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Having a small bathroom can pose its challenges. But with the right decor and layout, your bathroom can prove that good things do come in small packages. Whether it’s a spa oasis you want or a cool kids’ bathroom to wow your brood, a large space is not required. So, don’t start chipping away at any walls. You can do a lot with your existing square footage. “Making a small bathroom feel bigger can be achieved by using a few simple design tricks,” says Gina Knight, broker/owner of RE/MAX Finest in Crossville, TN.
Simple decor additions, a little paint, lighting and really rethinking your layout can transform your tiny bathroom into an expansive and brighter room. Your little powder room just may turn out to be your favorite area in the house.
Below, find a few design tips and tricks to maximize your bathroom.
1. Tile Continuity on Floor and Walls
Virtually Here Studios
Tiling can have an impactful look in your bathroom and using uninterrupted tiling in a small space can make a room feel larger.
Working on a space-challenged bathroom in a 400-square-foot guest house had its challenges for Kirsten Blazek, interior decorator/staging at A1000XBetter. But she had a solution.
“Despite its scale, I wanted to make sure it still felt spacious. One of my tips to make a small bathroom feel larger is to use the same tile on the floor and walls, creating a sense of continuity that makes a small room feel bigger,” says Blazek.
Danny Spears, CEO of Captex Construction says to select a linear tile and run it horizontally so that it stretches out the room. “Square tiles can feel bulky, while linear tiles are elongating. If you have to use square tiles, install them in a running bond pattern,” says Spears.
2. Paint or Wall Coverings to Stand Out Against Flooring
Mark Daniels
Selecting the right colors in your small bathroom can really set the tone and amp up the volume of your space.
“One way to do this is by using light colors,” says Knight. “Light colors reflect light, making the space feel brighter and more open.”
When choosing bathroom paint colors, Spears says to make sure the shade selected does not closely resemble the flooring color, which can make the space feel smaller.
“Define the space by picking a paint color that stands out against the floor. This will often make the bathroom appear bigger,” says Spears.
When designing a smaller bathroom space, Alice Arterberry and Barret Cooke, creative forces behind their architecture and interior design studio, Arterberry Cooke chose a bold wall covering and colors to give the room a happy vibe (pictured above).
“The colors and materials help it feel fun and not totally utilitarian,” says Arterberry and Cooke.
3. Add a Mirror
Getty Images
A well-placed mirror can help to reflect light and visually enlarge a space.
“A great way to make smaller bathrooms feel bigger is to swap out large, frameless mirrors for smaller, decorative mirrors with a minimal thin frame. This will give back some of the wall space and make the entire bathroom feel more spacious,” says Spears.
Hanging a mirror above the vanity unit can do wonders and transform your once small bathroom.
4. Use Glass for Shower Enclosures
Mellon Studio
Instead of using opaque shower curtains or doors, clear or frosted glass can make the space appear bigger.
“Clear glass allows light to flow through the space, making it feel more open. Frosted glass still allows for privacy while providing a similar effect,” says Knight.
Jessica Risko Smith, owner of Jessica Risko Smith interior Design, says she uses an all-glass shower and continues the same floor material throughout to create a more open feel.
“Creating the feeling of spaciousness in a small area is a bathroom’s greatest calling,” says Risko Smith.
5. Use Natural Light
Mellon Studio
The warm and bright light of the sun can not only bring better visibility to space, but can also give it a nice open, airy feel.
Risko Smith says in the above pictured bathroom that they relied on the use of natural light to make things feel larger.
“The skylight washes the subtle tones and veining in the stone slab with light and the white wall tile reflects light around the room,” says Risko Smith.
Arterberry and Cooke say a high window extends the space visually, by drawing your eye towards the light, extending the space past the exterior wall of the room.
Knight recommends using natural light as much as possible.
“This can be achieved by installing a skylight or a window. If the bathroom does not have a window, a solar tube can be installed to bring in natural light,” says Knight.
6. Small Scale Fixtures
Jill Weller
Having ill-fitting sinks, showers and toilets is a sure way to make a small bathroom feel even smaller. The solution: utilize small scale fixtures.
“Using small scale fixtures and fittings like a small bathroom sink, toilets and shower heads can create an illusion of a bigger space,” says Knight.
For example, Arterberry and Cooke say using a floating vanity can give the illusion of more space by allowing the flooring to be visible all the way to the walls.
Apart from fixtures, you’ll want to keep things organized and clutter free too.
“Using storage solutions like shelves, medicine cabinets and under-sink organizers can keep the bathroom essentials out of sight and the space will feel more open,” says Knight.
7. Light Up the Space
Madeline Harper
In small bathroom spaces, lighting is your best friend. Select lighting fixtures that maximize functionality and aesthetics.There are lots of lighting options to choose from, like pendants to downlights in the ceiling. Spears says bathroom sconces can be a nice addition.
“It’s a good idea to select simple, linear designs that hug close to the wall. Place these on either side of the mirror for a streamlined and classic look,” says Spears.
Pendant lights also work well in small bathrooms, since exposed bulbs bring plenty of light distribution.
“When it comes to pendant lighting, I tend to gravitate towards fixtures that have a slim, single bulb head to make the space feel fresh and modern,” says Spears.
