⚡ The Answer in Brief
For a complete bathroom, you need four items: a shower curtain (standard size 180 x 180 cm, starting from €42.90), two bath towels per person (from €32.90 to €49.90, ideal weight between 450 and 550 g/m²), a non-slip mat in front of the shower (€42.90), and a laundry hamper. Expect to spend around €130 to €160 in total, which is well above the €60 threshold for free delivery. The decorating rule is simple: one highly patterned item, and everything else solid colored.
📑 Table of Contents
The bathroom is the room that fans decorate last. We decorate our bedroom, office, living room, and leave the bathroom in hospital white for years. This is a shame, because it's the only room in the house where a marine theme makes sense: Bikini Bottom is underwater, and so is the shower.
It's also the room where mistakes are most costly. A curtain that's too short lets water through and turns the floor into an ice rink. A 300 g/m² towel absorbs nothing and stays damp for two days. A mat without a non-slip backing slides on wet tiles, and then we're no longer talking about decor but safety. Every product has a technical constraint that doesn't exist anywhere else in the house: water.
This guide covers the complete equipment for a standard 4 to 6 m² bathroom, with actual dimensions, weights, prices charged on the store and the order in which to buy. If you are looking to furnish another room, our guides on bedroom decoration and apartment decor for adults will take over.
The four measurements to take before ordering
Five minutes with a tape measure will save you the only real problem in this room: a product that doesn't fit. Write down these four numbers.
1. The width of the shower rod
Measure from one attachment point to the other. A curtain should be 15 to 20% wider than the rod to form pleats and remain waterproof: for a 150 cm rod, you therefore need a 180 cm curtain. This is why the 180 x 180 cm format has become the European standard.
2. The floor-to-rod height
The bottom of the curtain should stop 5 or 10 cm from the floor if it hangs outside the shower tray, or fall inside the tray if it is tucked in. Too long, it drags and molds; too short, water escapes underneath. Our dedicated guide what size curtain to choose details all scenarios, for showers and windows.
3. The clear space in front of the shower
This is where the mat goes. A 60 x 40 cm space accommodates a small mat, 80 x 50 cm a comfortable model. Also measure the door's swing: a thick mat can block a door that opens inwards.
4. The length of the towel bar
A 70 x 140 cm bath towel folded in half takes up about 35 cm of bar space. Two towels therefore require 70 cm, which many towel warmers do not offer. If your bar is 50 cm, you will need an additional hook or switch to 50 x 100 cm formats.
💡 Did you know?
Bikini Bottom is supposed to be located under the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. Stephen Hillenburg was a marine biologist before becoming an animator, and the vast majority of the creatures in the series really exist: sponges, starfish, octopuses, crabs, plankton. We tell his story in our portrait of Stephen Hillenburg.
The shower curtain, a centerpiece
This is the largest visual element in the room: about 3.2 m² in one piece, often more than the available wall surface. If you only buy one thing, let it be this.
Material and weight
Shower curtains made of woven polyester with a water-repellent treatment are now the standard: they dry in an hour, can be machine-washed at 30 °C, and don't stick to your legs like PEVA. They are not completely waterproof but repel splashes, which is sufficient in 90% of installations. PEVA, on the other hand, is waterproof but creases permanently and yellows in a year or two.
Eyelets, rings and attachment
Count twelve eyelets for a 180 cm curtain: fewer, and the pleats are too far apart, water passes between two points. Reinforced metal eyelets are better than heat-sealed eyelets, which tear after a few hundred openings. Rings are rarely provided: plan for them.
Choosing the pattern
A very busy pattern works better here than in a bedroom, because the curtain is folded half the time and the room is small: the eye never sees it entirely. This is the right place to embrace a full visual like the Big Smile. If your bathroom is already colorful (blue tiles, wooden furniture), prefer a light-colored background model like Fishing in Bikini.
Available shower curtains
Four visuals in washable polyester, standard size
Towels: weight, size and quantity
A towel is judged by three numbers, and price is not one of them.
