28 Guest Bathroom Ideas For A Welcoming Stay

These tips are sure to leave your guests impressed.

One of the easiest ways to make guests feel comfortable is to anticipate their needs. This not only shows thoughtfulness, but it also relieves guests of feeling like they’re constantly asking the host questions. A simple way to do this is to have a well-stocked guest bathroom ready and waiting, which includes a carafe of water and luggage rack. Plus, a handwritten welcome note to go the extra mile.

However, preparing for house guests extends beyond fresh sheets. Whether you’re looking to refresh your bathroom with paint, lean into current bathroom design trends, or just put out a few amenities, we have tips that cover it all. When it comes to the guest bathroom, there are ample ways to ensure your space is company-ready, from the essentials like toilet paper and fresh towels to small luxuries including scented soaps, fresh flowers, and extra toiletries. Here are 28 tips for a comfortable space and welcoming guest bathroom.

Give It Plenty Of Cheer

From paint  colors and customized towels to soaps and flowers, let the details envelop your guest like a warm hug. In this colorful bathroom, designer Charlotte Lucas anchored it with a playful wallpaper and custom painted vanity for a refreshing feel. Simple gray and white tile keep the guest bath’s character from feeling overwhelming.

Splurge On Guest-Only Linens

Consider putting aside guest- only linens. Doing so helps avoid overuse, that way they’ll always be extra fresh and soft when company comes. For this guest suite, the blue-and-white scheme not only extends from the bedroom to the bathroom, but also to the Weezie towels with blue piping.

Lend A Local Touch

Find a way to tie your home’s surroundings into your guest room decor. For this coastal cottage, a hand-shelled mirror, wicker vanity, and shades of blue, green, and white tiles nod to the nearby ocean. Smaller nods like a piece of artwork or collection lend the same level of personalization.

Plan For Towel Storage

A good host always has an extra set of bed and bath linens conveniently available for their guests. Whether on a towel bar, stashed away in the bedroom closet, or placed on an open shelf in the bathroom—be sure your visitors know where to locate the clean linens. No one needs to be running to a hall closet while dripping wet!

Stick To A Color Palette

Using a single color palette or theme creates a seamless connection between the bedroom and bathroom which helps encourage a relaxing retreat. From the trim and window treatment to the bench covered in a tropical geometric print and even the linens—various shades of yellow tie this room together.

Allow For Plenty Of Natural Light

A dark, dingy, or outdated bathroom is the opposite of making guests feel at home. Try to let as much light flood in from the outside as possible to create a welcoming atmosphere. If the bathroom lacks a window, lean into lighter and airer colors and finishes to brighten up the room.

Stock The Essentials

Supply the bathroom with everything you think your house guest might need during their stay whether it’s something they may have forgotten or an item a host is expected to provide. A good basic amenities checklist includes: hand towels and washcloths (a makeup towel or dark colored option is a good idea), shampoo and conditioner, body wash, Q-tips, cotton balls, extra toilet paper, razors, and a spare toothbrush and toothpaste.

Layer With A Rug

Make tile flooring feel more comfortable and cozy by layering a cheerful rug atop. The right rug can dual as a bathmat, but you may consider draping one over the edge of the tub for guests to put down as they please.

Light A Candle

A good scent is one of the easiest ways to impress visitors when they walk into a home—no matter what room it is. While the smell of fresh baked cookies might waft from the kitchen, try lighting a subtle, yet refreshing candle in the bathroom ahead of your guest’s arrival.

Pull In Antiques

Whether your home is filled to the brim with brown furniture and family heirlooms or takes a more modern design approach, adding antiques in unexpected spaces lends a sense of place and familiarity. Here, a simple pedestal table helps balance the high-contrast black and white motif while also adding extra counter space to hold guests’ toiletries.

Display Thoughtful Luxuries

While no bathroom that guests are using should be without the basics, there are a few touches that’ll give it a hotel-worthy feel. Whether you stock the guest bathroom with extra plush towels, a robe and slippers, and bath salts or put your favorite lotion and scented candle out, it’s the small details that make a difference. Even tucking a spare hairdryer under the cabinet or an aroma diffuser with essential oils for extra relaxation.

