Bathrooms can be awkward spaces, often narrow and lacking in wall space for storage furniture. And yet there are so many things in need of their own place in the bathroom - jars and bottles, cotton wool, towels, perhaps even a handy stack of books or magazines, as well as items in the shower. In order to help with this vexed issue, we've put together a selection of inspiring images of well-organised bathrooms, along with our favourite products to help you on your way.

 

 

 

If you have the space, opting for free-standing storage allows you to use furniture not specifically designed for the bathroom. Here, Henri Fitzwilliam-Lay has chosen a glass-fronted wooden cabinet, which, teamed with an antique rug, creates an unstructured aesthetic.

 

The Billy cabinet from IKEA is an affordable (£129) and practical option for freestanding bathroom storage.

 

 

In Gabby Deeming's pretty Bloomsbury flat, a side table allows for storage on top and in the drawer, while a basket underneath is a helpful space for towels. The bathroom blind picks up the colours of the ‘Sweet Pea’ wallpaper by Cole & Son. Gabby made the blind from a cotton lungi bought in Sri Lanka for less than £1.

 

 

For smart baskets, visit The Conran Shop - these patterned seagrass baskets at £59 for a set of two are a very smart way to store towels or loo rolls.

 

 

This set of two copper wire baskets injects an industrial edge to a bathroom. Ideal for storing towels or children's bathtime toys.

Stanford set of two copper wire baskets, £45 from Habitat

 

 

At Ballyfin, one of Ireland's grandest country houses now transformed into a magnificent hotel, one bathroom has a statement as its bath: a Roman sarcophagus acquired by Sir Charles in 1822. This is complemented by an antique lacquered black three-tiered shelving unit.

 

SIMON BROWN

 

 

Gunter & Co Interiors chose teal paints and brass accents for the walls and basin unit in this en-suite bathroom to establish a warm, inviting mood. A generous basin unit with drawers and shelving provides plenty of space for storage. Black fittings and linear wall lights give the space a smart contemporary edge.

 

 

These handmade abaca baskets are a neat storage idea for housing towels, magazines or products.

Dorset Storage Baskets, £36.00 - £69.00 from Balineum

 

 

With six shelves of varying depths, this spruce wood ladder can be propped against a bathroom wall.

Rustic Wooden Ladder Shelf, £210 from Cox & Cox

 

 

 

In a 19th century house decorated by Nicola Harding, Farrow & Ball’s ‘Setting Plaster’ paint picks up on pink tiles by Emery & Cie in the bathroom. An antique cupboard has been used for storage - something most people don't think about doing in a bathroom. A basket underneath adds extra capacity for organisation, and brass hooks on the wall coordinate with the floor lamp. Howe’s ‘Mark Chair’ is covered in green towelling fabric.

 

PAUL MASSEY

 

Crafted from sustainable raw oak, these sturdy peg rails have a choice of three or six hooks from which to hang your bathroom bests.

Talbot Raw Oak Peg Rails, £27 (three hooks) or £40 (six hooks) at Cox & Cox

 

 

In Guy Tobin's London house, a glass-fronted wall cabinet has been fitted to the wall to allow storage for books and other useful objects. The vintage bath was reclaimed from Chelsea Manor Studios, where the cover for The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album was shot. Farrow & Ball’s fiery orange ‘Charlotte’s Locks’ adds a new dimension to the bath, with a a 2.5-litre tin of estate eggshell costing £60.

 

MICHAEL SINCLAIR

 

 

Made from solid oak with a smooth water-resistant lacquer, this compact caddy neatly stores lotions, bottles and jars.

Wireworks Natural Oak Mezza Caddy, £168 from Heal's

 

 

A simple white bathroom in Christine Van Der Hurd's London house has plenty of practical storage in sleek white under the sinks. The white interior is livened up with a colourful rug.

 

DAVIDE LOVATTI

 

This elegant freestanding towel rail from The White Company is the perfect addition to any bathroom, and a stylish alternative to draping towels over the radiator.

Bathroom Towel Rail, £145.00 at The White Company

 

 

 

 

Formerly a rabbit warren of small, dark rooms, this Victorian house in west London has been opened up, flooded with light and filled with the owners collection of art and furniture, to create a balance between its original character and modern style.

 

In the en-suite bathroom pocket doors and full-height cupboards maximise the space. Due to the Victorian dimensions of the five-metre-wide space, the owners opted for a double walk-in shower instead of a bath. Tall, sliding doors into the bathroom enhance the feeling of space, and built-in drawers and shelves are hidden within ceiling-height cupboards.

 

ALEXANDER JAMES

 

Inspired by train luggage racks, this wall storage rack has an industrial metal finish and simple rope basket to support bathroom bits.

Station wall rack, £40 from Cox & Cox

 

 

This bathroom in Butter Wakefield's London home is truly a bathroom with charisma. Flowers in a vase freshen up the small space while the decor perfectly balances quaint with chic, avoiding clutter. Shelves of frames and stacked books make the space feel detailed and intimate as opposed to cramped.

 

SIMON BROWN

 

 

 

If you don't have much floor space, utilise your walls. Space has been maximised in this tiny bathroom with built-in shelves.

 

Bathroom Storage Ideas - Cabinets & Accessories

BATHROOM STORAGE IDEAS - CABINETS & ACCESSORIES

This cabinet cleverly functions as a dressing mirror and storage unit combined, suspended by two hand-polished stainless steel supports.

Wireworks Coffee Bamboo Arena Revolve 1400 Bathroom Cabinet, £399 from The Conran Shop