Bring the rustic charm and natural beauty of the American Southwest into your bathroom with southwestern style decor. This distinctive decorating approach combines earthy textures, warm colors, and handcrafted details for a relaxing and inviting room. Read on to learn how to incorporate southwestern elements into your bathroom design through finishes, accents, and more.
Choosing Southwestern Style Finishes
The foundation of any southwestern bathroom is in the finishes. Opt for natural-looking materials and textures when selecting fixtures, surfaces, and accessories.
Tile Flooring
Tile is a classic flooring choice for bathrooms, and terra cotta tiles in earthy reds, oranges, browns, and tans are hallmarks of southwestern style. Mix textures by alternating between matte, shiny, and hand-painted terra cotta tiles. For variation, use small tiles on the floor and line the lower wall with a coordinating decorative border tile.
Stone tile in slate, travertine, or tumbled marble also fits nicely with the natural southwestern look. For a custom detail, have tiles cut into large hexagons to create a honeycomb-like pattern.
Stone and Brick Wall Finishes
Exposed brick, concrete, adobe, and various stones add organic texture and calming neutrals to southwestern bathroom walls. Faux treatments like brick veneer panels and stone laminates offer affordable alternatives.
For a modern twist, juxtapose the stone finishes against sleek concrete, or bright white painted walls. This creates an eye-catching color-blocked look.
Wood Cabinets and Furniture
Wood brings warmth and grain to southwestern bathrooms. Opt for solid wood cabinets in a natural stain over painted finishes for an authentic look. Distressed, antique-inspired vanities and cabinets suit the rustic style as well.
Complement wood vanities with furniture-like touches, such as turned legs, carved fronts, or accent hardware like vintage-style pulls. Mexican pine and cedar are fitting wood choices.
Natural Stone Countertops
Quartz, marble, limestone, and granite countertops provide the ideal neutral canvas for southwestern accents in the bathroom. Granite, with its speckled pattern, offers an especially organic look.
For a custom touch, use remnant pieces of natural stone to create a mosaic backsplash behind the sink. This adds artisanal texture.
Wrought Iron Fixtures
Wrought iron light fixtures, mirrors, towel racks, and other accessories reinforce the handcrafted southwestern aesthetic. Look for pieces with a weathered, hammered metal finish. Mission style designs also work nicely.
For fixtures like faucets, seek out “oil-rubbed bronze” finishes. The dark metal patina and smooth sheen complement the style.
Incorporating Rustic Touches
Bring in rustic elements to give the southwestern bathroom genuine cabine-like charm. These details add nostalgic personality.
Exposed Beams
Exposed wood ceiling beams instantly lend a ranch style look. For a less structural approach, install faux wood beams made of foam or fiberglass. Give them an aged finish with gray-toned paint or stain.
Large ceiling beams help draw the eye up, making the bathroom feel more open and airy. For extra depth, recess can lights into the beams.
Rough-Hewn Wood
Incorporate reclaimed wood to bring in the rugged outdoors. For walls, use salvaged wood planks to create a textural wainscoting effect. Rough-cut oak or cedar have beautiful imperfect grain patterns.
Rough-hewn wood also makes wonderful bathroom shelves. Opt for thick planks with visible distressing. Leave the natural color or add a light whitewash pickling stain.
Rustic Hardware
Swap out typical modern hardware for rustic southwestern style pieces. Try hammered metal drawer pulls on vanities, or hang towels from antler hooks.
For windows, replace standard blinds with wood shutters. You can buy ready-made shutters and paint or stain them. For extra authenticity, use reclaimed barn wood shutters.
Woven Accents
Incorporate natural woven accents reminiscent of Native American crafts and cowboy culture. Jute area rugs with braided fringe fit nicely on the bathroom floor. Use grass woven baskets to hold towels or bath accessories too.
For windows, hang woven Roman shades in natural cotton or bamboo. Layer in a valance made from a Pendleton wool blanket for a ranch vibe.
