The Best Bath Mats (for Making Your Bathroom Feel Like a Spa)

In our ongoing grail quest to outfit your home with sumptuous, wizardly trappings (automatic wine openers = wizardly; Moccamaster coffee machines = apex wizard brew) we have a few shopping guidelines: Don’t buy anything that sucks, and do buy anything that elevates your space in a versatile, renter-friendly way. That’s precisely where the humble bath mat comes in, ready to conceal that weird murder floor stain with a tufted mushroom rug, or bring a little serotonin to your landlord’s yawncore design job with color blocking.

To distill things down, the best bath mats 1) won’t shed everywhere, and 2) should bring joy to your eyes and toes; they’re one of the easiest ways to tie a room together, and can be easily swapped once you assume your next aesthetic phase. Do you have dreary, gray linoleum wood floors? Try slapping a minimalist ochre rug on top to feel less like Tales from the Crypt, and more like Georgia O’Keeffe; if you want your bathroom to look less like an afterthought and more like a treat, bring a cedar wood bath mat into the mix to impress all the spa savvy babes.

Whatever your aesthetic needs, we’ve found the best affordable bath mats to trick out your throne room. Slide into your puffer slippies, and let’s peruse.

Abstract, colorblocked bath mats (and dupes) slap

In the decade since its founding, and particularly in the recent blob- and shape-obsessed design wave of the past five years, Cold Picnic has become the authority on postmodern rugs. The New York-based brand led the pack of increasingly weirder and better floor jawnage, churning out colorblocked rugs that felt like washable works of art. A big boi Cold Picnic living room rug is a little out of our price range, but the brand’s bath mat game (VERY strong) offers its cult-fave rug designs at far more affordable prices; for under a hundo, you can cop the relaxing “Cliffside” bath mat, which is made out of 100% organic cotton.

If you want the Cold Picnic look on a budget, World Market’s Luka bath mat offers the same MoMA-worthy shape party as a CP rug for under $20.

For even more color, peep West Elm’s collaboration with textile artist Donna Wilson. The limited edition, colorblocked bath mat from the designer is made out of sustainably sourced cotton, and its 1,500 gram weight makes it feel extra plush (and ultra absorbent).

Turn your home into a sauna

Wouldst thou like to live deliciously? Wouldst you like to bring a little bit of the bougie sauna to your own bathroom with the help of a cedar wood bath mat? Of course you would. Cedar has naturally antibacterial properties, and is way easier and cheaper to clean than cloth bath mats, and it will make you feel like you’re entering SoJo Spa Club’s hinoki pool instead of doomscrolling on the toilet.

The minimalist aesthetic

A minimalist bath mat, when done right, can make you look like you’re a whole lot richer than you are (cheap chenille bath mats = college dorm vibes). This Ojai, California-inspired bath mat from Quiet Town makes us feel like we’ve built several Earth Ships in Taos, while West Elm’s rustic, pebbled surface bath mat ships for free, and makes us feel a little closer to our pastoral, Upstate New York maladaptive daydream.

Check, mate

Checkered patterns continue to dom the design world thanks to their non-boring, soft ska bb appeal. Look to MacKenzie-Childs, the patron saint of power clashing, and the Nordic design lords at HAY for check bath mats with a little extra umph (unique colors; faux tassels) for your bathroom.

You microdose on the weekends

One of our shroom-loving VICE editors (hiii) has this mushroom-shaped bath mat, and can confirm that it is an absolute banger. Every time a friend uses the restroom and this bad boi is out, they hear a muffled “Woah, sick rug” from the John.

Because fish love feet

… And feet love fish. Why else would they suck on your toes at the salon?? Not only is this Japanese-inspired bath mat better looking than the crusty AF beta fish we had as a kid (booo; but also, RIP), but the curved design means it can also work as a soft rug for your feet whilst your on the toilet. Clever girl.

Bedeck your swamp

Every friend group has one: the hot person with all the poppers and a bimbofied Shrek bath mat. Protect them at all costs.

Next up? The bidet, bébé.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.