Small bathrooms can be quite hard to design. Nevertheless, small bathrooms are compact, so you can save a lot of money on the materials since you will only be using a few of them. However, since small bathrooms are, well, small, then you don’t want to make it look like it’s too crowded. That is why having professional advice can be a great help. The following are some of the best advice for remodeling your small bathroom. These tips are provided by remodeling professionals, architects, designers, as well as home decorators.
Eliminate Items That Stick Out
Any protruding items can create a feeling of complexity or heaviness in a small bathroom or any other room. According to Dawn Falcone of Dawn Falcone Lifestyles, you should avoid anything that juts out from the walls, especially in extremely narrow bathrooms.
Falcone further explains that instead of having a towel bar, you can put these at the back of the door. Choose magazine racks and built-in toilet paper holders. Decorative shelves must also be avoided. All of these things can take away some precious space in your bathroom.
Use Clear Shower Enclosures to Extend Visuals
You can create an illusion that you have more space by getting rid of any visual clutter when choosing materials and fixtures. Choose clear shower enclosures with less hardware. If possible, try not to use bypass doors but rather use swinging doors.
A Sky Mural Can Create Openness
The sky is definitely infinite. Even if you don’t install a skylight, you can still create an illusion of the sky in your bathroom. Look for a small space on your ceiling and paint it light blue. You can even add some small clouds to it to catch more attention.
Express Your Creativity on Your Storage Ideas
Toilet paper, towels, and essential daily supplies must have their own storage space. If you have limited space, then it is best to avoid any wasted space. For instance, pedestal sinks that are not functional, even if they look good. You could consider installing over-the-door pouches for storing small supplies or door hooks for your towels and robes. You could also install shelves or medicine cabinets inside the walls.
Using the Right Lighting Can Provide an Illusion of High Ceilings
Creating a larger bathroom might be impossible, however, you can create an illusion of having one. Lighting can be used in making the space in your small bathroom look bigger. Use cove lighting or wall sconces in up lighting the ceiling in your bathroom. This can create an impression that you have a wider space and higher ceilings. You can illuminate one wall with light, and it can provide an illusion of a larger space.
Choose a Small Bathroom Vanity
You have to consider that bathroom vanities can waste a lot of space. That is why it is advisable to select smaller bathroom vanities. Now, most companies are producing small-size vanities. Another option is a wall-mounted sink or a small pedestal sink.
Hang the Toilet from the Wall
Typically, toilets are mounted on the floor. However, if you want to maximize the space in your small bathroom, then you can choose wall-hung toilets and cabinetry along with oversized floor tile. Today, there are a lot of products that are offered in these areas compared to the previous years. This can ensure that you can find the style that fits your taste and decor. By using the wall-hung toilet and cabinetry, your floor will be more emphasized, creating an impression that the room is bigger than it appears.
Install Floor Tile Diagonally
Tiles that are installed in an orderly manner can make your bathroom or any type of room look and feel smaller. However, if you install your tiles diagonally, then it can create an illusion that the room is larger. Using larger tiles with thin grout lines can also add more square footage to the room.
Choose a Mirrored Medicine Cabinet
Using a mirrored recessed medicine cabinet is also another great space saver. After installing, it will simply look like a flat mirror, but it has a hidden cabinet. The size of your storage will be four inches, which is the standard depth of a wall. The height and width measurements of these cabinets may vary depending on its applications. Since it is fully mirrored, then you can quickly see what product is behind your mouthwash.
Instead of Towel Racks, Use Hooks
Rather than using towel racks, you can design a customized mural with hooks incorporated into the image. For instance, you can paint a tree on your wall and install hooks on its branches. Just imagine going camping and you are hanging your towels on the branches of a tree to keep them dry.
Use Glass Doors Instead of Shower Curtains
By using glass doors, you will be opening up the room. If you have a shower stall in your bathroom, then aside from installing a glass door, you can take out another wall and replace it with glass. You can also use clear glass doors in your small tub area. If clear glass doors seem to be impossible, then you can use clear shower curtains instead. This can allow light to enter.
Large Tiles Look Great in Small Bathrooms
You might think that this is odd, but large tiles can make your small bathroom look and feel bigger. Choosing larger floor tiles can open up more space. Again, tiles with lesser grout lines can provide the illusion of a larger space.
Utilize the Vertical Space Behind the Door
You can take advantage of the vertical space behind your bathroom door by installing longer medicine cabinets.
Use Two Paint Colors Only
As much as possible, try to keep it simple. Patterned fabrics, numerous paint colors, overloaded wallpaper, and accessories can make the room look smaller and feel cluttered. Using two colors can already make your small bathroom look great. You can use one paint color for the wall and one paint color for accessories.
Choose Simple Hardware and Avoid Using Busy Patterns
Here is good advice on avoiding overcrowding your bathroom with a lot of details. When choosing materials, be mindful of the cumulative impact of the patterns. The decorative details on the cabinets and hardware, as well as the designs on the flooring and tiles can make a room look overcrowded. However, using small-scale patterns only can make the room look small. By integrating larger moldings or architectural features, it can make the bathroom look more relevant.
Highlight Texture Over Color
Adding texture, instead of color can make the room look more interesting. You could add at least one unique element such as a unique piece of art, a cool mirror, or a fashionable sink. By adding this carefully chosen element, you can transform your small, boring bathroom into a chic, cute one.
A Piece of Art Can Add Dimension
Installing art on the walls can also help in improving your space. Landscapes, in particular, can add more dimension to the walls. Adding lighting effects can also emphasize architectural features. Illuminating art and dead corners can make your bathroom more functional and comfortable. When hanging a beautiful painting on the wall of your bathroom, be sure that it is not valuable as it can get damaged by water and humidity.
Use Bright Lights to Make the Room Feel Bigger
As long as the space is well lit, then it can always look larger. If you have the right budget, then it would be smart to redistribute the lights and put them on the dimmer areas. You could also preset the mood control to get your desired ambiance. The best decorative pieces for a small bathroom would be wall mount fixtures, you just have to make sure that nobody will bump into them.
Install Wall Tiles Up to the Ceiling
If you have a small bathroom, your aim would be to create an impression that you have a taller ceiling. One of the best ways to do this is to install tiles up to the ceiling. This can make the ceilings look higher. To draw attention, you can install a decorative or colored tile near the upper wall and ceiling line.
Be Aware of the Placement of Your Door
Your bathroom door should swing out, instead of swinging in, as this will take up space when a person enters the room. A better choice to consider would be to use pocket doors. If there is only a limited space, then be sure that your bathroom door does not open in front of the toilet. It is preferable if it opens towards a wall rather than on the toilet.
Install Shower or Bathtub Against the Farthest Wall
Typically, if you have some available space, then it’s best to place your shower or tub area on the farthest wall. This can maximize the space in your bathroom. As much as possible, there should be a window on this wall. The sink should be placed in an area where it can be seen as you come in and the toilet will be placed between.
Casci Design Works Inc. offers home design services. If you need to renovate your kitchen or bathroom, then you can contact us at 916-216-2786 or send us your inquiries at sfcasci@gmail.com.