15 Water-Smart Ways to Bring Art into the Bathroom
Don't let steam and moisture prevent you turning your bathroom into a gallery – where there's a will, there's a way
You love how art adds personality to every other room in the house, but bringing decorative works to your bathroom can be a challenge. Most artwork – particularly on paper or behind glass frames – just aren’t designed to withstand the humid conditions caused by steamy showers. But you don’t have to leave your bathroom devoid of character if you use these creative, even unexpected, approaches to art.
2. Plate your wall
Bring your decorative plates together and create a salon-style gallery wall in your bathroom. Before you start banging in hooks, lay all the pieces out on the floor first to work out the best arrangement for the wall space. You can even create paper cut-outs of the plates to sticky-tape to the wall for a trial run.
Pro tip: Making a display like this work together is harder than it looks. Think about variations in size and shape, a cohesive theme (colours, nature, black and white) and which pieces create the focal point (here, the eye is drawn to the face/eyes image, so the other pieces radiate from that).
A dozen ways to hang up your plate collection
Bring your decorative plates together and create a salon-style gallery wall in your bathroom. Before you start banging in hooks, lay all the pieces out on the floor first to work out the best arrangement for the wall space. You can even create paper cut-outs of the plates to sticky-tape to the wall for a trial run.
Pro tip: Making a display like this work together is harder than it looks. Think about variations in size and shape, a cohesive theme (colours, nature, black and white) and which pieces create the focal point (here, the eye is drawn to the face/eyes image, so the other pieces radiate from that).
A dozen ways to hang up your plate collection
3. Use found objects
Think like a magpie and reinterpret found objects as art. Pieces of barbed wire from an old fence create this bathroom artwork. The weathered and worn pieces are only going to get better in the bathroom atmosphere, and are a pleasing contrast to the smooth polish of marble.
Think like a magpie and reinterpret found objects as art. Pieces of barbed wire from an old fence create this bathroom artwork. The weathered and worn pieces are only going to get better in the bathroom atmosphere, and are a pleasing contrast to the smooth polish of marble.
4. Driftwood art
Found driftwood from the beach is right at home in the watery atmosphere of a bathroom. Find an artist who creates stunning art like this one, or create something yourself. Go another step further and create a driftwood wall garden with air plants tucked into the piece (they don’t need soil or watering).
Found driftwood from the beach is right at home in the watery atmosphere of a bathroom. Find an artist who creates stunning art like this one, or create something yourself. Go another step further and create a driftwood wall garden with air plants tucked into the piece (they don’t need soil or watering).
5. Hats off
Hanging hats is a fun and unexpected way to add character to your bathroom, particularly in a beachy holiday spot. Look to a thrift store or raid your wardrobe. You can use a fabric protector spray that repels liquids to keep your hats in good condition and prevent them going mouldy.
Hanging hats is a fun and unexpected way to add character to your bathroom, particularly in a beachy holiday spot. Look to a thrift store or raid your wardrobe. You can use a fabric protector spray that repels liquids to keep your hats in good condition and prevent them going mouldy.
6. Add charm with wall stickers
Adhesive vinyl stickers are a great option for the bathroom as they withstand humidity. The surface should be completely dry before application.
12 grown-up decals that wow
Adhesive vinyl stickers are a great option for the bathroom as they withstand humidity. The surface should be completely dry before application.
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7. Frame your children’s art
With its endless – even overwhelming – source of supply, your children’s art can be right at home in their bathroom. Use clip-in frames so you can easily swap out the art as new works come home. Keep rotating their latest creations before the humidity takes hold.
With its endless – even overwhelming – source of supply, your children’s art can be right at home in their bathroom. Use clip-in frames so you can easily swap out the art as new works come home. Keep rotating their latest creations before the humidity takes hold.
8. Toilet-roll fun
Install a creative toilet-roll holder to liven up your bathroom: seriously, they have come a long way since Nana’s pastel crocheted numbers. Any practical item in your bathroom can take on a cheerful note with clever or unexpected design. It will get nothing but attention and a smile!
