If, like me, you have small bathrooms in your home, it can be a challenge to make them practical and stylish. My main bathroom is small while my ensuite is tiny. So tiny that it’s more like a wet room than a bathroom. But yet I’ve managed to fit in all the essentials like a shower, sink, toilet and storage. And it’s really practical.
When planning my bathrooms I learned a fair bit about making the most of the space while still accommodating everything you need. Often there are compromises but even with that you can have a bathroom that’s both practical and looks designed with intention, no matter how small.
Whether you have a small bathroom or a tiny one like mine, I’m sharing some tips and ideas that will help you maximise the space and will make your bathroom look bigger.
Tips to make a small bathroom look bigger
plan every inch of space — this is so, so important. Measure and work out where everything is going like your toilet and sink as well as your shower or bath. Consider how much storage and what kind of storage you’re going to need. If there are some non-negotiables (for e.g. I couldn’t move the toilet in my main bathroom) then you need to factor this in and design around it.
choose wall mounted furniture — when choosing things like your toilet and sink, consider size and space. I opted for a wall mounted sink in my tiny shower room because having more visible floor space makes the space look bigger. Toilets too can be wall mounted and will save space.
go large with a mirror — everyone knows that mirrors can make any room look bigger so go for the largest mirror your space allows. My ensuite bathroom is windowless too so a very large mirror was an essential design element.
add floor to ceiling tiles — if you can, choose the same tiles for the floor and walls and ideally tile the walls up to the ceiling. This design trick blurs the edges of the room, making it appear bigger than it is. It really is a great trick for a small bathroom, and it looks stylish too.
build in recessed shower storage — add a recessed shelf or two in your shower area to save space. It avoids the need for things like shower trays and caddies and creates a more minimal and streamlined look.
use clear shower screens — having a shower curtain or even a frosted glass shower screen can look somewhat like a wall, diving your bathroom in to sections and therefore making it look smaller. Whereas a clear glass screen gives the space an uninterrupted look, making it look bigger.
install underfloor heating — this is another great space saving idea. Towel heaters and radiators take up valuable space and they create visual clutter. Underfloor heating is obviously not visible, and the added benefit is that you’ll walk into a toasty bathroom every morning — especially great in the winter months of course.
opt for a white or light colour scheme — white reflects light and makes any space appear larger so it’s ideal for especially small bathrooms. Also white is timeless so will never date. To add interest and prevent you bathroom from looking sterile, add some contrasting accents like brass or black taps or some natural wood tones. My tiniest bathroom is almost all white but I went with a black hardware for the shower and taps and added in a hint of copper to soften the look.
don’t forget vertical space — when space is tight, it makes sense to go high with storage. Things like narrow and tall cabinets or shelving units work well in a small bathroom.
image credits: entrance makleri | hecker guthrie | your DIY family | abi interiors | alvhem
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