Downstairs toilet ideas for a stylish and functional bathroom

When it comes to downstairs toilets and cloakrooms, these can offer a great opportunity to experiment with different styles and designs that you might not normally go for elsewhere in the house. Usually smaller rooms, downstairs loos are generally often used for guests as well, so some people like to create more of a statement look and make it extra-special, using bolder colours and designs to create more impactful aesthetics.

Whether you want to add feature furniture or up the ante on luxury, we have lots of décor ideas for downstairs toilets, so read to the end of the blog to get some inspiration for your home.

Toilet design ideas

When it comes to designing your downstairs toilet space, there are some key factors to consider, if you want to make the most of what you have.

These include:

• Choosing products to suit the size of the room: Custom-made items can work well here to avoid overpowering a smaller downstairs toilet with bathroom-ware which is too big. Always measure your space so you know the exact size and can therefore choose items which perfectly complement the space.

The Josef Martin Vario Wall-mounted Vanity Unit.

Our Josef Martin vanity units are custom-made and can be adapted to suit your specific requirements, so if you need bathroom furniture made-to-measure, just let us know. Our Josef Martin Vario Wall-mounted Vanity Unit with Prism Front - Cordoba is a great example of a contemporary floating vanity which would work well in a small downstairs toilet or cloakroom. With a rich maroon tone and a prism profiled front drawer – handle-less for that sleek, elegant look – this will add both style and practicality to your space, offering storage and a designer finish.

• Use floating furniture: Smaller spaces can benefit from wall-mounted vanity units, toilets and storage options, as this frees up floor space and helps to make the room appear bigger.

• Clever use of storage: You can combine storage with other features to save on space and not overcrowd your downstairs toilet. For example, a wall-mounted mirrored bathroom cabinet offers a mirror, internal shelf space for toiletries, a shaver socket and can also incorporate touch-sensor LED lighting and/or Bluetooth technology.
• Create ambience with lighting: Selecting the right lighting can transform your downstairs bathroom, brightening it up and helping to create a more spacious look. You can create a cosy ambience and use softer mood lighting with wall lights, overhead lighting or LED lighting within mirrors.

• Make it cosy with heated towel rails and radiators: This might sound obvious but in smaller spaces like downstairs toilets and cloakrooms, people can sometimes overlook heating. A wall-mounted towel rail, however, can be made into a feature within the room, with designer rails in brushed brass, matt black or other tones adding visual interest. They also ensure warm towels and will heat the surrounding space which, in a small cloakroom, is often all you need for sufficient warmth. While the heated towel rail is primarily for warming towels, it’s also great in smaller spaces as a heating source, where it wouldn’t be as practical in a larger bathroom.

Adding a heated towel rail to your downstairs toilet will make it cosier, as well as heating towels and creating a luxury look.

• Make a feature splash-back or wall: Getting creative and going bold with patterned tiles, paint or wallpaper can transform a downstairs bathroom and instantly make the space more appealing. You can also splash out on that designer look you’ve had your eye on, as you won’t need as many tiles or as much wallpaper for a tiny space, so your budget will go further. It will impress guests and make an artistic feature out of what might otherwise be an insignificant space.
• Add mirrors: A mirror is great for many reasons, other than the obvious. You can go dramatic with a large ornate mirror which acts as a focal point within the room, add contemporary style and convenience with a Smart technology mirror which includes LED lights and Bluetooth connectivity, or go minimalist with a sleek, slimline mirror. Whatever your preferred style, adding a mirror to your downstairs toilet or cloakroom will help to make the space appear brighter, reflecting light and creating the illusion of more space. With a range of frames and designs available, mirrors can also add luxury and elegance, so have many benefits.

Adding a mirror to your downstairs toilet or cloakroom – like the Brushed Brass Frame Mirror with Colour Change – can create a more spacious look and add ambience with in-built mood lighting.

Luxury cloakroom ideas

If you decide to go down the luxury look route with your cloakroom, then there are lots of ways in which you can add opulence and really make an impression. The toilet itself can actually be made into a decorative feature piece, as you can go for a classic high-level toilet which evokes the very best of the Victorian era. With charm and elegance, this will instantly give your downstairs toilet or cloakroom a sense of luxury style.