Warm, Earthy Color Palettes
Choose a color scheme dominated by warm desert neutrals and natural tones. Layer in pops of saturated southwestern colors for accent details.
Warm Neutrals
Warm beige, cream, and tan act as peaceful foundational colors for a southwestern bathroom. Alone, these earthy neutrals would be too bland, so you need accent colors. But use them on key surfaces for cohesion.
Try tanned travertine tile flooring, creamy limewashed walls, and beige linen shower curtains. Modern textiles like towels and rugs can bring pops of color.
Terracotta and Adobe
Rich terracotta is intrinsically tied to the Southwestern aesthetic. The iconic orangey-red clay color represents the earth. Use it minimally on walls or as an accent.
Related adobe and clay colors in softer tans and browns make soothing main wall colors. They resemble the mud construction style found in pueblos. Pair with cool grays and whites.
Turquoise and Coral
For signature southwestern style, incorporate turquoise and coral colors. Use them sparingly to add festive pops. Turquoise represents water while coral echoes the desert canyons at sunset.
Add turquoise with mosaic glass tile accents or painted vanities. Coral pink makes a cheerful bath rug or shower curtain color. Keep these colors low-saturated so they don’t overwhelm.
Rustic Woods
The natural, raw colors of wood fit right into southwestern decor. Opt for oak, cedar, pine, and mesquite with their beautiful grains and knots.
Whitewash or light grey-stained wood has a Southwestern vibe too. The rubbed, weathered finish gives dimensional texture and soft contrast.
Bringing In Texture
Texture adds depth and natural appeal to a Southwestern bathroom. Incorporate layers of comforting textures for visual warmth and interest.
Natural Stone
Natural stone surfaces like travertine, slate, and sandstone have beautiful organic textures. The variations in the stone’s strata and mineral deposits create visual richness. Pair textured surfaces with smooth quartz and marble for contrast.
Accent walls with stacked stone veneer panels, or use mosaic sheets on the shower floor. The irregular stone pieces catch and reflect light.
Plaster Walls
Plaster coated walls have a lovely mottled, Old World texture. Create faux plaster walls with Venetian plaster techniques and products. The plaster is troweled on, then manipulated to create variations in the surface.
Pair textured plaster walls with rustic wood beams and wrought iron fixtures for an authentic combination. The varied surfaces play against each other nicely.
Woven Accents
Incorporate woven textures inspired by Native American crafts. Jute area rugs have dimensional loops, knots, and braided fringe. Grass woven baskets make charming storage options.
For windows, hang woven Roman shades made of natural fibers like bamboo, sisal, jute, or seagrass. The visible weave structure and fringe add movement and visual interest.
Hammered Metals
Look for hammered and hand-forged iron, copper, and tin fixtures and accessories. The hammered depressions create a lovely aged patina and feel. Wrought iron light fixtures, shelves, and towel bars are fitting choices.
For metal surfaces like a mirror frame, opt for a distressed, uneven forged finish over sleek and polished. The texture reinforces the handcrafted charm.
Displaying Native Inspired Decor
Accent your southwestern bathroom with decorative touches inspired by Native American arts and Spanish colonial decor. Focus on natural materials and cultural symbols.
Pottery and Ceramics
Display handmade pottery and ceramics for an authentic folk art touch. Drape colorful Mexican blankets and mudcloth rugs over shelves as artwork.
Black clay pottery, Spanish tile, and Talavera ceramics make meaningful decorative accents. Use them to hold bathroom essentials like cotton balls.
Dreamcatchers and Baskets
Incorporate Native American crafted dreamcatchers and baskets. Hang small leather or feathered dreamcatchers from the showerhead for a symbolic focal point.
Use woven baskets and pots in natural fibers to hold rolled towels and toiletries. These touches represent natural dyes and handiwork.
Navajo Textile Accents
Navajo blankets, rugs, and pillows bring vibrant southwestern pattern and color to shelves and stools. Drape lightweight Pendleton throws over ladders or benches.
