15 decorative ideas to arrange your toilet

We often forget to decorate the toilet. And yet, even if it is often a very small space, there are many tricks to furnish and decorate the WC with taste. To make it a (small) room that is both practical and pleasant.

Decorating your home doesn't stop at your bathroom door. If you have worked on the decoration of your interior down to the smallest detail, do not neglect the small corner. They can have style by arranging and decorating them effectively. Here are fifteen decorative ideas to apply in your toilet.

Arrange the toilets: choose a suitable toilet model

It exists three different types of toilets : the classic free-standing toilet, the wall-hung toilet, and the grinder toilet. They do not have the same characteristics: type of evacuation, size, ease of maintenance.

• the model of Classic standing toilet is the most widespread. It adapts to a standard evacuation system, it is easy to install, it is rather economical.
• the model of hung toilet is the most design. It is also less bulky than a conventional toilet and easier to maintain, because there is no pipe and no foot to clean: it is fixed to a support frame (hidden in the wall or covered with formwork). It is the ideal model for a small space.
• the model of macerator toilet is the solution when the evacuation system does not allow the installation of a classic or suspended toilet. It is an engine that allows the water and matter to be crushed before propelling it towards the waste water. Disadvantage: the macerator toilet is rather noisy and it is also dependent on electricity.

Ideas for decorating toilets: the wall-hung toilet, design option / Photo credit: Istock

Choose a properly sized toilet

Adapt your toilet to the bathroom. Credit: Istock

The width of a standard toilet bowl is, on average, 45 to 50 centimeters , and the length from 50 to 60 centimeters. However, there are more compact toilets, with less wide bowls (between 35 and 40 centimeters), which save space in a small space. There are also toilets with larger bowls (up to 60 centimeters), useful especially for people with reduced mobility. It is therefore a question of choosing the right toilet according to your needs.

Put your toilet at the right height

Fit the toilet in a small space. Credit: Istock

In the case of classic toilets or macerator toilets, when buying, you should choose the height that suits your needs. In the case of a wall-hung toilet, the height must be determined during installation. The standard height for a toilet is between 40 and 45 centimeters. For people with reduced mobility, it is preferable that the bowl be 60 centimeters high, for greater ease and safety. In a children's bathroom, it is also possible to install a lower toilet, around 30 centimeters high, to prevent falls.

Select a shower toilet

A toilet with a jet. Credit: Istock

A shower toilet (also called a Japanese toilet) is a toilet with integrated shower which allows the diffusion of a jet of water for a complete cleaning. This is a more comfortable, more hygienic, and more economical toilet paper solution.

Install a washbasin in the toilets

Installing a washbasin in the toilet is the most hygienic solution. And this is possible even in a very small space: there are indeed corner washbasins or narrow washbasins which adapt perfectly to a small room. Design or retro models, simply white or tiled basins, which will bring a decorative touch to the toilets.

Ideas for decorating the toilet: the hand basin in the small corner / Photo credit: Pinterest

Think about providing storage in the toilets

If there is not necessarily much to store in the toilet, it is always practical to have a few storage for toilet paper rolls and cleaning products. Several options exist: simple wooden shelves to hang on the wall above the small corner; closed cupboards built into the wall; storage spaces integrated under a washbasin. Choose according to space. In the case of a wall-hung toilet, the formwork can be used to store decorative objects, rolls of toilet paper, or even plants.

Ideas for decorating toilets: wall shelves / Photo credit: Istock

Provide suitable lighting

LEDs on the ceiling in the bathroom. Credit: Istock

In the toilets, the ideal is to install a light that is not too intense and not too subdued for optimal comfort of use. It can be a ceiling light with a trendy lampshade (in paper for example), a pretty pendant light to dress up the room, recessed spotlights, or a wall light above the washbasin. The little more ecological and economical: a light with presence sensor and timer, ideal for those who tend to forget to turn off the light when leaving the toilet (it's not Versailles here).

Opt for a multifunction toilet paper holder

A toilet holder in the bathroom. Credit: Istock

To optimize the (small) space of the toilet, when there is no space to install storage, the toilet paper holder can also act as a mini-shelf, to put a decorative object, an air freshener, a bougie or other accessories. And, since it is impossible to make holes in the walls, there are toilet paper holders that can be fixed using suction cups.

Put color in the toilet

Toilets can also be decorated. Use colored paints to paint the walls, royal blue, bottle green. For more contrasts and to give the effect of a larger room, it is possible to paint only one. However, avoid: pastel colors or neon colors. For a decor constantly renewed, opt for a slate paint: with chalk, it is thus possible to regularly change the drawings of the toilets or to leave small messages.

Ideas for decorating toilets: colors on the wall(s) / Photo credit: Istock

Cover the walls with frames and posters

If you do not want/can not paint the walls of your toilets in color, you can opt for a simple but effective decoration by multiplying posters and frames of different sizes. Guaranteed atmosphere.

Furnish the toilet: choose a nice tiling

For questions of hygiene and humidity, parquet is not recommended in the toilets: prefer tiles. And to avoid the hospital style, it is best to avoid white tiles. Cement tiles or graphic patterns will have their effect on the floor of a bathroom or a toilet, and, in addition, they will give the impression of a larger room.

Ideas for decorating toilets: graphic tiling / Photo credit: Istock

Decorative idea for arranging toilets number 12: highlight the exposed piping

In bathroom or a toilet, there are bound to be pipes. And it happens that they are apparent (when it is not possible to embed them). In this case, it is preferable to highlight the piping with elegant materials such as brass or to opt for black piping and fittings, for example.

Think about installing a trash can in the toilet

Essential accessory in a toilet or in a bathroom: a trash can. And a trash can can be beautiful. Choose a designer bin or opt for a bin cover, a wicker or seagrass basket for example, for a natural style and a decoration down to the smallest detail.

Ideas for decorating toilets: the essential trash can / Photo credit: Pinterest

Enlarge the room with a mirror

Installing a mirror in a small room like a toilet helps to visually enlarge the space. For a sleek style, a round mirror or a geometric mirror will have the perfect effect, but it is also possible to opt for the rococo style with a gold-framed mirror.

Ideas for the decoration of the toilets: the mirror to enlarge the space / Photo credit: Istock

Put plants in the toilet

Ideal for decoration, some plants also have a deodorizing effect, perfect for toilets. Several kinds of geranium, such as rose geranium, have the property of smelling very good, and can thus replace an aerosol. Jasmine also spreads a sweet smell, for a pleasant atmosphere. Among the fragrant plants, we can also mention rosemary, lavender or even gardenia. Aloe vera and ivy have the particularity of dehumidifying the air, and will therefore be perfect in a humid room.

Ideas for decorating toilets: fragrant plants / Photo credit: Istock