15 English Cottage Bathroom Ideas to Inspire Your Dream Space

15 English Cottage Bathroom Ideas (a.k.a. What I Learned While Crying Over Wallpaper and Breaking a Sink)

Our bathroom renovation wasn’t supposed to be dramatic. I had this Pinterest vision: soft beadboard, antique fixtures, a charming rug — maybe a vintage mirror that whispered, “This was once a Victorian powder room.”

Instead, I broke a toilet tank lid on day two. My wallpaper peeled after two steamy showers. And I learned the hard way that grout can, in fact, stain your skin.

But somewhere in the mess — under the beadboard splinters and floral tile regret — I found what makes an English cottage bathroom feel right: not perfection, but charm, comfort, and character.

Here are 15 things I’d actually do again (and a few I’d admit to in therapy).

The Sink Situation

I ripped out our builder-grade vanity in a fit of design bravery and replaced it with a pedestal sink I found online for $40. It has no storage, zero counter space, and I love it like a family heirloom. Sure, I now store shampoo in a basket under the radiator. That’s fine. We make it work.

Beige Tile Be Gone

The floor used to look like it belonged in a gas station bathroom. I chickened out of patterned tile and went for soft gray hexagons. They’re calming, timeless, and, most importantly, they disguise the mystery water spots I can’t seem to clean.

Beadboard = Instant Personality (and Wall Camouflage)

One wall was so uneven it looked like someone had punched it. Beadboard saved us. We painted it creamy white, and just like that, it became the room’s best-dressed wall.

Bye Shower Door, Hello Linen Curtain

The old shower door was cloudy and somehow heavier than my entire kitchen table. I replaced it with a linen curtain from Etsy. It moves in the breeze. It’s romantic. It sometimes clings to you mid-shower like a horror movie scene, but still—worth it.

Mirror, Mirror (Slightly Crooked and Foxed with Age)

Thrifted for $12. Slightly haunted. Still my favorite piece.

Mixing Metals? Yeah, I Gave Up

I started out with a strict “only brass” rule. Then I lost patience, found matte black hooks, and unearthed a chrome towel ring in a junk drawer. Somehow, it all works. It’s like a charming dinner party of mismatched finishes.

Bring in the Squeaky Wood

We shoved an old pine side table beside the tub. It creaks and smells faintly of motor oil (garage storage will do that), but it holds towels and a candle and I’ve decided the squeak is endearing.

Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper Was My Villain Origin Story

I tried a floral pattern. It bubbled. I cursed. It peeled. I re-stuck it. Repeat x4. But once it stayed up, it turned the room into a little floral hug. Totally not fun to install. But very cute now.

Imperfect Peg Hooks = Perfection

We hung four wooden hooks for towels. They’re not aligned. One is slightly higher. One is crooked. But they dry our towels just fine and look like they’ve been there since 1893.

Soft Lighting Only, Please

No more overhead spotlight. We added mismatched sconces on either side of the mirror, and now brushing my teeth feels like a Jane Austen heroine preparing for a scandalous evening of reading.

Rugs That Aren’t Technically Bath Mats

Found a flatwoven rug with faded red and blue tones at a thrift store. It has one mystery stain I pretend not to see. Adds instant warmth and doesn’t scream “hotel bath mat.”

Real Towels, Real Life

Our towels don’t match. One is frayed. One might technically be a beach towel. But they’re soft and clean and used daily — and honestly, that’s peak cottage charm.

Why Is There a Chicken Painting Above My Toilet?

I found it in a clearance bin. It looked lonely. Now it watches over the room like a weird guardian angel. No regrets.

Greenery That May or May Not Be Plastic

We have one pothos that’s somehow thriving and one faux eucalyptus bundle that fools absolutely no one. But together, they make the space feel alive.

Let the Flaws Live

One tile is chipped. The mirror leans. Our ceiling light blinks sometimes like it’s trying to tell us something. And yet — the room feels like a cozy little corner of a cottage, even in the middle of our chaotic house.

Final Thoughts (Or: The Part Where I Try to Sound Wise)

Your English cottage bathroom doesn’t need to impress anyone. It just needs to feel like you. Slightly messy, sweetly imperfect, warm, and real. Like the bathroom equivalent of your favorite oversized sweater.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to light a candle, run a slightly-too-hot bath, and reread the same novel I never finish.

Next project? Let’s just say the hallway wallpaper is already mocking me.