroom walls. Why not wainscot behind the vanity? ​​Wainscot is not solely decorative because it provides a water-resistant, easily-cleanable surface around tub, sink, and toilet.

79. Get the Look of Stone Tile Without Paying a Fortune

Use microcement on bathroom walls. Microcement is a highly pliable concrete-based composite material used to decorate interior spaces. You can even apply microcement directly over existing tile, making it far easier to install than other materials.

80. Bring Nature Inside With Wood Accessories

When you go to the spa, you’ll often see furniture and design accents in natural woods, especially bamboos. You can find bath accessories like bath mats and bath caddies in bamboo and this can add to the overall Zen feel of your bathroom.

81. Glitter With Sea Glass

Could this bathroom vanity backsplash possibly be more gorgeous? The Crystal Sea Glass Collection from Stone Tile Depot is truly a showstopper!

82. Install a Bathroom Skylight: You Know You Want One!

Add a skylight above the shower or bathtub. What could be better than wishing on a star as you melt into the warm water of your tub?!

83. Use Large Format Tiles on the Bathroom Floor

Designers used to recommend large tile for large bathrooms. No longer. By using large-format tiles on the floor of any bathroom, you minimize the grout lines and increase the illusion of space.

84. Border the Bathroom Mirror with LED Strips

The flexible strips which put on a dimmer offer a simple but dramatic way to add an atmospheric layer. LED strips have truly upped the bathroom light layering game for creating atmosphere and adding personality.

85. Hang a Chandelier Pendant Light

If you’ve got a high ceiling and want to make a statement, hang a chandelier pendant light in the middle of the bathroom. This type of light can be your main light source.

86. Make Super Thin Grout Lines

If you want to feature the tile, not the grout, you’ll want the thinnest grout lines possible: 1/6th inch. To achieve this, you’ll need to use rectified tiles.

87. Waterproof Brick for an Industrial Decor

Brick can create a super industrial vibe, but it can also grow mold. But you don’t have to avoid using it in the bathroom. Instead, coat brick with waterproof paint and install a bathroom fan with a humidity sensor for added protection.

88. Raise the Height of an Existing Vanity

Many people find bathroom vanities too low for comfort. But you don’t necessarily need to buy a new one. Instead, you can raise the height of your existing bathroom vanity.

89. Create a 5-Star Aesthetic with Wallpaper

Switch out your old tiles with wallpaper to can create a stately, Victorian aesthetic similar to what you’d find in a high-class hotel or manor house. If you’re concerned about humidity in the bathroom, rest assured that plenty of wallpapers are made to be waterproof and steam-resistant.