For windows, use Navajo-inspired geometric print roman shades or curtains. Layer them under soft white cotton curtains for brightness.
Leather and Hide Accents
Leather and animal hide add texture and natural appeal. Use a cowhide rug in front of the tub for a splash of pattern. Leather tassel keychains make novel accessories.
For a focal wall, affix real or faux hide tiles. The organic shapes and hair-on texture create dimension. Contrast it with stone tile and white shower walls.
Antlers and Horns
Incorporate shed antlers or longhorn skull mounts above doorways or the toilet for rustic character. Wrap fairy lights around antlers to create ambient mood lighting.
Use antler drawer pulls on vanities, or display hairbrushes and combs in horn dishes. This adds rugged, ranch style personality.
Choosing the Right Furniture
Select southwestern-style furniture pieces that speak to the region’s cultures and landscapes. Focus on natural materials and vintage styling.
Rustic Wood Vanities
A wood vanity creates a cabin-like foundation. Look for furniture-style vanities with turned legs, carved fronts, and distressed detailing. Pine and cedar have beautiful live edges and grains.
Painted finishes like chippy white or SW greens work too. Make sure to accent with iron handles and southwestern vessel sinks.
Leather Armchairs
Sit in comfort with a leather armchair or slipper chair beside the tub. Look for warm brown leather with hand-laced details and nailhead trim. Toss a wool Pendleton throw over the chair for coziness.
For small bathrooms, leather stools or benches maximize space. Top with sheepskin or cowhide for seating with texture.
Woven Chairs
Incorporate woven chairs and stools made of natural jute or wicker. They have an organic sensibility perfect for Southwestern style. Use a woven seat as a cozy reading nook under a window.
Painted variants like soft blue or green suit the look as well. Add a colorful embroidered lumbar pillow for a pop of pattern.
Rustic Console Tables
Use a reclaimed wood console table topped with marble or metal as a bath-side surface. It can hold flowers, candles, or decor.
Look for finishes like aged oak or hand-planed pine. Distressing and texture suit the rustic style. Affordable lumber reclaimed from old barns or fencing is ideal.
Vintage-Inspired Mirrors
Rather than sleek modern mirrors, seek out vintage-looking reflective surfaces. Antique mirrors with worn silvering and scratches have timeworn charm.
Ornate carved frames suit the detailed woodwork often found in Southwestern bathrooms. Lean toward gold, brass, and nickel finishes over chrome.
Creating Signature Spaces
Complete the Southwestern design with signature spaces like spa-like showers, soaking tubs, and vanities with regional flourish.
Walk-In Showers
Create a spa-like experience with an expansive walk-in shower. Use textured stone or adobe tile walls, and an oversized showerhead for relaxation.
Rustic wood benches and shelves lined with plants enhance the indoor-outdoor feel. For a custom look, incorporate hand-laid stone mosaics.
Soaking Tubs
Carve out space for a deep soaking tub, perfect after a long day. Look for slipper-style tubs with clawed feet for Victorian charm. Freestandingbronze tubs have timeless allure.
Position the tub near a sunny window and hang linen curtains for privacy and softness. Add a rattan side table for bath essentials.
Double Vanities
Allow space for two with a double vanity along the back wall. Opt for floating wood vanities illuminated by hanging pendant lights. Add vintage oil-rubbed bronze fixtures.
For a more furniture-style look, use two single vanities with turned legs and marble tops. Hang a long rectangular mirror above.
Barn Door Entries
Use rustic barn doors to close off the bathroom entrance. Salvaged wood barn doors on a sliding track system are ideal. Accent with strap hinges and handle hardware.
For a lighter look, opt for paneled doors made of pine. Paint or whitewash them for a softened barn door style. Keep the track hardware black.
Accessorizing Your Southwestern Bathroom
Finish off your southwestern bathroom with considered accessorizing and styling. Layer in decorative accents that enhance the overall aesthetic.