Soften With A Skirted Sink

Skirted sinks aren’t just for a classic farmhouse feel. A long curtain under any pedestal sink or open vanity is great for added storage in tight spaces, but it also creates an opportunity to use fabric to relax the room.

Don’t Forget About Artwork

Turn the guest bath into a treasure box with funky art pieces, bright colors, and pretty patterns. “I like a sense of humor scattered through a little bit. It doesn’t have to be so serious,” says artist Dorothy Shain Henderson, who added a conversation starter above the toilet—a drawing of Andy Warhol sitting on a grilled cheese and can of tomato soup.

Make Room For Relaxation

Soft lighting and clean lines invite relaxation. From the soothing color palette and clawfoot tub to the airy window treatments and basket of fresh towels, your guest will immediately be ready for a long soak.

Consider Non-White Towels

Crisp white towels will always be a go-to, but if you have a lot of guests or know they are prone to leaving your linens stained, think about adding colored towels that pair with the bathroom’s decor. This way people won’t feel guilty for getting makeup or other stains on your towels.

Place Fresh Flowers Or Greenery

Just as is with any room in a home, fresh blooms and greenery are a simple and impactful way to elevate—especially in small spaces where they pack a punch. Refresh the guest bathroom with a brimming bud vase just before company arrival or outfit it with a long-lasting house plant. Or both!

Minimize Clutter

Keep the vanity and any other surfaces in the bathroom clear of unnecessary items. Here, a simple plant and tray with amenities leaves plenty of room for the house guest and their personal items.

Add Your Personality

Though they’re small spaces, bathrooms give you plenty of opportunity to add extra personality. Due to their scale, it’s often a great space to play with different hues and patterns that you might not be as comfortable with in a larger room.

Keep It Fresh

If the bedroom uses a lot of color and pattern, consider balancing it with a more toned-down guest bathroom. Use muted tones and brushed-gold finishes to dress up a simple vanity.

Punch It Up With Wallpaper

Don’t let the guest bathroom be an afterthought. Strike a balance by pairing a laid-back tile or shade of paint with a punchy pattern on the walls. “I love how wallpaper can completely transform a space,” says Nashville designer Meg Kelly.

Create Easy Access Shelving

Just because someone is coming to stay in your home for a few days doesn’t mean they are traveling light. Like a closet for their clothing, guests need a place to put their bathroom items. If your guest bathroom isn’t suited to a built-in vanity, consider furniture or shelving that can serve as storage for guests to use.

Balance Lighting And Mirrors

If the layout of the space requires placing the mirror in front of a window—don’t lose all the natural light, but don’t skimp on a good-sized mirror either. It’s a bathroom necessity no matter who is using the room.

Ensure Privacy

Whether they’re family or friends, the last thing you want your guest to be worried about is privacy. While it’s important to allow natural light in for an inviting space, it’s equally imperative to provide window coverings like these elegant floor-to-ceiling drapes.

Add A Perch

After you’ve provided all the necessities and designed your guest bath to its prime, finish off the room with multipurpose little stool or bench.

Check For Good Water Pressure

Just as you want your bathroom to have good water pressure and temperature, it’s just as important that company has the same. If you wouldn’t like the shower experience, your guest won’t either. Don’t fret over replacing the entire shower, but for an optimal experience consider updating your showerhead.

Personalize Your Towels

Southerners aren’t afraid to monogram anything, especially towels. Whether you customize them with your initials, simply decorate with ‘guest’, or opt for something more personal, it’s a detail that goes the extra mile.

Add A Shower Seat

If the guest bathroom in your home has a spacious walk-in shower, elevate it with a shower seat or stool. This creates a spot for shower essentials and extra perks or details.

Play Up Pattern

Why stop with one wall. Wrap your guest bathroom in a cheerful or funky-patterned wallpaper that is sure to make an impression on your house guests. You can even play into the colors of your wall-covering by painting the vanity a complimentary shade.

Cameron Beall