The Downstairs Loo - Transform it into The Best Room in The House

Photo:Cole and Son

Interior design being my passion, my favourite space to renovate and decorate is, the downstairs loo. This may seem bizarre but I will tell you why. In most terraced London properties, there is a downstairs loo situated in the middle of the property to the back between the kitchen and living room. It is normally very small in size, holding just a basin and toilet, and there for convenience and guest usage.

When a client wants their project to involve the decorating of the downstairs loo, I feel full creativity can flourish. Due to its size, and its function as a room only stayed in for a short while, one can go as colourful, patterned and wacky as they would like.

Photo: Cole and Son

There are no boundaries, and I will list a few ideas to think about trying. As a little room, the loo can be fun, exciting, and have the wow-factor easily without spending much money at all.

Photo: Andrew Martin

Think about going dark. Dark cabinets or dark half way wall moulding can make a room atmospheric and with some warm wall lighting can really enhance the space. A little design tip to make your narrow loo feel bigger, is to mirror one whole wall, and then on the opposite wall, place LED downlights positioned so that they are shining light on the wall opposite the mirrored. This light will spatially make the room appear bigger with the inclusion of the mirror. Blacks and aubergines and dark greens would all look incredible with gold detailing incorporated in the bathroom appliances. Brighten up the room with a white ceiling if you feel it is too dark.

Photo: Pinterest

Mirrors are a great way to create the illusion of a bigger room. Either doing a full wall of mirror, behind the toilet for example, or lots of different sizes of framed mirrors in differing finishes and designs. Both will really enhance the small size.

Photo:mixandchic.com

Wallpaper. Accent wallpaper in a downstairs loo looks incredible. Due to the room not being steamy with a shower, wallpaper will survive and look fabulous. Brands like Cole and Son and Andrew Martin have incredible patterned wallpapers that would make a room pop and add some personality to a room which would, in the majority of cases, be boring and lack exuberance.

Photo: Cole and Son

Have fun with the room. 2LGstudio have really fun wallpaper and interiors with a very preppy, pop art, pastel feel to them. Fun, light hearted and a little bit eccentric, who wouldn’t love to walk into that loo?

Photo: 2LGstudio

You can always tone down the wallpaper by doing a plain or similar coloured floor tile or basin splash back.

Photo: Cole and Son

Don’t let the size stop you from using it as a display room. Collage style walls can look fabulous in a small room, almost like a treasure cove. Fill the wall space with different sizes of vintage posters and photographs, interesting objects and decorational items. Since no one will be in the room that long, it will not feel overpowering and overbearing but very cool and 'instagramable' as some would say!