Area Rugs
Define zones in your bathroom with natural fiber area rugs. Try sisal, seagrass, jute, or braided rugs with fringed edges. Plush wool rugs in Native American inspired patterns add comfort too.
Use larger area rugs to ground sitting areas and vanities. Smaller rugs can go in front of the tub or beside a double vanity.
Bath Linens
Choose spa-like bath linens in natural textures like linen and cotton. Stick to neutral solids or subtle patterns like stripes and plaids. For color, add in a vibrant coral or turquoise bath rug.
Roll towels into baskets, and display folded blankets on rustic ladder shelves. The visible linens enhance the textural warmth.
Plants and Flowers
Incorporate pampas grass, cacti, and succulents for organic texture. Display them in clay pots and hanging planters to reinforce the natural vibe.
Choose low-light tropicals like philodendrons, ferns, and palms. The greenery balances the neutral tones.
Candles and Incense
Set out clusters of candles in iron candelabras or rough-hewn wood and tin holders. Light incense for an aromatic touch.
Group candles on the edge of the tub, or display on rustic console tables with woven baskets. They provide mood-setting ambiance.
Baskets and Bowls
Handwoven baskets, ceramic pots, and carved wood bowls make charming organizers. Use them to store rolled towels, bath salts, candles, and small accessories.
Look for pieces with visible handiwork like coiled pots and baskets. They represent indigenous crafting traditions.
FAQ About Southwestern Bathroom Design and Decor
What colors are used in Southwestern bathroom design?
Southwestern bathrooms utilize warm, earthy neutrals like beige, cream, and tan combined with terracotta oranges, turquoise blues, pinkish corals, and natural wood tones. Pops of saturated color provide accents.
What kind of tile is Southwestern style?
Terracotta tiles in earthy reds, oranges and browns are commonly used on floors and walls. Natural stone tiles like travertine, slate and sandstone also suit the rustic style. Introduce patterns and texture with decorative border tiles.
What type of vanity works best in a Southwestern bathroom?
Rustic wood vanities made of pine, oak and cedar with visible wood grain fit the Southwestern aesthetic well. Look for furniture-style vanities with turned legs, carved fronts and distressing. Concrete and painted vanities can work too.
How do you decorate a Southwestern style bathroom?
Incorporate rustic elements like exposed wood beams, reclaimed barn wood, woven rugs and handcrafted tiles. Display Native American crafts and textiles like blankets, baskets and pottery. Use furniture with detailed woodwork, leather and natural textures.
What kind of hardware should you use in a Southwestern bathroom?
Wrought iron, oil-rubbed bronze and rustic hardware suit the rugged style. Try hammered metal fixtures, antique drawer pulls and knobs, leather tie pulls and reclaimed barn door hardware. Rustic accessories like antler hooks work too.
Should you use tile or stone on the shower walls?
Natural stone or adobe tile complement the organic look, but smaller subway tiles can work too. For variation, do stacked stone tiles on one wall as an accent, and crisp white tiles on the rest for brightness.
What colors complement a Southwestern style bathroom?
Layer creams, tans, light blues and sage greens over the foundational warm neutrals and woods. Introduce black wrought iron fixtures and accents for contrast. Pops of saturated turquoise, coral and terracotta provide signature color.
What type of flooring works with Southwestern style?
Terracotta tiles, Saltillo tiles, slate and travertine natural stone tiles make classic Southwestern bathroom flooring. Hardwood with visible grain and texture like oak complements the look as well. Scatter woven rugs on top.
How do I incorporate rustic elements into my Southwestern bathroom?
Exposed wood beams, reclaimed barn wood, and rough-hewn accents add authentic rustic flair. Display handcrafted ceramics and baskets or hang woven textiles. A cowhide rug or leather armchair boost comfort.
What plants work well in a Southwestern bathroom?
Indoor cacti, succulents, palms, and low-light tropicals like philodendrons or pothos suit the natural style. Display them in woven baskets and clay pots on shelves.