Every room that you frequent at home deserves to be tastefully and pleasantly decorated—and that includes the bathroom. But bathrooms and wall art? These two things aren’t really popularly associated with each other.

The bathroom is one of the most unlikely places for hanging art for several reasons, the main one being that the typical conditions in a bathroom are not very conducive to fine decor—consider humidity, steam, water splashes, and fluctuating temperatures. However, this doesn’t make the bathroom a hopeless place for wall art.

With the right protective measures, techniques, and hanging tools, there’s no need to be afraid to decorate the most intimate room in your living space. In this article, you will learn the practical do’s and don’ts when hanging art in the bathroom, and we’ll also share some design tips to help make the experience a breeze. Read on!

Before we jump into the discussion on bathroom wall art, it’s good to gain a proper perspective on what makes hanging art in the bathroom a worthwhile endeavor. Why should you hang art in the bathroom when it’s cramped, humid, and risky?

The answer? It’s really all about aesthetics and ambiance.

Think of the same reason we decorate every other room in our spaces with art. Art makes a room feel more comforting, well put together, and personal. If there’s one thing a bathroom is about, it’s comfort. So why exclude the bathroom when the rest of the house enjoys tasteful decor?

Another reason is that it’s the most inevitably utilized room, especially by guests. When there’s art hung in your living and dining rooms, but no bathroom wall decor in the powder room, it’s glaringly obvious to visitors, and the bathroom will seem quite neglected and incomplete.

Lastly, the bathroom is where you start your day. This means what you see and feel in this room can set the tone for the rest of your day. Why not take this chance to elevate a space that can uplift your mood when you’re groggy in the morning or taking quick breaks throughout the day?

Whether you’re convinced or not, we’re here to help you get that bathroom spruced up while keeping damage to your bathroom artwork to a minimum. 

First things first. The bathroom art itself that you select should be primed for exposure to the elements. This means waterproof or water-resistant material, especially if you are trying to hang your pictures without frames. Hydrophobic materials include:

• Printed metal

• Plaster

• Acrylic

• Canvas

• Acid-free paper

On the other hand, note that oil paintings and paper-based materials are a no-no, as they will easily be damaged in a bathroom.

Are wood frames your go-to frames? If you want to hang art in your bathroom, you’ll have to skip them this time. The irregular temperatures will easily make the wood expand and contract, causing the picture to warp, which you don’t want.

Instead, frame your bathroom pictures in acrylic-coated or metal (preferably aluminum) frames. These are not as fragile and can better endure the humid environment. Aluminum also doesn’t rust.

No matter the precautions you take to make your bathroom friendlier to wall art, the combined humidity, temperature changes, and incidental exposure to water will affect the longevity of your bathroom pictures. As such, you will want to pick out art pieces that you’re more willing to part with in the short term.

You can then say that the bathroom is not the spot for more valuable pieces. These are better preserved (not to mention better appreciated) in other places of the house. Instead, works on canvas or pictures without glass or glazing are good choices. If you really want to hang a pricier piece, you can go as far as making a copy to hang in the bathroom instead of risking the original.

Ventilation is the ultimate key to maintaining bathroom wall art and bathroom wall decor. Bathrooms often have only one or two small windows. But with the steam and moisture from hot showers and baths, as well as the splashback not just from bathing but also from simply washing your hands and using the toilet, there are many instances in one bathroom visit that heighten the exposure of any wall art to the elements.

Once you have art on your bathroom walls, let it breathe by regularly opening doors and windows to let fresh air in. Use an exhaust fan when showering and let it run afterward for up to an hour to improve moisture and humidity levels more efficiently. If your bathroom has no exhaust fan, you can also opt for a dehumidifier.

Beyond ventilation, you can also take additional measures to prevent mold from attacking your precious bathroom wall art. Attach bumpers to the back of your wall frames to protect your bathroom pictures against mold and mildew growth that show up due to condensation. You can also install mold traps to help with the humidity. 

Learn more about preventing mildew growth on your picture frames in this article:

Bathroom walls often tend to be tiled, meaning you can’t simply install nails and screws to hang art. So, how should you hang pictures in the bathroom?

Adhesive wall hangers are the answer in this case. This can be adhesive hooks, wall hangers, or command strips. On top of being secure hanging solutions, adhesives are also convenient alternatives since they’re easy to remove and don’t leave any marks or damage on the wall.

Art is a classic way to establish ambience. When curating bathroom wall art, consider three design aspects that harmonize decor with the interior: size, color scheme, and placement.

The size of your bathroom wall art is important in such a private and limited space. You can opt for lightweight bathroom artwork, but scale your collection according to the area while maintaining a comfortable environment. 

A single large statement piece will stand out in smaller bathrooms. If you have more space, consider a full gallery wall. You can also fill half a wall with larger pieces, or scale down to a few favorites in one prime spot. 

As we mentioned in the above tip about picture size, matching your wall art with your bathroom ensures it creates an interior that is pleasant as much as it is limited in space. With the right color palette, you can decorate your bathroom walls so that the wall art fills the space with a calming, relaxing atmosphere.

Try coordinating your picture frames with your bathroom fixtures and hardware—such as gold frames on gold towel bars or black wall frames on black shower fixtures, and so on. You can also apply contrast in a different approach by using dark frames on pale walls and vice versa.

The style of bathroom art you choose to hang can also depend on the color scheme, or it can be the other way around. Landscape paintings evoke peaceful feelings, and works featuring water themes will always be appropriate. 

Placement and height can help greatly when decorating a risky spot like the bathroom with art. This is especially true because a bathroom prioritizes essentials, like the shower, a mirror, a toilet and sink, and a medicine cabinet. 

You would then want to place your bathroom art in such a way that it’s not a hindrance to these daily routines and its exposure to the elements is minimized as much as possible, all while it is in good view and helps visitors relax. Choice spots that let you achieve this include:

• In front of the bathtub

• Next to the mirror

• Next to a window

• Across from the toilet

• Over the toilet

These places may seem close to water sources, but the key is hanging the art from the wall across and elevating it on that wall. As a rule of thumb, if you’re hanging bathroom artwork directly above something, like the towel bar, for instance, keep the gap to about eight inches.

While this article focuses on how to hang art in the bathroom, you don’t have to limit yourself to pictures. You can get creative with other mediums, such as sculptures. Some mini shelves will also allow you to place little pieces of bathroom wall decor you can’t frame on a wall. Artwork like these are not as prone to issues with moisture, and they often make for even more interesting interiors.

Bathrooms are not the most ideal of places for wall art—they’re high-traffic and one of the most commonly used rooms in any building, usually limited in space, and prone to levels of humidity and moisture that are not art-friendly. For these reasons, decorating your bathroom with art requires more thought and patience than hanging projects elsewhere in the house.

But there’s no doubt that bathrooms look better with art. And with its ability to create a tranquil environment, the bathroom is one of those spaces that benefit the most from decorative art. Using the tips we discussed and the right protective steps, you’re now ready to make that happen.

How will youdecorate your bathroom with art? We’d love to see what you come up with! Share your insights in the comments below or email us a snap of your project at support@picturehangsolutions.com.