How to make the bathroom less prison-y

[Floralbiscuit]

Hello,
Please help!
I've got a miserable bathroom: no windows and very small. The main light in the middle is stark. I thought painting the white walls a blue would make it less awful but actually it made it worse and now looks like a hospital toilet. I've got a limited budget so can't redo the entire room and I don't know how to resolve the bathroom. The right side of the bathroom is dark and shadowy. The left side is bright like the Starbucks toilets.
If anyone has any suggestions with colour, lighting etc , please let me know. And flooring too since currently it is commercial safety flooring. I know mirrors and pictures will help but think it will still have this oppressive clinical feel.
Thank you in advance xxx

Paint it an emerald green.

Put a big gold rimmed mirror above the sink.

A lovely fluffy bath rug in yellow.

Could get it all from B&M or home bargains x

I'd paint it a light sage green including the under sink thingy

Add some small shelves above the sink and add some trailing green plants and brightly coloured prints.

I think you need a light colour;
Sage green
Blush pint

Add a mirror above sink

Wall art
Plant

I agree the blue is slightly hospital like (I made that mistake in my bedroom once and had to repaint 😂).

I'd go for a soft colour rather than a white that's too harsh, a nice cream / beige / soft white will help make it look larger.

I'd swap off the light you've got for something that actually disperses more light - I've got a waterproof bathroom chandelier style light in my bathroom, it bounces so much more light around that the previous domed one (similar to the once you've got now).

Can that bathroom cabinet be sanded and stained to a lighter colour? It would look lovely in a lighter oak stain with a sage green / pale green bathmat.

Above the sink I'd go for a large gold framed mirror (my current obsession!) and above the toilet I'd put a few small floating shelves, in a similar wood stain to the under sink cabinet (Etsy sell lots, or you can buy off cuts of wood cheaply at B&Q and stain them however you want, pop a bracket on and voila). Keep these shelves fairly clear, but a few of the B&M organisational jars with some cotton buds / pads in, a small plant etc will make it look decorated without being crowded.

I'd get a new shower curtain, possibly in a sage green / pale green to match the bathmat too, then it'll tie it all in.

Put things on the walls. A mirror above the sink, shelf with plants above the toilet.

Flooring wise, I think I'd wait and see how the rest of it looks and with a good size bathmat it wouldn't be something that needed doing immediately! We've got engineered wood in our bathroom and it looks fantastic, although it wasn't the cheapest.

Definitely a mirror or mirrored cabinet above the sink. And some nice shelves.

Not everyone likes warm lightbulbs (yellow tinted rather than blue) but I much prefer them personally, makes things feel less clinical.

You need to paint it a softer colour. And that cupboard doesn't go with the sink so I'd probably paint that too. A big mirror will definitely help.

I think the cupboard colour would look okay if you got wood shelves/mirror cabinet.

Wow, thank you! That gives me a lot to look into. The walls definitely have to change colour to something lighter. I'm not sure whether to get a second light or downlights to brighten the right side of the room. I'll look at shades that disperse light better. Thank you

Dulux overtly olive is very nice if you want to go down a green route.

I discovered while choosing paint that the more “dull” a colour looks in the sample, the nicer it will be on a wall.

“Nice” colours, like your blue look nice in sample patches but then it’s just far too much on a wall.

Paint it sage , I really like Dulux Overtly Olive , big mirror over the sink and fluffy towels. It's an easy fix.

If budget is tight, I'd bring some other colours and some pattern with the shower curtain, towels and floor, e.g. this shower curtain is on Etsy. I'd choose another colour from the shower curtain (yellow, red/orange in this case, but you could go for softer colours) for towels. I'd paint the cabinet below the sink. For the floor I'd go for patterned tiles or, at a push, lino that looks like patterned tiles. I think it's the blocks of colour that makes it look a bit institutional and pattern will help break that up without costing much. Changing the light might also help, but I'd go for downlighters in the ceiling if you can rather than one bright central light, and it wouldn't be the priority for me.

Put a plant in there.

I know you haven't got the budget to re-do the bathroom suite at the moment but, when you do, choose a toilet that has a gap under it, not a pedestal one, and put the cabinet above the basin, not below it. The more floor you can see, the greater the illusion of space.

I actually quite like the colour! I think a mirror, some wall art, a plant, wall shelves, nice bathroom rug, nice shower curtain, that sort of thing, would make a big difference.

I'm with @TheGirlOnTheLanding the room needs pattern incorporating more colours as well as changing the wall colour to something softer.

Personally I like to treat the bathroom as another 'proper' room rather than somewhere you don't want to spend too much time - so ours has interesting art and we panelled one wall, but (as it was originally a bedroom) it also has a small fireplace with a few vintage perfume bottles etc which add colour/make the space feel less stark.

Definitely add colourfully patterned towels, shower curtain and art on the walls as well as a patterned bath mat possibly.

A sage or pale olive would look lovely. Our bathroom is Setting Plaster which everyone always admires although I wouldn't choose it for a bathroom again. Paint the under basin cabinet too (a coordinating colour perhaps? ), add a statement mirror and shelves with trailing plants. I'd also consider laying vinyl flooring with an encaustic tile pattern if the budget allows.

We have a mix of bright downlights and large chandelier on a dimmer in ours which gives both options as I hate bathing in bright, clinical light. You could definitely add something that would disperse the light better around the room.

I quite like the blue, I think it would look less hospitally if you painted the ceiling the same colour (assuming you have paint left the cheapest option) or a toning lighter blue (if you've got a small amount of blue left mix in some white to lighten it and increase the amount of paint you have).

Have more natural textures so wooden shelves, mirror, storage baskets, or cork flooring (very fashionable, waterproof and a nice natural texture).

Also everything @LibertyLily said about lighting.

Never have a white shower curtain!

They remind me of my first shower post c section in hospital. Always always have a colour!

My bathroom was also clinical. Wood toilet seat helped soften it and a matching coloured bin.

Nice hand towels from Asda.

Your bathroom would suit a rust orange and blue theme. 💙 🧡

https://groceries.asda.com/product/shower/george-home-safari-shower-curtain/1000376780432

This shower curtain!

Love that shower curtain @Dorksdirectdotcom!

I would paint the wooden cabinet thing the same as the walls, whatever colour you choose. Shoukd make it look less cramped. Mine js almost identical in size.

Different lights and a matte paint

Don't invest in plants if there aren't any windows - most will struggle without a bit of natural light and will be a waste of money. Get some good fake ones - ivy, palms etc.