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Damp swimsuits flung on the edge of the tub, stacks of sandy beach towels, half-empty sunscreen bottles—a coastal bathroom sees it all. It arguably has to work harder than any ordinary bathroom, usually because there are a slew of guests sharing the space. At the same time, you want your bathroom to feel like an escape, a vacation from your vacation, if you will. While painting the vanity seafoam green and hanging a photograph of a sunset over the toilet might seem like your only options, we’re here to tell you that there are hundreds of other ways to design a coastal bathroom that don’t fall into the cheesy category. Ahead, we spotlight nine of our favorites.
The Coastal Bathroom That’s Like a Walk by the Beach
Kerrie-Ann Jones’s bathroom floor is reminiscent of a rocky landscape. The Australian stylist was so obsessed with Palladiana-patterned terrazzo that she decided to replicate the look on a much more impressive scale in her Sydney bathroom with large-format offcuts of marble. Some of the chunks are scraps from the fireplace; others were sourced from suppliers on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.
The Surfer-Cool Coastal Bathroom
Raili Clasen is an expert in surf style (seriously, she has a whole book dedicated to it that’s set to release in April). In this teen’s bathroom, the designer shows us how it’s done with on-theme art and a two-tone canvas shower curtain.
The Mediterranean Coastal Bathroom
At his former home in Majorca, British designer Matthew Williamson leaned into sunny Mediterranean life by swathing the bathroom in locally sourced tile and painting the window frame, walls, and ceiling himself to match the lemon hue.
The Coastal Bathroom Guests Can Enjoy
When Ashley Clark’s Newport Beach clients asked her to trick out their guesthouse, she went for a more industrial feel with a bucket sink from Kohler and a rope-lined mirror. The Skout designer took things a step further by extending the look to the surrounding wall, which is wrapped in cork so people can pin up their surfing pictures.
The Sand-Disguising Coastal Bathroom
The first-floor bathroom in this Jersey Shore house had to be able to stand up to little ones running in and out, flinging wet swimsuits around, and coming in with sandy feet. That’s why Kevin Bennert of OAK Design Project viewed it as a wet room and clad all the walls in beige zellige tile.
The Well-Lit Coastal Bathroom
For this project, Clasen’s design plan boiled down to one piece: a Heath Ceramics light fixture crafted by ceramist Stan Bitters. Yes, we’re referring to that pendant in the corner that looks like it is an ancient artifact (or piece of coral) plucked from the bottom of the ocean.
The Zen Coastal Bathroom
Coastal doesn’t have to equal the ocean. Any body of water will do for inspiration, including a koi pond. Temple Studio’s Koromo linen wallpaper fits right in at this New Jersey beach house. Making the most of the small space, Studio DB opted for a clear glass backsplash so not a single fish goes unnoticed.
The Warm Red Coastal Bathrooms
Cool tones aren’t the only way to go in a coastal bathroom. Alex McCabe, cofounder of Australian design brand Kip & Co., put deep red terracotta tile in one of her beach house bathrooms and soft pink zellige in the other. The latter is a nod to a restaurant she visited in Bali.
The Graphic Blue Coastal Bathroom
If you are going to go with a classic blue subway tile, make it interesting with an unusual layout. In this Lido Island home, designer Erika Marini of Fixe Design House created a ticking pattern by extending the top band of blue tile into the white concrete tile that covers the rest of the wall.