Designing a new bathroom in a small space, or styling an existing one can feel like you’re playing a game of Tetris. Though, there are a few things you can do to make the entire process far simpler and leave you with a better result in the long run.
Finding the perfect place for towel racks, storage and how to utilise lighting are all questions you might have when designing a small bathroom, so below we’ve outlined 10 tips for designing a small bathroom to make the process a lot easier.
Focus on Light Tones
One of the most important things to remember when designing any small space is that light colours will make it appear larger. This goes beyond the walls, ceiling and floor too, adding in light coloured decor, vanities and wall tiling will also help the room appear larger and less cramped.
The colours and finishes on your water fixtures will also play a major part here. Heavier tones will pull your focus from one part of the bathroom to another, so black or high gloss designer tapware like those found at Bravat can come in handy when you’re trying to manipulate where your attention goes in the bathroom.
Design for One, Even if There’s Two
A common problem when designing for a small space is that most families or homeowners will want to cram in the standard double length vanity, but you need to remember that although it is more convenient in a larger space, it will become an issue in a smaller one.
A good compromise is to compromise on a middle ground with the vanity and opt for a larger-than-single size, but don’t choose a full double vanity. This way you’ll still have plenty of share space and bathroom space at the same time.
The Space Above the Toilet
One of the most overlooked areas in the bathroom, at least for storage, is the space above the toilet. If you’re designing your bathroom from scratch, you’ll be able to make sure that there is ample space above your toilet, then you can use open-ended cabinets or wooden shelving to store medicine or other items.
Adding a mirror behind the shelving or additional lighting directed to this space above your toilet will also make the room appear larger too, so it’s a win-win where perceived size is concerned.
Add Mirrors
Continuing on from the mirror behind your storage shelving, adding mirrors in other places in a small bathroom can greatly improve lighting as well as drastically open the space. A large vanity mirror, of course, is standard, but additional slim mirrors on walls and other storage spaces will enhance your small space further and dismiss any worries you have about dealing with a cramped or small bathroom.
Don’t Divide the Space
In almost any bathroom you need open storage for things like bath salts, towels and other items, but adding a number of small boxes or storage sliders everywhere will just cut the space up and make it more cluttered.
Storage for small spaces needs to be as minimal and ‘airy’ as possible. This means using open shelving as frequently as possible or even using your window sill. This way, your main closed storage spaces like under the vanity or your single closed shelving compartments can be used for storing those essentials that aren’t particularly great to have on display.
Bath Ledge Storage
If you have chosen to include a bathtub in your design, then go all out with it. Adding a storage ledge or outer-edge storage will mean that you’ll have added plenty of storage space in an area that would have otherwise been wasted.
A major perk of bathtub ledge storage is that it is typically far below eye level and no matter how many items you’re storing on it, it won’t seem to take up much space at all. If you don’t need that extra storage space, you can even use it for candles and other decorative furnishings.
Deep Tubs
A more luxurious feature, but also one that allows you to utilise a small space best is to go as deep as possible with your bathtub. This way if you can’t have a full-length design, you can still have a great soaker tub without eating up any valuable floor space.
Transparent Shower Walls
Shower and bath designs with solid room dividers are a thing of the past, for good reason – they greatly damage the size of a space. In almost all circumstances in a small bathroom, you should opt for a completely transparent shower wall. This will continue the flow of the room and keep it from looking even smaller than it already is.
TIP: If you plan on have a shower wall all the around your split shower-bath, then make sure you’re able to keep it as clean as possible too or you’ll have a look that is closer to frosted glass than anything else. Invest in glass polish products and keep on top of any calcium build up.
Tile to the Ceiling
Stopping your tiles halfway up a wall act in a similar way to a partition, they divide the space. Where there are tiles in your bathroom keep them going all the way to your ceiling and you’ll have a continuous flowing style that makes your bathroom ceiling look twice as high and feel much airier.
Be as Minimal as Possible
Finally, keeping everything as minimal as possible is your last step to maintaining a free-flowing and open bathroom, even if it is small. Don’t use 5 different tile designs, stick with no more than 3 colours overall and keep clutter and decor to a minimum.
As you can see there are countless ways to make a small bathroom feel big and work for almost any sized family, you just have to be as smart as possible with your design choices and remember that your space doesn’t need to fit all the standard luxuries because it isn’t a standard size.