Some of us sadly haven’t been blessed with copious amounts of tiled space for our bathroom (ugh, a girl can dream) and so, with a slight lack of dancing space, limited natural lighting and one less fixture than your average kitchen, it’s fair to say this room can often present itself as a challenge to decorate.
There are plenty of little tricks of the trade on how to make this space feel more spacious and efficient. We’ve compiled some inspiration and suggested ways in which you could potentially maximise on your bathroom space with the use of nifty storage, considered layout and which colours to weave in, that won’t compromise on the final aesthetic.
Storage Units
There are copious amounts of storage options available, it’s really down to the style of bathroom décor you’re hoping to achieve. Perhaps you wish for a super slick, minimalist space? In that case, storage complete with soft-closing doors and drawers to keep everything out of sight might be your chosen style. Or maybe you prefer a period style of décor and are in full swing of your grandma-core era, and instead prefer wooden cabinets and baskets for your particular style of bathroom. You can take a look at our Bathroom storage Ideas post, for small storage solutions.
Whichever you choose, when adapting any style into a small-sized bathroom, is to consider what will be the most efficient use of space. Storage units above the sink or toilet are great for creating more shelving space, and ladders for hanging towels won’t take up any additional space.
Additionally, floating storage is an excellent option. Keeping things elevated will give the illusion of more space, and you can even use the space underneath, for extra storage - some baskets to slide underneath, to store your bath sheets and towels, would make a great addition too.
Consider Paint Colour
I mean, the possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing a paint colour - perhaps even a little overwhelming at times. If you have windows, soft, muted colours like greys, creams and whites will reflect the natural light and help to make the space feel bigger. Darker colours will make your space feel more intimate and cosy - so it depends how you wish the space to feel. Avoid feature walls, as matching walls will help to enhance the space and don’t forget about woodwork; paint them a little lighter than the walls to add brightness.
Paint colour should also be relatively similar to the flooring you’ve chosen - tonally cohesive, so that the eye follows the walls to the floor, rather than enhancing a striking difference between the two surfaces.
If you want to add more texture, tiling both the walls and floor will do exactly that, as well as creating the illusion of more space. Like having the same paint colour, by matching the floor tiles to the walls, creates a seamless and spacious feel as well as a luxurious spa-like touch. Adding textured and coloured tiles is also a good way of injecting colour and character to your bathroom, which can often feel a bit cold and sterile with just blanket white tiling.
Mirrors
Mirrors are a quick and effective way to create the illusion of more space within a small bathroom. You could fit wall-to-wall mirrors for a bold bathroom look, effectively replicating a window, or if that feels a little much for you, a simple hanging mirror or one on a cupboard front will do just the trick.
If your space does have a window, position the mirror/s so that they can reflect the views from outside, to help make the space feel bigger.
Shower Doors
Naturally, your shower is a pretty big player within your bathroom space, and so bound to take up space. There are endless options for the shower door, that’ll help to enhance and make your space feel bigger. A glass door, or screen will protect your flooring, without hindering on space, but equally you may not wish to have one at all, and opt for a ‘wet-room’ look - just ensure you have sufficient drainage.
Alternatively, you could go for a soft, long linen curtain. Consider hanging them on track from the ceiling, rather than the walls to help exaggerate the height of the bathroom space. Linen is a lightweight and natural option, which would help to soften the space and add another texture to what may feel like a very shiny room.
Placement of Fixtures
When thinking how to make a small bathroom space feel bigger, minimising pipework on show, preferably without the need of a large cabinet to conceal it, will help to enhance the area. Consider wall-mounted taps, or perhaps those positioned to the side of the sink to help keep the area clear.
A towel rail fixed onto the wall will also free floor space, and if it's in reaching distance to you as you get out the shower - even better!