The bathroom is often the last room in the house to get any art on the walls, yet it's the one every guest will see. With Christmas visitors not far off, now is a lovely time to give the bathroom or downstairs cloakroom a little more character.

These bathroom wall art ideas lean on the things that have always looked at home near water: antique fish and crab studies, our new seashell, coral and sea sponge prints, and characterful handmade frames. It's the look of an old country house bathroom, with panelling, patterned wallpaper and a roll-top bath. Here's how to choose the art, frame it and hang it so it lasts.

Frames matter more here than almost anywhere else in the house. Gold bamboo frames have a light, slightly Regency look that suits fish and shell prints; tortoiseshell-effect and wood-tone frames sit well with dark wood, brass and wallpaper; and hand-painted frames can pick up a colour from your tiles or panelling. Every Handmade Frame we sell is made to order on Dartmoor from solid wood mouldings from the UK and Italy, glazed with real glass and sealed on the back, which helps protect the print from everyday humidity.

1. Keep clear of splashes. Hang pictures away from the shower and taps, and avoid the wall directly above the bath, where steam collects most. Beside a window, above a towel rail or opposite the basin are all good spots.
2. Mind the eye level. On a free wall, aim for the centre of the artwork to sit around 145–150cm from the floor. Above a cabinet or towel rail, leave roughly 20–25cm between the furniture and the bottom of the frame.
3. Hang in pairs or sets. Small bathroom walls suit a pair hung one above the other, or a grid of four or nine matching prints, which is exactly what our shell, coral and sponge sets are made for. Keep the gaps between frames even, about 5–8cm. Our easy gallery wall guide has more layouts.
4. Use the space above the loo. In a cloakroom, the wall above the cistern is often the only free spot, and a pair of small framed prints there makes the whole room feel finished.
5. Let the room breathe. Open a window or run the extractor fan after a bath or shower. Good ventilation is the best way to look after any framed art in a bathroom.

For more ideas, our guide to boot room and hallway wall art follows the same country house approach.