How to Create a Cosy Bathroom

Across our Northern Ireland bathroom showrooms, one of the most common requests is customers wanting a cosy, comfortable, and non-clinical bathroom.

So, here are our top cosy bathroom ideas, covering everything from early design choices right through to simple décor tips. You don’t need to redo your whole bathroom to make it cosy, but if you’re planning a renovation, it’s worth keeping these ideas in mind from the start.

Choose Warm Colours

Warm colours create the foundation for a cosy bathroom. They set the mood early and influence every other choice that follows.

Start by choosing a warm colour palette. Soft neutrals, warm greys, beige tones, and muted earth shades help a bathroom feel calm rather than stark. Dark hues can also work well if you want to create a moody and luxurious feel. Just remember - bathroom walls, ceiling, flooring and furniture should sit all within the same colour family, to make the room feel cohesive. 

Expert Tip: We encourage customers to create a colour mood board, and point them towards Farrow and Ball’s warm neutrals as a starting point. 

Go for Matt Bathroom Tiles

It’s no secret that bathroom tiles have a big impact on how warm a bathroom feels - finish, style and size are all important. 

For a cosy bathroom, matt tiles work best. They reflect less light than high-gloss tiles, which helps avoid that clinical feel. Larger tiles also feel calmer because there are fewer grout lines breaking up the surface, and they’re really on-trend.

Expert Tip: White tiles might feel like a safe option, but oftentimes they end up feeling and looking cold. Choose a natural-look tile instead, like stone-effect or wood-effect tiles.

Consider Using Bathroom Wallpaper

Wallpaper is another great way to soften the look of a bathroom to make it feel cosy.

Choosing a bathroom wallpaper usually comes after tiles, as the two need to work together. Wallpaper works well on feature walls, behind vanity units, or in areas that don’t get direct splashes. Plain tiles pair nicely with patterned wallpaper, while more detailed tiles suit simpler designs.

Expert Tip: Choose wallpaper that’s made for bathrooms… there’s nothing cosy about peeling or bubbling walls! If you’re not sure where to start, check our guide on how to wallpaper a bathroom.

Choose Simple Bathroom Furniture

Bathroom furniture is where a cosy bathroom really starts to take shape. It affects how the room feels every day, not just how it looks.

For a warmer feel, keep furniture straightforward. Designs with gentle curves tend to feel more relaxed and organic. A wood vanity unit is a great way to add warmth and make a bathroom look cosy, plus they’re a great bathroom storage solution if you’re short on space.

Expert Tip: Don’t be afraid to mix different furniture styles in your bathroom, cosiness often comes from a variety of tones and finishes.

Decide on Bathroom Heating

How you heat your bathroom will affect how cosy it feels. Even the nicest design can feel cold if the room never quite warms up.

Most people start with bathroom radiators, and heated towel rails are very popular - warm towels make a big difference for your morning bathing! Underfloor heating is another great option under tiled bathroom floors, as it keeps the space warm without taking up wall space.

Expert Tip: If you’re planning underfloor heating, it’s best to decide early so it can be built into the layout. 

Create Mood Lighting

Once the bathroom feels warm, lighting is what really sets the atmosphere. Relying on a single ceiling light can leave a bathroom feeling flat, but layered lighting works much better. 

Ceiling lights cover everyday use, while softer lighting around mirrors is more comfortable for daily routines. We often recommend LED bathroom mirrors. Many offer dual tones, so you can switch between warm, cool, and neutral light, and most are dimmable, which helps create a cosy feel at different times of day.

Expert tip: If you’re choosing a mains powered LED mirror, plan it early. Power cables need to be left in the right place so everything connects neatly to the mains.

Use Natural Textures & Greenery

Once lighting is sorted, natural textures can help soften the space and make it feel more lived-in.

Think wicker baskets, wooden stools and timber trays. Greenery adds another layer of coziness. Plants like ferns, spider plants, peace lilies, and aloe vera cope well with humidity and can even help absorb moisture. But if real plants feel like too much upkeep, artificial ones can still add comforting pops of colour without the maintenance.

Expert Tip: Start small. Even one plant or textured basket can make a bathroom feel warmer without changing the layout or fittings.

Control Bathroom Clutter

A cosy bathroom feels easier to relax in when there’s not too much going on visually.

Keeping everyday items tidy makes a bigger difference than people expect. Simple bathroom accessories like a soap dispenser, toothbrush holder, or a small tray help stop surfaces looking messy. Wall hooks keep towels close by without them ending up on the floor and can also work well if you like a cosy farmhouse-style bathroom.

Expert Tip: A bathroom mirror cabinet is a great way to hide everyday essentials while keeping them easy to reach and surfaces clear.

Include a Mix of Soft Furnishings

Soft furnishings are what give a bathroom its final cosy layer. They add comfort and help balance all the harder surfaces like tiles and ceramics.

Bath mats, towels, and shower curtains all play a part. A good-quality bath mat makes the room feel warmer underfoot, while towels on display add colour and texture. If your shower has a curtain, choosing a fabric-style option rather than plastic can make the space feel more homely.

Expert Tip: Stick to a small colour palette for soft furnishings and rotate them seasonally. It’s an easy way to refresh the bathroom without changing anything permanent.

Design a Cosy Bathroom with Bassetts

As you can see, there are lots of elements that go into creating a cosy bathroom! If you’re renovating a bathroom in Northern Ireland, it’s worth chatting with one of our specialists. We'll make sure you get everything planned correctly at the design stage, so you save time and avoid costly changes later.

Book a Free Bathroom Consultation