A small bathroom is often a fact of life, but ‘small’ doesn’t have to mean ‘cramped’.
Renovate your small bathroom with a free-flowing design that creates the illusion of scale. With the right layout, cabinetry, colouring, and more, any small bathroom can feel spacious and luxurious. Here’s how we do it at Principal Renovations.
Layout
You’ve heard us say this before, but the right layout for your room is key. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t put too much into a room — you can, if you use a clever layout. For example, keep fixtures to a minimum and avoid cramming in long bulky baths. A shorter, deeper soaker-bath frees up floor space without losing functionality.
Vanity
Choose a floating vanity to create an open, flowing effect (a floor-standing vanity will create defining lines that ‘box in’ the space). Go the extra mile and hide all pipework in the walls, keeping lines clean. Using an all-draw vanity will allow you to reduce the size of the vanity without compromising practical storage. Extra storage can also be created with floating shelving and mirrored cabinets.
Tapware
Wall-plate mixers and outlets above the vanity create an openness and look great whether you’re using a vessel style basin or an undermount. This keeps vanity tops clean, giving you more counter space for décor and bathroom essentials. It also makes it easier to wipe down countertops.
Palette
Keep colours light and neutral. You can still bring splashes of colour into the room with decor, artwork, or a beautiful plant. Again, if using a plant, keep it off the floor with a stand or shelf, or be bold and hang it from the ceiling. This helps lift the eye from the floor.
Tiles
Let’s dispel the myth right now — big tiles can go into small rooms (and they look great!). Large format tiles create a feeling of openness because they have fewer grout lines. This makes walls and floors look less busy, involves far less grout cleaning, and creates less water penetration.
Showers
Large, rain-style shower heads give even the smallest bathroom a luxurious feel. Place it above eye line to make the ceiling look higher. If you’re considering twin-outlet showers, keep fixtures to a minimum and consider a fixed position without the bulky rail. A frameless, clear glass shower screen will also open up the room as this negates the look of ‘chopping the room in half’. Like the floor-standing vanity, a framed (or semi-framed) shower screen creates defined lines — you want the room as open as possible.
Lighting
Using bright lighting in a small room is a great way to maximise space without actually adding more capacity. Using a recessed cool-white LED light in the ceiling gives great light and creates a lofty-feel because the light source is out of sight. Add ambient lighting by using string lights above the vanity, or a pendant light off centre to the vanity or bath. A well-placed mirror also opens the space because light is reflected, amplifying the room’s overall brightness.
