If you have a small bathroom and want to make it look more spacious and cozy, worry not. There is help on the way. Know that with the right design choices, you can actually MAKE extra space magically appear and here’s how!
1. White on White
No, don’t tear down the walls. Instead, create the spa-like retreat you are dreaming of by just adding lots of white and some white on top of white! Let’s explain. White fixtures, sparse white walls, and gleaming white tiles will help make the bathroom look bigger. Why? Because white has a remarkable ability to reflect light and make a space feel airy, no matter the size!
2. One Shade Decor
If you are not a huge fan of white or if your bathroom already has beige tiles and you can’t afford to start a renovation right now, you can try the tone-on-tone trick. This means that you keep the décor in a single shade and paint the walls in a way so that they match their tiles. This should give your bathroom a streamlined look.
Just be careful not to use dark shades, even monochromatic ones, or you’ll end up with the exact opposite result and have a tiny bathroom look that is even tinier. Now, if you have dark tiles, maybe you could paint the rest of the room a lighter shade to create balance.
3. Allow natural light to enter
This doesn’t mean that you’ll lose your privacy. Just let natural light in and make the room look bigger. This could be a window (not necessarily a floor-to-ceiling one) that you don’t cover anymore in dark shades. Instead, invest in frosted windows, and if this doesn’t work, you can always use a sheer curtain!
4. Use mirrors
It’s widely known that mirrors create the illusion of more space because they reflect light on the surfaces. This is why they could work in your bathroom, too. The question is, where should you put it? Hang it above the sink, or try something more innovative and effective?
Ditch the one-small-mirror-hanging-over-the-sink approach and go for multiple mirrors. Alternatively, you could use an oversized mirror and cover an entire wall. You’ll see for yourself that a full-length mirror against a wall will add depth and make the bathroom look less narrow.
5. Floating furniture & Open shelves
If you have lots of clutter to hide and need drawers in the bathroom, prefer a vanity without legs. Floating furniture attach to the wall and leave your floors clear. The same applies to open shelves that allow the eye to travel undisturbed from wall to wall.
On the other hand, closed cabinets take up a lot of space, both visually and physically. Besides, if you opt for open cabinets, to tend to keep the bathroom tidier since you are forced to be more selective as to what items you want kept in the room.
6. Go for smaller furniture
Attempting to install a large bathtub or a space-invading vanity in a super-small bathroom will make you feel suffocated in it. Better go for small pieces of furniture, such as an open-shelved single-sink vanity.
A pedestal sink could also work, as it will give you the minimal look you want. Plus, it looks lovely, especially if you pair it with an open glass-door cabinet.
7. Use clear glass
Like open shelves, clear glass gives the eye full reign to gallop to the lengths of the room. Consider having glass doors around a bath or your shower if you can afford it.
Don’t think that choosing an opaque shower door for added privacy will deliver the desired results. On the contrary, it will divide the space into the sink area and the shower space. This is why a clear glass door is much more preferred as it makes the room look bigger.
Besides, there is no real need to install an opaque door for privacy since you are alone in the bathroom, at least most of the time.
8. Go for big tiles
If you can change the tiles of your bathroom, choose large ones. Yes, it’s highly likely that you’ll feel drawn into subway tiles, but you will get lots of grout lines.
And, the more of them in a room, the smaller it looks. Better have a long line instead of lines that break the space up. Using the same tiles throughout the bathroom is also key.
9. Use storage boxes
In every small space, we need to think smart and use any storage space wisely. Likewise, keep your bathroom counter free from clutter and use storage boxes that save space instead. Plus, you’ll have your stuff organized.
10. Try an antique chair or side table
Many decorators like to add a long and thin side table or chair in the bathroom to hold your folded towels and make the room feel larger.
Thanks to the skinny legs, the chair or table create the illusion that they take less space than, say, a shelf. You can get the exact same effect with cabinets with legs, as long as they are spindly.
11. Save some inches
Usually, bathroom vanities come either 18 or 21 inches deep. Considering that the 3 extra inches will take over an extra row of tile, meaning more space, it’s better to go for the smaller versions. You may also want to try a pedestal-style vanity and see what happens!
12. Keep your supplies on the low side
A clever trick to make your bathroom look and feel more spacious is to keep every little thing you have in it below waist level.
Protruding shelves and cabinets make you feel somewhat caged, especially in small spaces. Besides, they make the room feel jammed and oh-so-cluttered even if you have hidden everything you had sitting on the countertop, from face creams to space toilet paper rolls.
So, it’s best to keep supplies low and, if you need to use a medicine cabinet, make sure it’s recessed into the wall and is installed at eye-level.
Do yo need more tips to make other small rooms in the home look larger? Check out these fantastics tricks to make your bedroom feel like a baseball court!