Weight, the sole criterion for absorbency
Below 400 g/m², the towel is thin, dries quickly but absorbs poorly: it's a beach towel format, not a bath towel format. Between 450 and 550 g/m², you have the right compromise for a bathroom: serious absorption and drying overnight on a bar. Above 600 g/m², it's luxurious to the touch but takes two days to dry in a room without a window, and quickly smells musty. Our guide bath towel: size and weight details each reference.
Format
Three sizes cover all uses: 50 x 100 cm for hands and face, 70 x 140 cm for an adult's body, 100 x 150 cm for a bath sheet. An adult over 1.80 m will be cramped in a 70 x 140 cm.
How many do you need?
The hotel rule, transposable to the home: two bath towels and two hand towels per person, plus a spare set for the household. For two people, this means five bath towels in total. Below that, you wash too often, and a towel washed too often loses its looping.
Don't confuse bath and beach
The beach towels in the store, thinner and often printed on one side only, are designed to dry in the sun in ten minutes. They don't work well in a bathroom. The reverse is also true: a thick bath sheet at the beach becomes a sandbag. The subject is covered in our guide beach towel.
🧠 Tip
Never use fabric softener on a terry towel. Fabric softener deposits a greasy film that clogs the cotton loops: after five washes, the towel feels softer to the touch but absorbs almost nothing. Half a glass of white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser does the same job without clogging the fibers, and removes musty odors.
The mat: non-slip and quick-drying
This is the item that is chosen most quickly and causes the most problems. Three points to check.
The backing. A bathroom mat must have a latex or PVC dotted back. A classic decorative mat placed on wet tiles slides like a sled. If you use a decorative floor mat model, add a non-slip underlay that can be cut with scissors.
The thickness. Beyond 2 cm, a door that opens inwards will rub. Measure the ground clearance before ordering.
Drying. A mat that remains constantly wet becomes a breeding ground for mold in three weeks. Hang it on the edge of the bathtub or on the rod after your morning shower: this is the only action that really changes its lifespan. Our Multi-Expressions and Bikini Bottom Team mats at €42.90 work equally well in front of a shower or in an entrance. For bedroom use, we detail the sizes in the bedroom mat guide.
Humidity, mold and maintenance
A bathroom can reach 80 or 90% relative humidity during a shower, and then drops back down in twenty to forty minutes if the room is ventilated. All textile materials in the room live or die on this drop.
The curtain
The black stains at the bottom of the curtain are mold, not dirt. Wash it in the machine at 30°C with two towels that will act as brushes, without strong spinning, and put it back damp on its rod: it finishes drying stretched and keeps no creases. A curtain washed every two months never molds.
The towels
60°C every third wash eliminates bacteria responsible for musty odors; 40°C is sufficient the rest of the time. Do not leave them in a ball in the basket for more than 48 hours. For all household linen, our care guide provides temperatures product by product.
The habit that solves 80% of problems
Leave the door ajar and the curtain unfolded after showering. A curtain folded like an accordion retains water in its creases for hours; unfolded, it dries in an hour. This costs nothing and doubles the textile's lifespan.
The bath towels from the store
Four terry models, from the most subtle to the most colorful
Storage and small accessories
Once the three large textiles are in place, there are still the details that make the difference between a decorated room and a furnished room.
The laundry basket is the most useful and most neglected piece of furniture. A foldable fabric model can be stored behind the door when empty; check out the laundry baskets collection. Avoid wicker in a damp room: it falls apart in two years.
The mirror and lighting matter more than the decor. A 4,000 K bulb renders colors accurately for shaving or applying makeup; a 2,700 K bulb is warmer but distorts everything. A small accent lamp placed on a piece of furniture softens the evening lighting, as explained in our guide which lamp to choose.
Stickers are a tenant's trick: a vinyl sticker on tiles or a door can be removed without a trace, unlike a drilled frame. Be careful when applying to grout: vinyl only sticks well to a smooth and perfectly dry surface. Our sticker and pin's guide details application techniques, and the sticker collection gathers available visuals.
Balancing color in 4 m²
An average bathroom in France is 5 m², often less in apartments. In such a small space, SpongeBob's yellow can quickly become overwhelming. Three configurations that work:
The bold option. Heavily patterned curtain, everything else white or light grey. This is the simplest and safest option: the curtain takes on the color, and plain towels calm the overall look.
