In this post, we’ll look at the design fundamentals of rustic decor, as well as 15 stunning small rustic bathroom ideas that you can incorporate into any home for added coziness!
Last Updated: 8/2/24
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We spend SO much time in our bathrooms every day and we hardly even realize it. From frequent potty trips to skin care and makeup routines to long hot showers, we log some serious time.
So why are our bathrooms often the least done up rooms in our home? You’d think that in a room where we do so much idle sitting (we don’t have to talk about what we’re doing during this time..), that we would put more emphasis on making it beautiful to look at.
The great thing about decided to design your bathroom, is that it is usually a very small space. This makes any DIY projects or home decor shopping feel very manageable.
If you’re looking for small rustic bathroom ideas that are easy to incorporate in your home but pack a HUGE design punch, you’ve come to the right post.
These small rustic bathroom ideas for you home will instantly cozy up your bathroom and you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to do it.
The most important part of making affordable decor changes in your home is understanding the design style you’re trying to achieve.
Let’s look at the fundamentals of rustic design so you don’t waste any time or money on projects that don’t fit your vision!
Design Fundamentals for Small Rustic Bathroom Ideas
Rustic Feel:
You’re probably thinking, um…duh.
I know that you’re not stupid and you know rustic feel for your rustic bathroom is a no brainer. Sometimes returning to the basic definition of a style can help ignite inspiration, though!
When it comes to rustic feel in home decor, there’s one rule I like to go by. Everything you purchase should look like it was made by hand (or at least COULD have been).
The key to having a rustic feel in your home is to avoid any overly-manufactured furniture or decor. You know, those items that look SO perfect you just know they’re machine made.
Natural Elements:
Knowing what materials and textiles you’re looking for right off the bat will make decor shopping much easier.
When designing a rustic space, only shop materials that are easily found in nature.
Think anything made of wood, stone, wool, jute, or clay. These kinds of textures layer beautifully which makes your life easy!
Color Scheme:
I’m not an advocate for a home entirely composed of neutral colors. I do however, absolutely love a home filled with colors found in nature.
The best rustic designed spaces emulate nature with all of it’s colors and hues.
Avoid bright neon colors that looks plastic and synthetic. If you want to use bright colors, look to flowers and foliage for your inspiration!
Small Spaces:
There are added challenges when it comes to designing small spaces that you have to think about.
For bathrooms especially, you have to consider storage. For such a small space, there’s a lot of things that we need at our disposal in bathrooms.
When shopping, have storage needs in the back of your mind. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage containers, shelving, and drawers.
Know your measurements before buying any large furniture pieces to avoid disaster!
Now that you’re confident in the fundamentals of your design style, let’s look at the best small rustic bathroom ideas for your home!
Related to Small Rustic Bathroom Ideas:
1. Rustic Style Wall Tiles
I absolutely love when bathrooms have wall to wall tiling because I think it’s a beautiful way to incorporate color and pattern.
Finding earthy shades and stone like tile will go a long way in completing the rustic look in your small bathroom.
Especially paired with wood accents like the window framing seen above, rustic style wall tile is a beautiful DIY project to take on.
2. Stone Walls
Source: Hangin With The Hughes
If you don’t love the look of tiling, consider adding a stone accent wall to your bathroom space!
You can purchase these thin stone veneer “bricks” and the project becomes just as simple as tiling, but with an incredibly elegant looking pay off.
Any guest that walks into your bathroom will be STUNNED when they see natural looking stone on the walls.
3. Open Shelves
Source: Designs By Karan
Especially when it comes to SMALL rustic bathroom ideas, open shelving is a must. If you don’t have a lot of square footage, then your storage needs to be moved up in the space.
Consider an antique hanging shelf like the one seen above to add some beautiful rustic flare.
Fill your shelves with a combination of bathroom storage products and fun flea market antique finds to incorporate extra personality!
4. Vintage Mirrors
Source: @bryartonfarm
It’s a little known design tip that adding large mirrors to small spaces will make the room appear larger!
This makes vintage mirrors a perfect candidate for these small rustic bathroom ideas.
Layer as many vintage and antique mirrors as you can thrift with different sizes and frames for the ultimate rustic effect.
