How to Masterfully Decorate Bathroom Shelves Like a Pro
Are you looking for bathroom shelf decor ideas? Here’s the full rundown on how to determine what kind, where to place, and how decorate your shelves as well as tips for how to install them! The good news is that it’s doable for any homeowner, at any skill level. Keep reading for clever ways to incorporate bathroom shelving decorating ideas and how make them look amazing in current, trending styles!
Creating the Bathroom Shelves of Your Dreams
Updating your bathroom is one of those projects that can be put on the backburner indefinitely… just me? We’ve been in our house (purchased as an ‘as-is estate’) for three and a half years, and we are just getting around to doing the bathroom.
We needed to do a lot to the bathroom cosmetically – thankfully, we didn’t need to gut it – but one thing I had my heart set on was adding bathroom shelves.
Certainly, you can still place a cabinet above the toilet or in some other place in your bathroom if that’s a look you love.
But having an open shelf or shelving can instantly update a bathroom and provides some extra storage, especially if you’re updating a small bathroom or a small space in a bathroom.
It’s a great way to inexpensively refresh without doing a complete overhaul, but definitely adding some more modern touches.
Today, I want to share with you some things you’ll want to consider when either adding shelves to your bathroom or decorating shelves.
How To Decorate Bathroom Shelves: 5 Pro-Tips
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Here are some pro-tips that can really help when it comes to setting up and decorating your bathroom shelves.
1| Assess Your Wall Space and the Purpose
First, determine where you want shelves, what you want to use them for, and what kind of shelving will work best.
Above the toilet? Across from the toilet? On the wall near the vanity? Near the shower or by the bathtub? Do you want a long shelf that looks something like a ledge over the vanity or stacked floating shelves?
Are they mostly for decorative items? Do you want them to be useful as a storage solution and hold some practical items like extra toilet paper or hand towels?
Once you determine this, you can start to pick out the shelving you like best.
2| Choose Shelving that Fits the Space
As you are deciding on shelving, think about the space. How many shelves do you have room for? How long would they be?
If you have a long wall, you may want to have longer shelves (unless you already have plans for how you want to fill the rest of the available space).
If it’s for a small area, such as above the toilet bowl, you’ll want to have them shorter in length, so they aren’t wider than the toilet.
You’ll also want to think about the height. There really is no wrong or right answer as to how far apart your shelves should be; however, they should be scaled to your wall and other nearby decor, such as the vanity mirror, lighting, etc.
If the shelves are going above the toilet, you’ll want them to be high enough so that when someone is sitting on the toilet, he or she won’t hit his/her head on it.
And eye level is typically a good height for at least one of them.
If the shelves are going next to a vanity mirror, make sure they are balanced with the mirror – as in, they are placed somewhere in the middle, accounting for the height of the bathroom decor you’ll place on the shelves.
You don’t want your top shelf so high that when you place decor on the shelf, it reaches well above your vanity mirror and lighting.
Looking horizontally, you’ll want all of the decor pieces to fall within the same height.
A smart idea is to use painter’s tape to test out what length and placement looks best.
3| Determine Your Shelf Style
When choosing the shelf style, there are soooo many options. Whatever you love, you’ll want to make sure it is cohesive and coordinates with the style of your bathroom.
If you have a bathroom that’s more of an industrial modern farmhouse style with lots of wood and black fixtures, floating rustic shelves made of wood with plumbing pipe brackets would coordinate amazingly well.
Photo Credit: @thereclaimedsheshed
If your bathroom has more of a spa feeling, maybe you want a shelf made of rattan, sea grass, light wood, or other natural fibers or something with a more minimalist feel.
Photo Credit: @thehunthaven_
If your bathroom is modern and a little more glam, white or glass shelves might be more up your alley.
If you have more of a coastal or beachy theme, you might want to consider a live edge or natural edge wood shelf.
You can also include hooks or a towel bar below your shelves as well.
Photo Credit: @declutteringlife2022
A ladder style shelf is also an option if you have a large space, especially in a full-size master bathroom!
Whatever style your bathroom is – a rustic beauty or a boho dream – stay with that theme, color palette, and vibe for a seamless look.
4| Installing the Shelves
Once you’ve determined the shelves you want (and whether you’re going to purchase them or DIY) and where to place them, next is the challenge of hanging them.
I wanted to DIY and decided on these brackets and had some spare wood I wanted to use for the shelving, for a modern farmhouse rustic industrial feel.
Ideally, if you can use a stud finder and find a stud to support your brackets, that is your safest solution. However, aesthetically, that might not always work out.
For instance, my shelves were going above my toilet. My toilet lid was 20″. My shelf was 17″ across.
With painter’s tape, I positioned where I wanted the shelf, and then I held up the brackets to see where I wanted them placed.
I decided I wanted them to come in from the edge about 1.5 on each side.
However, there were no studs for me to catch if I was going to hang them above the toilet.
So, I needed to use wall anchors, which you can grab at Walmart, Home Depot or any hardware store.
I was always scared to use wall anchors, but my dad talked me through it, and honestly, they are so much easier than I thought! These were the wall anchors he recommended for me to use.
I started by making a small hole in the wall (I just took a screw gun and lightly started to drill a small screw in to make a hole).
Then, I put the wall anchor in and just turned it in with a screwdriver. Once it cleared the sheet rock, it was super-easy and pushed right in!
