Basement Bathroom Ideas
Adding a bath or a shower to your basement is a great way to increase the value of your house and make it a more comfortable place. Using the extra room in your home that would otherwise go unused in your basement by installing a bathroom is a win-win, but thinking up basement bathroom ideas and actually transforming your room into a new bathroom is completely different.
If you’re starting a remodel, you’ve probably got dozens of basement bathroom ideas floating around in your head. This is only natural - you’re imagining the type of bath, shower, toilet, and vanity you’d like to add to this new room, but basement bathroom ideas need to be more than just decorating plans.
In many ways, the basement bathroom is a project within a project. Not only are you working to finish your basement, but you might also be adding or remodeling a whole bathroom that’s already there. It’s a big undertaking! Luckily, it also offers a big payout in the end - that new bathroom, mud room, shower, or half bath is going to add so much more functionality and comfort to your home.
Ready to get to work on that new bathroom? Hone your basement bathroom ideas or take advantage of a few of ours with the help of this short guide.
4 Ways to Trick Out Your Basement Bathroom
Whether you’re installing a sink and shower, a half bathroom, or going for a four-piece full bathroom with toilet, shower, bath, and sink, these unique basement bathroom ideas will ensure you come out of the process with a room you love.
1. Add a Full Vanity
Because a basement bathroom is typically small, and because the homeowners who install these basement bathrooms are often focused on saving money, pedestal sinks have ruled for many years. Pedestal sinks stand just off the wall and have a smaller footprint than traditional vanities, leaving plenty of room in your bathroom for other components like a shower or a bath. What these bathroom pedestal sinks don’t have, however, is storage.
Because of this, it’s worth considering installing a full vanity in your basement bathroom. Not only will this provide you with an area to store guest towels and bathroom essentials, but it’ll make basement bathrooms feel more finished and thought-out, rather than like it’s an addition to the rest of your home.
2. Install Lighting on Each Side of the Mirror
Lighting is essential in any bathroom, and it’s especially true for a basement bathroom. Because these bathrooms are unlikely to have natural light as an above-ground bathroom might, good lighting is critical and can mean the difference between a dark, cave-like room, and one where you want to spend some time.
With this in mind, focus on the lighting in your basement bathroom. Follow these basement bathroom ideas and tips for the most flattering space possible:
Light the sides of the mirror. Avoid harsh shadows by installing lighting on both sides of the mirror, rather than above it. A pair of wall sconces mounted at eye level on either side of the mirror will work well. Wall sconces can eliminate shadows; this lighting arrangement makes it easy to shave, apply makeup, and care for teeth without squinting.
Pay attention to wattage. As you install lighting in your basement bathroom, look for figures that offer 75-100 watts of illumination for a full bathroom. Wattage equivalents include 24-26-watt compact fluorescent and 20-25-watt LED fixtures. Add a dimmer if you’d like to make your basement bathroom a more customizable and flattering place.
Add ambient light. Ambient light acts as fill light in a basement bathroom. With this in mind, add an ambient lighting fixture along the perimeter of your bathroom walls. This creates indirect lighting and makes the space feel warmer and more inviting, creating a cozy atmosphere for any shower or bath.
3. Consider an Upflush Toilet
One of the biggest deterrents to adding a basement bathroom is the toilet. Installing plumbing is massively expensive even for a small bathroom and, unless your space is already roughed-in for a bathroom, it can add thousands to your overall remodel cost.
Luckily, there's an alternative: add an upflush toilet.
Upflush toilets, such as the Saniflo toilet system, utilize a macerator and pump to grind waste and then pump it up, against gravity, to your home’s main plumbing stack. Because of this design, they don’t require you to destroy your floors or lay down expensive pipes to install new plumbing. What’s more, you can hook your sink, shower, and bath up to the same system, creating a basement bathroom in what was once a closet, alcove, or unused space. This makes an upflush toilet one of the best basement bathroom ideas you can possibly have!
4. Go for Light Colors
Because basement bathrooms are notoriously lacking in light, adding a light or neutral coat of paint is a great idea. Perfect for brightening the space and making it feel larger and more open than it might otherwise, a nice light coat of paint will hide imperfections, reflect light, and ensure even the smallest basement bathroom feels spacious.
Keep this in mind as you purchase your fixtures and cabinets, as well.
Basement Bathroom Mistakes to Avoid
Now that you’ve got our run-down of basement bathroom ideas, here are a few bathroom design mistakes to avoid as you bring your basement bathroom dream to life:
Adding paint, wainscoting, and trim after you add the toilet. These things will only be harder to do and do well after you install the toilet and vanity. With this in mind, these things should be the last additions to your bathroom in the basement. Paint, wainscoting, trim, and other near-finish elements should always come first.
Not taking advantage of your new plumbing. Now that you have a plumbing system in the basement, use it! You may want to install a utility sink on the other side of the bathroom wet wall, for example. This gives you a place to wash muddy shoes, paint brushes, and anything else you don’t want to drag into the kitchen.
Not adding a window if you can. If it’s at all possible, consider adding a window to your basement bathroom. Not only will this improve the quality of light dramatically, but it’ll also offer some air circulation, which is essential in a damp space like the basement.
Install as much storage as possible. Your basement bathroom is an ideal place to store bulk items like paper towels and toilet paper, as you won’t find a room better suited to do so than a basement bathroom. With this in mind, add as much additional storage as possible. This could mean a vanity, linen closet, or even some open shelving.
A Better Basement Bathroom Starts Here
Whether you’re adding a new basement bathroom or overhauling and remodeling an existing space, these basement bathroom ideas and tips can help ensure you wind up with a room you want to spend time in. By adding storage, a convenient upflush toilet system, ample lighting, and nice finishes, you’ll be able to create a bathroom in the basement that is as functional as it is beautiful - even though it’s all the way down in the basement!
Want even more basement bathroom ideas? Renovating your basement space to add a new room such as a half bath or a shower? Need help finding the perfect basement toilet for your space? Contact Saniflo Depot today or browse our extensive selection of upflush toilet systems.
Need help finding the perfect basement toilet for your space? Contact Saniflo Depot today or browsing our extensive selection of upflush toilet systems.
