When renovating a bathroom, here on the Sunshine Coast, our clients sometimes quickly discover that their budget or property constraints don’t allow them to create their best space. However, there are several smart design tips and tricks to keep in mind that can help you achieve your design dreams. Let’s discuss how you can make a small bathroom feel bigger:
Design
With space at a premium in a cramped bathroom, every inch of space must be used effectively. A well-planned and hard-working design will prove to be a winning strategy. The final bathroom design will have the sink near the door, then the toilet, and at the furthest point from the entryway, the tub and/or shower. Tip: For aesthetic reasons, the toilet should not be the first thing you see when you enter the bathroom! Make sure to leave at least 50 cm between the edge of the seat and any sink cabinet or wall so that there is enough space for the knees of even the tallest users. Also, when planning your bathroom design, consider high ceilings in a small space, when possible. Opt for 2.7m high ceilings instead of standard 2.4m high ceilings. High ceilings will enhance the existing feeling of space.
Accessories and Accessories
There are a multitude of space-saving accessories and accessories available on the market today. For example, wall-mounted faucets can create even more space. Opt for a clean, rectangular sink instead of a round vanity; they usually take up more space. A compact and space-saving toilet cistern attached to the wall can provide more space than a standard toilet. This last option requires some thought, however, as plumbing problems with a wall-mounted or built-in cistern usually require opening up the wall cavity.
Doors and windows
A simple solution for a small bathroom is to use a cavity slider instead of a standard door in your bathroom renovation. Windows will bring in natural light that will also open up the room. If you can’t install/include windows, consider a skylight. The more light you can bring in, the more spacious and open your small bathroom will appear.
smart tiling
A good tile tip can help make your small bathroom feel bigger. Floor-to-ceiling tiles will make the space feel larger, as will using large tiles. The larger the tile, the larger the room will appear due to the scale and ratio of large tiles that trick the eye into thinking the space is larger. If you can’t run floor-to-ceiling tiles, match the wall paint color to your tiles to keep it tonal.
color
In terms of color, lighter colors make small spaces appear larger, so choose a lighter color palette over a darker one. Also, use one color for the entire room so there is less visual distraction that can visually divide the small room. Extra points if the color and the whole room is white! Our favorite white is Dulux Lexicon Quarter.
design tips
Using a few key styling tips can improve your space-saving renovation techniques. A mirror is a great way to enhance a small space, as it reflects natural light and opens up the room. Facing a window is a good place as it will double the amount of light. As with the tiles, again play with a sense of scale and go big with the size of your mirror. A frameless shower screen will have fewer lines and will therefore visually open up the room. A tiled wall niche in the shower cleverly creates additional storage while looking contemporary.
consider all options
Although moving any plumbing in a bathroom is generally avoided as it adds significant cost to the renovation, sometimes it’s worth it to free up space in a small bathroom if you add valuable floor space. Options may include relocating the toilet to its own separate room elsewhere in the house or, if the washer and/or dryer are in the bathroom, possibly moving them to a nearby closet.
A shower/tub combo arrangement is another smart solution that can provide a home with both a tub and a shower (a strong selling point for buyers with children) while optimizing valuable floor space.