5. Barn Doors
Source: Content In a Cottage
Adding barn doors to your small rustic bathroom ideas is smart for multiple reasons.
Not only are they the ultimate rustic door option, but they are also amazing space savers that will make a huge difference in your small bathroom.
Being able to slide your door open instead of swing will open up half of your bathroom. Barn doors are an easy and affordable DIY swap that will make be a huge decorative upgrade in your home!
6. Wood Paneling
Source: Architecture Designs
If you want to feel like you’re stepping in to a mountain cabin every time you enter your small bathroom to take that hot shower in the middle of winter, consider adding wood paneling to your walls!
This is one of those projects that will really alter the feel of your bathroom and can transform an all white builder grade bathroom space.
Just remember that your bathroom should have an effective vent system in place to avoid mold and warping in the wood.
7. Shower Curtain
Source: The Elliot Homestead
Swapping your shower curtain is the ultimate easy and effective small rustic bathroom ideas trick.
I couldn’t love this beautiful plaid gingham shower curtain as seen above any more than I already do.
The trick to a beautiful and authentic feeling rustic shower curtain is to avoid shiny plastics!
Need More Inspo for Small Rustic Bathroom Ideas?
8. Ceramic Tooth Brush Holders
When it comes to the smaller details in your bathroom, this is the place to really focus on those natural materials and Earthy tones.
I love ceramic vases for rustic bathrooms. Not only are they beautiful, but they can help bathrooms appear less cluttered by housing jewelry, toothbrushes, and hair ties.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors and styles. I’ve never seen ceramic vases that don’t compliment each other, no matter how different they look.
9. Wicker Baskets
Other great storage options for your small rustic bathroom ideas are wicker baskets of all shapes and sizes!
Wicker baskets are a great storage addition for some of the larger items you’d like to hide like extra toilet paper, towels, and toiled brushes.
Place them under your sink, near the toilet, or next to the bathtub so the items you need will be easy access to you. Plus, they look great on the floor!
10. Antique Fixtures
Source: Itty Bitty Farmhouse
When shopping for your small bathroom space, keep your eyes peeled for unique antique finds at your local thrift stores and flea markets.
Bathrooms are a great place for “out there” vintage finds because you don’t have a whole room to worry about matching!
Rustic wall signs and knick knacks will add a ton of personality to your little bathroom without breaking the bank.
11. Patterned Curtains
Image credit: Huntley Hedworth
A patterned curtain can go a LONG way in transforming a space. Something about a colorful curtain can cozy up an room!
If you have mostly neutrals throughout your bathroom space, consider using the curtains as a place to add a pop of color and visual interest.
I love how in the photo above, the homeowner has highlighted the colors in the tile with a coordinating curtain pattern.
12. Antique Turned Bathroom Vanity
The cool thing about bathroom vanities is you can transform pretty much any piece of large furniture into your vanity quite easily!
From dressers to vintage bars and shelving, you can really customize this part of your bathroom with rustic style.
Look for something with weathered wood or raw wood edges to really up the rustic factor. Bonus points if you find something with shelving or drawers for extra storage!
13. Vintage Rug
Rugs in bathrooms can be a controversial topic, but I know personally that the thought of stepping out of the warm shower onto cold hard floors makes me shiver.
A great vintage rug will instantly warm and cozy up a small bathroom by adding texture and color to bare floors.
Because we spend so much time in our bathrooms without shoes or socks on, I highly recommend finding something cushy or soft for added comfort!
14. Rustic Cabinet Pulls
Source: One Kindesign
Changing out the cabinet pulls on your bathroom furniture is one of my favorite small rustic bathroom ideas because of how quick and easy the project is.
You can find great rustic and vintage options on Etsy that will suit an design style.
This small change will make all the difference in your small bathroom decor and it’s something you can have done in under an hour! That’s my kind of home project.
15. Old School Light Fixtures
Source: Designs By Donna
How beautiful are these showstopping rustic lanterns?
Get creative with the lighting in your bathroom and shop for old school lighting fixtures like lanterns, chandeliers, and pendant lights. Opt for amber painted light bulbs or light casings with warm colored glass tones for added coziness.
Who knows when cold fluorescent lighting became the standard for bathrooms, but NO one I know likes looking at themselves in the mirror under light like that.
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