9 Design Ideas for Small Bathrooms
Check out the clever ways Houzz designers have made these little bathrooms function brilliantly and look beautiful
These small spaces all contain clever ideas worth bookmarking if you’re about to embark on a bathroom renovation. Even if you have a little more room to play with, there are plenty of bathroom-boosting ideas to inspire here, from savvy storage to clever tiling, that will help you make the most of one of the busiest rooms in the home.
1. Ditch the shower tray
Using a flush, tiled-over shower tray is now the standard way to create a wet room floor. It’s also a fantastic space-optimiser, since it allows tiles to run uninterrupted across the whole room, giving a sense of more space than if they stopped to accommodate a raised shower floor.
In this bathroom by Kitty Lee Architecture in Sydney, NSW, the designer has also forgone a vanity unit to give the wall more space to ‘breathe’ around the basin. The lack of storage is compensated for by a generous bank of mirrored (so space- and light-boosting) cabinetry.
There’s also space on the right side of the basin for setting down toothbrushes and cosmetics, and an open ledge for placement of more decorative items, making use of the area created by hiding the plumbing for the concealed-cistern toilet.
Using a flush, tiled-over shower tray is now the standard way to create a wet room floor. It’s also a fantastic space-optimiser, since it allows tiles to run uninterrupted across the whole room, giving a sense of more space than if they stopped to accommodate a raised shower floor.
In this bathroom by Kitty Lee Architecture in Sydney, NSW, the designer has also forgone a vanity unit to give the wall more space to ‘breathe’ around the basin. The lack of storage is compensated for by a generous bank of mirrored (so space- and light-boosting) cabinetry.
There’s also space on the right side of the basin for setting down toothbrushes and cosmetics, and an open ledge for placement of more decorative items, making use of the area created by hiding the plumbing for the concealed-cistern toilet.
2. Decide on your priorities
Do you need a standalone or even a stand-up shower? If yours is a family bathroom where the bath is the most-used element, and perhaps somewhere also enjoyed for luxury soaks by the grown-ups, then use your limited space to squeeze in the tub of your dreams.
Most bath types come in a variety of sizes, and a smaller-scale version of what you have in mind may well work.
Visually, this double-ended slipper design, chosen for this mini bathroom in Portland, USA, by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, creates a sense of space – there’s plenty of floor visible at either end. It also highlights the pretty window as a feature. (Consider frosted lower panes if you’re overlooked.)
Renovating your bathroom? Find an experienced bathroom designer near you on Houzz
Do you need a standalone or even a stand-up shower? If yours is a family bathroom where the bath is the most-used element, and perhaps somewhere also enjoyed for luxury soaks by the grown-ups, then use your limited space to squeeze in the tub of your dreams.
Most bath types come in a variety of sizes, and a smaller-scale version of what you have in mind may well work.
Visually, this double-ended slipper design, chosen for this mini bathroom in Portland, USA, by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, creates a sense of space – there’s plenty of floor visible at either end. It also highlights the pretty window as a feature. (Consider frosted lower panes if you’re overlooked.)
Renovating your bathroom? Find an experienced bathroom designer near you on Houzz
3. Lift and separate
Floating furniture is a popular design trick for preventing a small space from feeling crowded. In this small bathroom designed by Fraher and Findlay in London, UK, the vanity unit is not only wall-hung to keep the whole of the floor visible, it also packs two drawers-worth of storage into a small piece of furniture.
Floating designs can also make cleaning the floor much easier.
Note the plain and almost invisible glass shower screen too – going frameless reduces visual division, helping to create a seamless space.
Floating furniture is a popular design trick for preventing a small space from feeling crowded. In this small bathroom designed by Fraher and Findlay in London, UK, the vanity unit is not only wall-hung to keep the whole of the floor visible, it also packs two drawers-worth of storage into a small piece of furniture.
Floating designs can also make cleaning the floor much easier.
Note the plain and almost invisible glass shower screen too – going frameless reduces visual division, helping to create a seamless space.
