Big Design Ideas for Small Baths
Many homeowners have small scale bathrooms that they think can’t be remodeled significantly because of the limits of the room’s modest footprint. For a creative design professional, however, space limitations are just a design challenge waiting to be overcome. Don’t forget, Europeans have been turning coat closets into bathrooms for most of the last century. It can be done. And it can be done beautifully. Here are some of our secrets for remodeling petite baths that will help you create a stunning bathroom you’ll be delighted with.
1. If there’s no one under 10 using your small bathroom regularly, consider eliminating the tub. Radical, yes. But also successful for enlarging the space. When you extend the flooring from the doorway all the way into the shower area without the tub wall or even a curb cutting off the square footage of the shower, the room will feel decidedly larger.
2. Extend shower tile to the ceiling and across the entire adjoining wall. Just like the continuous flooring, if the shower is an extension of the back wall with nothing but a frameless glass door separating it from the rest of the room, the open space of the room expands.
3. Install a wall-mounted sink cabinet. Wall-mounted cabinets are a great compromise between traditional but space-hogging to-the-floor vanity cabinets and impractical pedestal sinks with absolutely no storage. These cabinets have storage space for essentials, but they don’t have the mass or bulk of cabinets extending all the way to the floor.
4. Add recessed or hidden storage. Build in storage behind the mirror, above the toilet or recessed between wall studs next to the toilet or shower. Storage need only be 6"- 9” deep for artfully folded or rolled towels and a myriad of other essentials. Open, mirrored or with an obscured glass door on it, this kind of storage area can add practicality without impinging on your perception of openness in the room.
5. Re-design your lighting. Add or replace the light above the shower with a recessed LED can for moist areas and add or replace general room lighting with additional recessed LED cans or a spectacular decorative room light that becomes a focal point. An updated stylish vanity light above the mirror can often enliven the room. Light beside the mirror is the most flattering light which can be achieved with wall sconces or hanging pendants.
If you’d like to get professional advice on how these concepts can be put to work in your small bathroom, please call us for a design consultation. We would be happy to develop a plan to transform your tiny bathroom into a precious gem.