If you have the ceiling height, then a high-level toilet is ideal, as the high cistern (usually located two metres or more above the toilet pan) will give that timeless aesthetic, the exposed flush pipe and long flush chain all adding character. As one of our customers – Dublin-based Abbie Mulhall – shows in the photo below, installing a high-level toilet in a small space will transform it into something eye-catching and extra-special.

Abbie opted for the Canterbury Traditional High-level Toilet with White Soft-close Seat, which she said both family and visitors alike absolutely loved. Combining the toilet with feature tiling on the back wall and continuing this onto the floor and in a splash-back around the vanity area opposite, she successfully made the toilet the central feature within the room.

Bathshack customer, Abbie Mulhall, installed the Canterbury Traditional High-level Toilet in her small downstairs bathroom to give it a luxury look, also creating a bold statement and setting the toilet off with feature tiling.

If you don’t quite have the room height for a high-level toilet, then a low-level design can deliver a similar effect, with the cistern still placed above the toilet pan, but at a reduced height. For example, the Ari Design London Low-level Toilet with Soft-close Seat still has that timeless elegant aesthetic, but is more compact, so will suit smaller spaces with low ceilings much better.

The Ari Design London Low-level Toilet with Soft-close Seat has an elegant look.

A luxury effect can also be achieved by decorating your cloakroom with marble-effect tiling and/or vanity countertops. Large-format tiles work particularly well in smaller spaces, with tiles such as the Marmori Carrara Luster Porcelain Rectified Tile being a great example.

These large, rectified tiles require minimal grouting and can subsequently be laid closer together, creating a more seamless, flowing look which enhances the sense of space. The marble-effect design, meanwhile, gives the luxury look of real marble without the hefty price tag, adding elegance as well as depth and texture to the room.

Made from high-quality porcelain, they’re also ideal for high-traffic areas, so are perfect for busy downstairs toilets and cloakrooms which are used by family and guests alike.

Marble-effect tiles like the Marmori Carrara Luster Porcelain Rectified Tile can add instant luxury to any space.

As well as core bathroom-ware, a sense of luxury can also be incorporated into your cloakroom by mixing different textures – think tiles paired with patterned wallpaper, or by adding bathroom rugs and textiles. Dramatic lighting fixtures can also give a decadent look and, again, can be made into a focal point in the room. If you have a higher ceiling, then fitting a bathroom chandelier will immediately transform any cloakroom into a special space.

For example, the Forum Spa Vela Three-light Bath Chandelier has capsule-shaped bulbs and a classic chandelier style which will add an elegant charm and rich aesthetic. Perfect if you want to wow with your cloakroom and turn it into a luxurious feature.

The lighting you choose for your cloakroom will impact upon the mood of the room, with warmer tones creating a more comforting and relaxing vibe, while cool lights will evoke more of a sense of natural lighting.

Chandeliers also reflect light differently, with more surfaces in beaded detailing and multiple glass bulbs and they can create a more magical atmosphere, which is particularly welcoming and brings that opulent feel during the darker days of winter.

The Forum Spa Vela Three-light Bath Chandelier will add instant opulence to any cloakroom.

More décor ideas for downstairs toilets and cloakrooms

Adopting a strong individual style for your downstairs toilet is a great way to breathe new life into this sometimes-neglected room. Being brave and picking a bold colour palette or defined look – such as Gothic-core or colour-drenching – will really make a statement and deliver an eye-catching aesthetic with lots of visual interest.

One way to do this is by combining different tiles – either the same style in different tones, or different tile designs in a similar colour palette. This creates a textured look and will add depth to your cloakroom, as well as lots of quirky character.

The Hex Frisa Silver Non-slip Mosaic Sheet in Pattern Glass.

Something like the Hex Frisia Silver Non-slip Mosaic Sheet in Pattern Glass – a beautiful mosaic tile in a hexagonal shape – will create texture and make any cloakroom or downstairs toilet appear instantly more appealing.

