6 Guest Bathroom Mistakes Designers Always Notice, and What You Should Do Instead

The thing about guest bathrooms is that people will always tell you when they’re good. Design-minded visitors love to linger on thoughtful details – a great hand soap, a bold but beautiful wallpaper, a chic Scandinavian hand towel. What they won’t tell you is when something’s gone wrong. You’ll only hear about that later, if at all, in the form of a whispered postmortem: there weren’t any dry hand towels.

Mortifying – but avoidable. Designers, having been both guests and hosts more times than they can count, know exactly which details matter most in a guest bath, and which oversights undermine even the best-looking space.

Whether you’re refreshing a powder room or prepping for overnight visitors this season, ahead are six guest bathroom mistakes designers always notice – and what to do instead.

1. Insufficient Counter Space

‘One of the biggest faux pas I see is not having enough empty space on the counter,’ notes Elizabeth Vergara, CEO and Founder of Vergara Homes. ‘When you’re going in with your purse or any personal items you need, you want to have space to put them down.’

It’s an issue anytime, but it becomes especially glaring when you’re hosting overnight. Guests need room to set out toiletries without sending a soap dish or decorative object flying. ‘Some people overly decorate their bathroom counters, leaving very little room for the guest to actually use it,’ Elizabeth adds.

The solution isn’t to discard your guest bathroom essentials entirely, but rather, invest in some smarter bathroom storage. ‘A simple tray or a set of small baskets keeps everything organized while still giving guests a clean surface to use.’

2. No Signs of Life

For Cornelia Guest – actress, author, philanthropist, designer, and perennial authority on good hosting – a guest bathroom should always include a nod to nature. Without flowers, botanicals, or even a eucalyptus bundle tied in the shower, the space doesn’t just feel stale – it feels unfinished.

‘Fresh touches matter!’ Cornelia says. ‘I always love having flowers in the bathroom. They bring life and elegance to the space.’

That life doesn’t have to mean an elaborate arrangement. A simple bouquet from the market works, as does a countertop carafe filled with water and sliced citrus or mint. ‘These small gestures make guests feel welcomed and pampered!’ she muses.

3. Poorly Placed Toilet Paper

There’s a particular kind of hosting miscalculation where the toilet paper exists, but not in a place a guest would ever think to look. A roll balanced on the back of the toilet might make sense to you; to someone else, it registers as absence.

No need to overcomplicate it. Rolls should be immediately visible, within reach, and ideally treated as a design moment. The solution isn’t more paper, but clearer placement.

‘Sometimes toilet paper is placed in very inconvenient places or you have to reach very far to get it, which is not convenient,’ explains Evelina Juzėnaitė, Principal Interior Designer at Planner 5D. ‘It’s better to store it in a convenient place or in a visible place, for example, in a basket, on a shelf, or in a freestanding holder next to the toilet.’

4. Not Enough Towels

A guest shouldn’t have to pause mid-hand wash and assess the towel situation. No hand towel, a single bath towel hanging nearby – possibly meant for use, possibly not – creates a moment that doesn’t need to exist. Hand towels should be easy to spot and clearly intended for guests, not tucked away or left open to interpretation.

‘Running out of towels can be awkward at times,’ notes Cornelia Guest – visitors don’t want to sound rude by asking. ‘I keep extras ready so guests feel cared for and comfortable.’

That matters even more for overnight stays. In those cases, keep 'good' towels of every kind folded and in plain sight – so they’re impossible to miss, and no one ever has to ask.

5. Unpleasant Aromas

This one doesn’t benefit from euphemism. A bathroom that doesn’t smell fresh undermines even the most considered design, full stop. No amount of expensive hand soap or marble detailing can compensate for the absence of scent control.

The expectation isn’t constant fragrance, but consistency. Something should always be in place: an ‘always-on’ option like a diffuser, or a discreet, on-demand fix like a room spray.

‘This one I rarely see, but is still worth bringing up: not having the necessary items to keep the bathroom smelling fresh,’ notes Elizabeth Vergara. ‘It’s a bathroom, so you want to ensure there is always something to keep it fresh, whether it be a candle, diffuser, room spray, or even a hidden plug-in. Personally, I go a step further and add Poo-pourri that is easily accessible to ensure that no matter what, the fresh scent stays.’

6. No Trash Can

A guest bathroom – even if it is technically a 'half bath' – has to operate like a full one. That includes a place to dispose of the small, unglamorous necessities no one wants to exit the room holding.

‘This may seem like a minor detail, but the absence of a trash can can make you feel uncomfortable,’ notes Evelina Juzėnaitė. ‘It’s not necessary to put a large trash can there; a small, inconspicuous one in the corner of the room will suffice.’

Wastebaskets aren’t the most thrilling design category, but they are one of the clearest signals that a space has been thought through. A well-designed one becomes a small but telling opportunity to flex your amazing taste.

The best mistakes, of course, are the ones you never have to make. With the guest bathroom sorted, consider the rest of the house. Discover the home buys designers regret purchasing in 2025 – and what they’d do differently – so you can enter 2026 a little wiser.