The best way I found was to install was to screw in the first bracket in the location you want.
So, I put my first bracket in position, marked my holes, inserted the wall anchors, and then I screwed in the bracket.
The next part is to make sure you place the other bracket in so it’s level.
After screwing in the first bracket, I placed a yardstick on top and put the other bracket where I’d chosen, and placed a level on top of the yardstick.
Once I found the level spot, I poked in the holes of the other bracket with a screw, so I knew where to screw it in.
Then, I repeated the same steps as above with the wall anchors and screws. Once the brackets were up, it was easy to screw and attach the shelf on top.
This is how my bathroom shelves turned out – level, right on the money! Below, you can see how I styled them, which leads me to the best part…
5| Decorating Your Bathroom Shelf
Ok, now that your shelves are up, here’s is the fun part – decorating!
One of the best ways to decorate is to create vignettes – it’s the easiest way to check yourself in decorating.
Vignettes are little clusters of decor that are grouped together (usually in 3s or odd numbers) in a cohesive way.
It doesn’t matter what you place on your shelves; it’s really the arrangement that counts.
Believe or not, your shelving space can quickly become a focal point, which is a good thing!
It’s the perfect place to showcase some decorative style, even within a limited space. I
t’s often where you can add your own personal interior design style and prevent it from looking ‘too generic.’
Whether it’s a pop of color to an otherwise white wall or gray bathroom, or it ties in with the decor in the rest of your house (it’s great if it does!), these over-the-sink shelves or wood shelves or whatever you choose provide a wonderfully flat surface and enough space to add some style.
But if you are wondering what you can put on your shelves so they aren’t only functional but aesthetically pleasing as well, here are some suggestions:
(You can click on the links below if you’d like to shop around!)
Baskets: Sea Grass, Wicker, Wire (filled with greenery, extra towels, toilet paper, etc.)
Pretty Storage Solutions (glass apothecary jars and canisters for cotton balls, Q-tips, toothbrush holder, wood crates, etc.)
Fake Plant or other Fake Floral Arrangement and Stems
Unique Decor Items from Thrift Stores, etc.
Bathroom Necessities (room spray, stacked toilet paper rolls, tissues)
As you are placing your items, think about mixing different textures: wood, glass, concrete, natural materials, metal… you can make it all work together for a cohesive look.
Think about what you have in the other parts of your bathroom and how you can make your shelves blend in with what’s already there.
What color are your fixtures? Include some of that metal in decorative items.
What colors are your vanity and countertop? Use some of those colors as well. What about your shower curtain or decor on the walls?
How can you tie that into what you want to place on your shelves? Do you have a small flower vase on your counter? Maybe use a similar flower or color scheme in your shelf.
You also want to think about balance. Small trays and risers are brilliant as bathroom decor.
If you’re using a little tray, think about putting items on in groups of three. Or, use your tray as part of a group of 3 for the entire shelf.
You want it to feel uncluttered, especially if it’s a small shelf in a tiny bathroom.
Don’t be afraid of some empty space on your shelves, too.
Think about a spa … minimalist, clean, soothing. Whatever your style, that is a great bathroom vibe, even it if it’s a small room.
More Inspirational Bathroom Shelf Ideas
Below, I want to share more examples of some bathroom shelving ideas.
Some are storage shelves and other are a little more functional.
Some are ideal in large spaces and some are perfectly suited to a smaller space.
Some provide that essential extra storage space and other bathroom wall shelves are purely decorative.
It’s up to you to decide how your powder room shelves will suit your needs and what decorative elements you want to choose.
Check out examples in all different home decor styles!
Photo Credit: @parisashleyhome
Photo Credit: @themerrythought
Photo Credit: @rokthehome
Photo Credit: @homewithhank
Photo Credit: @coffeetime_withmariel_
Photo Credit: @athomewithjulias
Photo Credit: @a.casa.da.ana
If you want to see an entire collection of bathroom shelf ideas, take a look at my Pinterest board, where I’ve saved loads of inspiration!
Installing wooden shelves (or shelves of any material) is the perfect solution for adding a little extra space while still having a lot of open space in an area that often is a small space!
Not only is it a great idea as far as cheaply and easily updating your bathroom, it’ adds extra bathroom storage. Shelves are my favorite way to transform just about any space in the house – from the living room to the kitchen to the bedroom, and yes, even the bathroom.
I hope you found a perfect example of something you can replicate in your own space.
More Home Inspiration Ideas
If you’re looking for more ways to refresh and update your home on a budget, take a look below for some more helpful resources!
15 Genius Ways to Update & Refresh Your Kitchen on a Budget
Master Bathroom Floorplan Ideas You Need to Know BEFORE You Start
EASY Family Room | Living Room Makeover Ideas on a Budget
7 Cheap Playroom Ideas on a Budget {Must-Haves for A Fun Space!}
21 Amazing Rustic Bedding Ideas (+ Bedroom Styling Tips!)
If you tried any of these ideas, I’d LOVE to see them! Tag me on Instagram @100affections or leave a picture and comment on Pinterest!
Other thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!
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Your content is amazing! I love how you make everything feel so warm and inviting. The tips you share are practical and really inspire me to transform my own space. Keep up the fantastic work!
What a kind, kind comment. I so appreciate you taking the time to write me! Thank you so much! I’m so happy you are enjoying the site! 🙂