The textile option. Plain or very subtle curtain, colorful towels, and matching rug. Advantage: the color is visible whether the curtain is drawn or open, and you can change the ambiance by changing two towels.
The subtle nod option. Everything white, and one strong object: a poster framed in a waterproof frame, or a toothbrush holder. This is the adult interior approach described in our guide poster: format, paper and frame.
What doesn't work: patterned curtain + patterned towels + patterned rug + stickers. Three different patterns in 5 m² give an impression of clutter, even when everything is tidied.
| Item | Typical Dimension | Technical Point | Store Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shower curtain | 180 x 180 cm | 12 eyelets, washable polyester 30 °C | €42.90 to €60.90 |
| Bath towel | 70 x 140 cm | 450 to 550 g/m² | €32.90 to €49.90 |
| Hand towel | 50 x 100 cm | Minimum two per person | Depending on model |
| Bath mat | 60 x 40 to 80 x 50 cm | Non-slip backing mandatory | €42.90 |
| Laundry basket | 50 to 60 L | Foldable fabric rather than wicker | Depending on model |
| Wall sticker | Variable | Smooth and dry surface only | Low prices |
⚠️ Mistake to avoid
Ordering a curtain that is the exact width of the rod. Without 15 to 20% margin, the curtain is stretched like a sail, there are no pleats to contain splashes and water flows out at both ends. This is the number one reason for returns in this category, and it's avoidable with thirty seconds of calculation.
Delivery, lead times and costs
Delivery costs €5.90 in France and the European Union, €7 outside the EU, and becomes free for purchases over €60. A single curtain at €42.90 remains below the threshold; added to a towel at €32.90, the basket totals €75.80 and shipping is free. Allow 7 to 14 working days for receipt.
If you're furnishing the entire room, the most logical order is: curtain first (it sets the tone), then towels (they match the curtain), and finally the rug (it matches the towels). Buying all three in one order saves you two shipping fees and ensures that the shades complement each other. For gifting the set, gift sets and our selection of derivative products offer other ideas.
The 8 questions we are asked
What size shower curtain should I get?
180 x 180 cm for the vast majority of installations, which is 15 to 20% wider than the rod. Our guide what size curtain to choose covers corner bathtubs and windows.
Do I need a liner behind the curtain?
Only if your curtain is made of untreated fabric or if the shower is very exposed. A water-repellent polyester is sufficient in a standard shower, and an additional liner doubles the drying time.
What grammage for a bath towel?
Between 450 and 550 g/m². Below that, absorption is insufficient; above that, drying becomes too slow in a room without a window.
Can I put a decorative rug in a bathroom?
Yes, provided you add a non-slip underlay and hang it to dry. A decorative rug placed as is on wet tiles is dangerous.
How to remove black stains from the bottom of the curtain?
Machine wash at 30 °C with two towels, without strong spinning, then re-hang damp. If the stains persist, they have penetrated the fiber and the curtain is at the end of its life.
Do towels bleed on the first wash?
Saturated colors may release a little dye on the first cycle. Wash them alone or with similar colors the first time, at 30 °C, without fabric softener.
What to choose if the bathroom has no window?
A lower towel grammage, around 450 g/m², and a thin polyester curtain. Anything thick will take too long to dry and will eventually smell.
Can the bathroom be matched to the bedroom?
Yes, by using only one common color rather than the same pattern. A blue duvet cover and a blue curtain are enough to connect the two rooms without a catalog effect.
A successful bathroom comes down to three purchases and two actions. The three purchases: a curtain of the right width, two towels of the right grammage, a rug with a real non-slip backing. The two actions: unfold the curtain after showering, hang the rug. The rest — the pattern, the color, the nod to Bikini Bottom — is a matter of taste, and that's precisely the fun part. Start with the curtain: it's the most visible, most cost-effective element, and the one that will determine everything else.
📚 Articles you might be interested in
Equip your bathroom from A to Z
SpongeBob curtains, towels and rugs — free delivery from €60, delivery in 7 to 14 working days.
See the Home & Decor collection →