Fusing a mixture of colours, including light blue, turquoise, silver, grey and oat tones, the colour palette along with the quirky shape of the tiles and their smaller mosaic size all works together to create interest. It also means you can pick out your preferred shades to continue in the bathroom furniture and textiles.

These tiles are ideal for creating a feature splash-back around a vanity unit and could be contrasted by larger-format tiles on the floor in similar tones to create a more cohesive look. Made from high-quality glass, the Hex Frisa Silver Non-slip Mosaic Tiles are also incredibly durable and water-resistant.

Another way to create a bold statement is with a designer vanity unit which can add drama as well as delivering on storage and functionality. Our range of cloakroom units are designed specifically to fit smaller spaces and includes a variety of designs and finishes.

The Josef Martin Roma Wall-mounted Vanity Unit and Worktop in Marble Grey has a contemporary aesthetic and a luxury marble-effect finish which will add drama to any cloakroom. With ample storage space in a deep single drawer – handless for that minimalist look – it’s designed for use with a countertop basin, so you can set off the look by choosing a basin in your preferred style.

Adding a stylish vanity unit like the Josef Martin Roma Wall-mounted Vanity will instantly elevate your cloakroom.

Quirky toilet ideas

For small cloakrooms, adding a fun vibe to the space is another option. You can also get creative with toilets by choosing a style which incorporates a micro-basin on top of the cistern. This is also a more eco-friendly choice, as the water you use to wash your hands then goes back into the cistern to flush the toilet pan.

The Duo 2 in 1 Toilet and Basin Combo is an example of this type of toilet and the quirkiness of its design will add character to your room while also, of course, being functional.

The Duo 2 in 1 Toilet and Basin Combo is both practical and quirky.

Another visually interesting take on the toilet is the WC unit, which combines a toilet pan with a back-to-wall unit and is a great idea for cloakrooms. With the cistern concealed, this can make the space appear tidier, while also incorporating storage space and/or a basin, for extra practicality.

For example, the Josef Martin Urbano WC Unit in Forest-green combines all of these features and could fit neatly into your downstairs toilet or cloakroom area.

Again, you could get this product created bespoke to fit your exact space and enjoy an attractive unit in that rich forest-green tone, along with the added elements of basin, storage and toilet.

The Josef Martin Urbano WC Unit in Forest-green combines various practical features which are great for cloakrooms.

A Japanese-style or ‘shower toilet’ is another quirky idea for your downstairs loo. Using Smart technology, these clever little toilets offer a range of benefits and will definitely add character and quirkiness to your home. Combining a toilet and bidet, you can enjoy wash features alongside remote-control technology (which can be used with a mobile app) as well as various other things, depending on the model you choose – for example, a heated seat and air-drying alongside those personal wash jets.

AN example of this is the Grohe Sensia Arena Shower Toilet, which has a built-in bidet and air-dryer function, as well as adjustable water temperature and spray pressure, an instant heater and an extra-powerful flush. It’s also lit by a light at night and can be operated via an app, with a sleek rimless design giving it a contemporary aesthetic which will add elegance to your cloakroom. With all this and more, your family – and guests – will be bowled over by your taste in toilets …

The Grohe Sensia Arena Shower Toilet will add quirkiness to your cloakroom.

Get your perfect downstairs toilet at Bathshack

No matter what way you want to design your downstairs toilet or cloakroom, you’ll find a wealth of choice at Bathshack, with thousands of great-value bathroom products and tiles available. Our friendly team is always happy to discuss your specific requirements to ensure that you get exactly what you need and we can also design and create certain items bespoke – so just chat to our team for more information.

With a wide range of styles, tones and finishes, our bathroom-ware includes everything from taps and toilets to lighting, mirrors and more. So, when it comes to kitting out cloakrooms, downstairs loos or anywhere else, we have you covered.

For more ideas on how to transform your downstairs toilet or cloakroom, visit our website at bathshack.com. Alternatively, if you have any questions, just email our team at info@bathshack.com, call us on (028) 9077 0188 or use our online chat.