Building a home? Today’s post is bursting with built-in bathroom storage ideas for your new build, remodel, or DIY projects.
Before we get into the specifics, though, I want to take a minute to discuss something.
I believe bathrooms, especially primary bathrooms, are one of the most important spaces in a home to PLAN.
Here’s why.
The modern master bathroom is more than a utilitarian space.
It’s a place to
- Rest, Recharge + Relax
- Begin + End Your Day With Intention
- Practice Self-Care Habits
In short, the bathroom is our sanctuary.
Undoubtedly, a calm, soothing environment requires order.
If the ultimate goal is for your bathroom to feel like a luxe spa, you have to start with a plan to hide the real-life stuff that a real-life bathroom has to hold.
And that’s where these built-in bathroom storage ideas come in.
Here are 10 storage solutions to consider incorporating into your bathroom plans.
1. | Recessed Medicine Cabinets
Medicine cabinets can get a bad rap, and designers generally don’t like them. But in terms of accessible functionality, a medicine cabinet is hard to beat. It’s one of my favorite built-in bathroom storage ideas, and it’s worth considering.
Emily Henderson has a great post with some out-of-the-box ideas for incorporating a design-conscious medicine cabinet into your design plans when building a home or remodeling. Check it out; you’ll be inspired by the possibilities!
2. | Built-In Shelving Around the Bathtub or Shower
An important concept in home-organization is this: Keep things near where you’ll need them.
And we typically need a lot of things near the bath/shower area. Things like:
- Towels + Washcloths
- Razors
- Bath Products
- Skincare
Why not plan to include a little bit of shelving nearby to avoid that soggy trek across the bathroom to retrieve something mid-shower?
Here are a few ideas:
- Recess shelves into drywall on tub wall to store bath salts, candles, towels.
- Create recessed shelves inside the shower (aka a shower niche). Place it so it isn’t visible from outside the shower if possible.
- Mount a wall shelf behind the bathtub.
3. | Wall Niches for Displaying Toiletries
If you are a neat person who enjoys displaying your makeup and facial products, this can be a good option.
Have your contractor cut a recessed area out of the drywall and fill it with shelves. You can line it with beautiful wood trim, a mirror, or tile.
Or keep it simple as shown in the image below.
4. | Drawers and Pull-Out Shelves
Take a cue from the kitchen. Drawers and pull-out shelves are a useful upgrade for bathroom cabinetry.
In general, you should incorporate as many drawers as possible into your vanity design. Drawers are my favorite built-in bathroom storage solution because:
- They are the easiest to access.
- They maximize use of vertical space.
- You can choose custom inserts at the time of construction, or add after-market organizing solutions down the road.
If you are remodeling and repurposing old cabinet boxes, consider adding pull-out shelves. They are inexpensive, easy to install and improve your access.
5. | Dedicated Vanity Area
This is the built-in bathroom storage element I thought I could do without when we were designing our primary bath. Within a year I immediately regretted it!
Even if you don’t wear a lot of makeup or spend a lot of time on your hair (I definitely don’t!), it is nice to have dedicated built-in storage for all of your cosmetics and hair supplies. It’s also nice to have a place to sit down to apply them. If you’re building a custom home or remodeling… I strongly consider adding this element to your design if you have the space!
6. | Built-In Storage for Laundry Hampers
One often overlooked built-in bathroom storage element? A place to store your dirty laundry!
In our build, we included a cabinet base deep enough to house a rolling hamper (I can simply wheel it to the laundry room on laundry day!).
I have also seen laundry pull-outs (similar to kitchen trash pull-outs). Or maybe you can get creative and incorporate a laundry chute into your floor plan!
In any case, don’t forget to plan for this important bathroom element. Dirty laundry strewn all over will definitely kill your spa-vibes.
7. | Furniture-Style Linen Closet
In a luxury bathroom, it’s hard to beat a built-in linen closet that looks and functions like a beautiful piece of furniture.
It adds warmth and style to the space while also providing amazing storage. Add interest by incorporating warm wood, metal, or a contrasting color of cabinetry.
Tip: You can also achieve this look by adding an actual piece of furniture, like an armoire (shown below).
8. | Over the Toilet Shelves or Cabinet
Necessary? No. Convenient? Yes!
This is especially important if a toilet is out in the open. But even if your toilet is housed in a water closet, having an over-the-toilet cabinet to store toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, and other bathroom essentials will make your life easier.
- If you’re adding new cabinetry, have your cabinet maker build a shallow cabinet that matches your vanity.
- If you’re on a budget, add a shelf or two over the toilet with a pretty basket to contain supplies.
- A freestanding metal or wood wall-mount cabinet can add function and style to your bathroom! (I found the beauty below and am thinking about adding one to our powder bath).
9. | Built-in Storage Cubbies
If you have the space, what about adding some spa-like built-in storage cubbies to your luxury bathroom plans?
Beautifully trimmed, a series of wall cubbies would be perfect for storing fluffy white towels, artful perfume bottles, or jewelry displays.
10 | Built-in Bench With Hidden Storage Underneath
You don’t see it often, but occasionally a designer will have extra space in a bathroom and incorporate a built-in storage bench under a window or between two vanities.
This design element always catches my attention because it is unexpected… and also very practical. Who wouldn’t love to have a soft place to sit and brush their teeth or take off their shoes?
Additionally, you could add built-in drawers underneath the bench for amazing linen storage, shoe storage…anything you need!
So which built-in bathroom storage ideas are your favorite? I’d love to know your thoughts!
If you’re building, remodeling, or dreaming of updating your home, check out my building a home series for more tips to help you navigate the process.
xoxo,
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