How To: Small Bathroom Ideas

We don’t all have the luxury of space in our bathroom. What most of us do have is an overflowing drawer of make-up, deodorants, razors, spare toothpaste and toilet roll, and those sample size amenities we take from hotels, with the thought that they’ll be useful for the gym or our next holiday (but yet we never remember pack them!)

While clever storage can help hide your bits and pieces, it’s also useful to give the illusion of more room, especially if you have partners and your family taking up precious sink space.

Here’s some basic tips to making that bathroom appear a little more spacious.

The illusion of height

Vertical lines can add height to a room by drawing the eye upwards.

Try:

• Extending tiles to the ceilings to make the room seem larger.
• Painting a vertical stripe on the wall
• Using (bathroom friendly) wallpaper with a striped pattern

Another way to draw the eye upwards is by lining the edge, or ‘crown’ of the ceiling with a border; perhaps a cornice, or a patterned tile around the top of the walls.

Lights & mirrors

Mirrors

• Mirrors are a great way to add depth, width and length to a small room.
• Using mirrors can help distribute light through a room, making it appear brighter.

Light

• Clear shower screens (as opposed to opaque) give the illusion extra space and light.
• A fully frameless shower screen doesn’t create any visual barriers at all and can work brilliantly in a small bathroom.
• Make use of natural light, don’t block windows with heavy blinds.
• Consider a skylight. A skylight will solve problems if the room is oriented away from the sun.

Go natural: A guide to skylights 

Illuminating the perimeter of the room will make it seem larger, and also get rid of dark corners.

Tip: Place shelves on the walls near the ceiling and fit lights underneath them.
Tip: Be careful not to over do it, one mirror is generally enough.

Colour

Keep it simple in a small place. Busy patterns will do you no and bold colours should be used with caution – and a little education.

For example, don’t use a busy wallpaper pattern, as the room will seem smaller and more cluttered.

Light coloured walls, floors and décor can make a room seem larger. Think of using pastel tones, neutrals or whites.

If you want to add a pop of colour, consider doing it with a bright bath mat and some towels, or some plants or accessories, such as a toothbrush holder.

Tiles

Larger tiles in your bathroom create a sense of space, you’ll need fewer tiles to cover your space, which means less grouting and lines breaking things up visually.

You can also add space by showing off as much of the floor as possible.

Try and avoid large floor covering vanities and extras in your bathroom so you can maximise the floor that can be seen. Consider a pedestal sink and mounting storage on the walls, not near the floor.

A vanity unit can take up a lot of floor space and is best avoided.

Read more: Money saving ideas for tiling in the home

Storage, sinks & baths

Pedestal basins are a great way of adding space, as they don’t sit atop a bulky structure. However, when choosing one of these basins, keep in mind your storage needs, if you have a lot of bits you may need to consider one with a shelf.

Make sure you include adequate storage as clutter only exacerbates the problems of a small bathroom. Exposed shelving, recessed cabinets and floating cabinets are a good option, with the latter leaving more exposed floor space.

Placing the toilet in an alcove will make efficient use of a small bathroom, and above the toilet is a great place to fit a shelf, too.

If you want to include a relaxing bath then think about opting for a small but deep model.

Doors

Sliding doors can be a great addition to a small room as they allow for that extra bit of space – every bit helps! They can be hidden in wall cavities, or go outside the room if needed, providing a clean look for your room.

If you are using a hinged door, don’t clutter your walls with towel racks. Hang them on the back of the door instead.

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Main photo: Kate Hunter