Cloakroom ideas - 8 creative downstairs loo designs

We asked our interior designers which were their favourite rooms to design. You might be as surprised as we were to hear that the downstairs cloakroom made the shortlist!

Why on earth would that be, I hear you ask? Surely as the tiniest room in the house these would be bottom of the list?

On the contrary! Designers find that their clients are 100x braver when decorating these small spaces. Not only does the size make it feel like less of a scary commitment but it's also not a room they spend long periods of time in. The downstairs cloakroom is often the first step for clients to build up the confidence to take greater risks in the rest of their home.

Add to that, it's most commonly used by guests so it's a great opportunity to show your fun and extravagant side! After all, you've got yourself a captive audience so why not let your personality shine through?

Here are 8 cloakroom designs to inspire and/or amuse you. Love or hate them - you can't deny that they'd make a great talking point at your next dinner party!

We've teamed up with our friends from Drench to cover all the frequently asked questions we get from our customers. Click the link to get more information on tackling a bathroom update than you could shake a loofah at! 

1. Let your personality flow

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

The running theme throughout all the examples in this blog is 'personality'. Your home should be an expression of you and your downstairs cloakroom can show your fun and adventurous side.

Very often, great design is about taking risks. Most of the time they'll pay off but if they don't - that's ok! The beauty of these rooms is that there's far less risk because it won't take lots of time or a big budget to have another go. 

2. Bog, bold and beautiful wallpaper

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

You'd be forgiven for thinking that in a small room you should opt for light, bright and unfussy walls. Forgiven yes, but also wrong! 

Pattern actually provides depth, tricking the eye into thinking that the space extends beyond. 

The owner of this downstairs loo has cleverly pulled inspiration from the wallpaper design and added dark coloured panelling to the lower half of the room.

3. Escape to the tropics

Image credit: My Bespoke Room

The sound of  running water....palms swaying in the breeze....OK so you're not going to be fooling anyone into thinking they've had a Narnia moment and stepped into the Amazon midway through your cocktail party, but you can still embrace the escapism trend and share your love for travel with this tropical themed cloakroom design.

Need an expert opinion on your cloakroom design project? Our professional designers will help you create a downstairs loo flooded with personality! Get started today by completing this 15 minute brief.

4. Luxe lighting and finishes

As a space predominantly used by guests it's a perfect opportunity to add some glitz and glamour to their visit! 

And no expense has been spared with the finishes in this downstairs loo design. The gold accents from the tap to even the loo handle really do add a touch of decadence. Chrome would be far too dull for these homeowners! 

The lighting choices also make a statement. A chandelier in this cloakroom surprisingly doesn't look out of place alongside that curvy wall light - the perfect height for makeup touch ups.

5. Cloakroom come gallery

The downstairs cloakroom is the perfect room to display some of your favourite artwork.

Using black as an accent colour on the frames and tiles helps to ground the powerful print on the walls. Choosing the same frames for your gallery wall is also a great way to link the pieces together, even when they are different styles and colours like they are here.

Take care when hanging artwork in a bathroom though as without proper ventilation, humidity can build up behind the frames.

Need an expert opinion on your cloakroom design project? Our professional designers will help you create a downstairs loo flooded with personality! Get started today by completing this 15 minute brief.

6. Terrazzo

We're a bit obsessed with terrazzo! It's a great alternative to traditional tile patterns and can add fun and personality to your cloakroom. It also adds great texture to the space.

Pick out colours from the terrazzo for other elements in the room like the black and gold from the example above.

7. Dark and brooding

OK, time to move away from the pretty pink bathrooms and talk about this masculine and moody one instead. Sometimes in small rooms, especially ones without natural light, you just have to embrace to the cosy and sultry vibe.  

Need an expert opinion on your cloakroom design project? Our professional designers will help you create a downstairs loo flooded with personality! Get started today by completing this 15 minute brief.