Install a creative toilet-roll holder to liven up your bathroom: seriously, they have come a long way since Nana’s pastel crocheted numbers. Any practical item in your bathroom can take on a cheerful note with clever or unexpected design. It will get nothing but attention and a smile!
9. Creative towel hooks
Think beyond practical hooks for your towels. Instead, find artistic hooks that are not only practical but works of art as well. These bronze divers are striking pieces, almost too good to hang a towel on. But do be careful to position them where they will not catch bathroom users on the head as they walk past.
Think beyond practical hooks for your towels. Instead, find artistic hooks that are not only practical but works of art as well. These bronze divers are striking pieces, almost too good to hang a towel on. But do be careful to position them where they will not catch bathroom users on the head as they walk past.
10. Creative lighting
Bring together a cluster of hanging pendant lights like Lou Brown Design has done here. Hang them directly over your bathtub or clustered together slightly off centre.
Pro tip: Pendant lights should not be hung close to a bath or shower if they are within reach of a wet hand, in case of accidental electrocution. Instead, install a pendant for its decorative quality only and don’t connect it to the electricity, or use candleholders for the same look but with more romance.
Bring together a cluster of hanging pendant lights like Lou Brown Design has done here. Hang them directly over your bathtub or clustered together slightly off centre.
Pro tip: Pendant lights should not be hung close to a bath or shower if they are within reach of a wet hand, in case of accidental electrocution. Instead, install a pendant for its decorative quality only and don’t connect it to the electricity, or use candleholders for the same look but with more romance.
11. Shower curtain cheer
Bring your bathroom to life with a bold and creative shower curtain. Keep your curtain partly closed so you can enjoy the design.
Bring your bathroom to life with a bold and creative shower curtain. Keep your curtain partly closed so you can enjoy the design.
12. Brighten up your window
Use coloured glass or window film to brighten up your bathroom louvre window. Use a translucent coloured film for the glow of light cast along the floor. Or create more privacy with a frosted film – there are dozens of options, from the look of Victorian sand-blasted flower tiles to modern geometrics, or you can order custom patterns.
Use coloured glass or window film to brighten up your bathroom louvre window. Use a translucent coloured film for the glow of light cast along the floor. Or create more privacy with a frosted film – there are dozens of options, from the look of Victorian sand-blasted flower tiles to modern geometrics, or you can order custom patterns.
13. Sitting pretty
Place canvas artworks on shelving so you can easily swap them out with other artwork. This is a great way to easily give your art a break from the moisture and keep your decor fresh.
Place canvas artworks on shelving so you can easily swap them out with other artwork. This is a great way to easily give your art a break from the moisture and keep your decor fresh.
14. Dress up floating shelves
Bring ornaments and favourite objects into your bathroom. Display them on floating shelves and move them around every so often to keep things interesting.
Bring ornaments and favourite objects into your bathroom. Display them on floating shelves and move them around every so often to keep things interesting.
15. Ladder display
If you have space in your bathroom add a rustic ladder. Create a stylish display with ornaments, found objects and bathroom necessities.
TELL US
What moisture-proof artworks have you introduced into your bathroom? Share your creative ideas and photos in the Comments section.
Browse more bathroom ideas
If you have space in your bathroom add a rustic ladder. Create a stylish display with ornaments, found objects and bathroom necessities.
TELL US
What moisture-proof artworks have you introduced into your bathroom? Share your creative ideas and photos in the Comments section.
Browse more bathroom ideas
Glass is the perfect material for a damp bathroom because neither heat nor damp will do it damage. Standard wet-room white walls are an excellent backdrop for the colour and texture in these glass platters.
Pro tip: Irregular-shaped glass platters are a challenge to hang using standard plate hangers from the hardware store. Ask the gallery where you bought the pieces or a framing professional for suitable mounting hardware to ensure they don’t crack and that the hanger can hold the weight of that much glass.