My Grandma Says This Is the One Thing Your Bathroom Is Missing

Believe it or not, a bathroom can really be one of the most fun spaces in your home to style. It’s the perfect place to experiment with an edgy new bathroom paint color or decor style to add a punch of personality — and perhaps to display a piece you love that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of your decor. 

Justine Palefsky, cofounder of the home swap platform Kindred, has seen plenty of bathrooms with plenty of personality; after all, Kindred allows its members to swap and stay in other member’s real homes when they travel across the globe. Inspired by some of the spaces she’s seen in the Kindred community, Palefsky recently shared an unexpected styling tip courtesy of her grandmother: Every bathroom needs a nude. (Not your average grandma’s decor advice!)

“My grandma’s point was, a bathroom is a blank canvas,” says Palefsky, “and adding a nude is one fun way to add your own modern twist on the tradition of the bathing nude.” An artist herself, Palefsky’s grandmother noted that portraits of nude bathers have been a classic fixture of bathroom decor since the Renaissance. But with individualism and self-expression on the rise in interior design, adding a nude to your bathroom is an easy, low-stakes way to add some character into your space and experiment creatively.

I realized I’m actually following this grandmotherly advice already. My own bathroom came together around one particular piece I picked up last fall at a sample sale: Cold Picnic’s iconic “Torso” bath mat. (They no longer make my exact model, but their “Tushy” design has the same effect.) The minimalistic, neutral – and yes, nude! – design played perfectly with my classic vintage black and ivory-toned tiled bathroom but still added a distinctly “cheeky” element to the tiny and otherwise generic space. I still get so many compliments on it from new guests and frequent visitors alike!

Take a grandmother’s word for it: The bathing nude is not going out of style anytime soon. Whether you choose to bring this tip to life on your walls, on your floors, or anywhere in between — don’t shy away from embracing this classic motif. I picked out a few of our favorite nude prints below to help you get started.