4. Tuck storage into dead space
Often, there will be a narrow gap between the end of a bath and the wall. It could be tiled over and used as a small, extra surface, but if more storage is required, how about this clever idea, created by Best Builders in Vancouver, Canada?
The very slim space is fully maximised with storage that goes up to the ceiling. The pull-out function also makes it easy to access everything inside, leaving no wasted space.
Often, there will be a narrow gap between the end of a bath and the wall. It could be tiled over and used as a small, extra surface, but if more storage is required, how about this clever idea, created by Best Builders in Vancouver, Canada?
The very slim space is fully maximised with storage that goes up to the ceiling. The pull-out function also makes it easy to access everything inside, leaving no wasted space.
5. Choose uniformity
The unusual tiling is the most striking feature of this small attic bathroom, rather than its size.
The designers, Studio 30 Architects in London, UK, chose to wrap square white tiles with dark grout around the basin and shower to minimise their visual impact. The effect, particularly thanks to the unusual curved edges (the product is called DTile) is that these features blend into the wall and floor respectively.
The addition of a mirror positioned to duplicate the skylight also helps to expand the room visually.
The unusual tiling is the most striking feature of this small attic bathroom, rather than its size.
The designers, Studio 30 Architects in London, UK, chose to wrap square white tiles with dark grout around the basin and shower to minimise their visual impact. The effect, particularly thanks to the unusual curved edges (the product is called DTile) is that these features blend into the wall and floor respectively.
The addition of a mirror positioned to duplicate the skylight also helps to expand the room visually.
6. Add a half wall
A shower screen need not run all the way to the floor, particularly if the space could be better used with the addition of a half wall.
Here, rather than closing off the walk-in shower with a solid wall or, conversely, exposing the whole lot with a space-hogging floor-to-ceiling screen, this teensy London bathroom designed by Vorbild Architecture cleverly has a short wall. This allows the toilet to be housed against it, while still having a large glazed area that lets in plenty of light and makes the room look bigger.
Check out the space-saving corner shelving in the shower, too.
A shower screen need not run all the way to the floor, particularly if the space could be better used with the addition of a half wall.
Here, rather than closing off the walk-in shower with a solid wall or, conversely, exposing the whole lot with a space-hogging floor-to-ceiling screen, this teensy London bathroom designed by Vorbild Architecture cleverly has a short wall. This allows the toilet to be housed against it, while still having a large glazed area that lets in plenty of light and makes the room look bigger.
Check out the space-saving corner shelving in the shower, too.
7. Don’t overlook a nook
In this attic bathroom in Leeds, UK, Storylines Interior Design has made use of every centimetre available for storage. Not only is the slope over the toilet capitalised upon for open shelving, but a small cupboard for less-used items has been squeezed in next to the basin.
Talk to your designer or builder about the cavities in the walls of your bathroom to see how best you can exploit space that’s not immediately obvious.
Browse more bold bathroom designs
In this attic bathroom in Leeds, UK, Storylines Interior Design has made use of every centimetre available for storage. Not only is the slope over the toilet capitalised upon for open shelving, but a small cupboard for less-used items has been squeezed in next to the basin.
Talk to your designer or builder about the cavities in the walls of your bathroom to see how best you can exploit space that’s not immediately obvious.
Browse more bold bathroom designs
8. Combine a bath and shower
In a small space, the choice may often come down to having either a bath or a standalone shower. Combining the two can be seen as a poor compromise, but, as this stylish London bathroom designed by Thomas Alexander shows, it doesn’t have to be.
The smart choice of all-over tiling creates the functionality of a wet room, meaning a shower screen (which might provide too rigid a divide in a little room like this) can be swapped for this soft shower curtain to the floor and a curved feature bath. Splashes have been catered for, so the curtain doesn’t need to be 100 percent watertight.
In a small space, the choice may often come down to having either a bath or a standalone shower. Combining the two can be seen as a poor compromise, but, as this stylish London bathroom designed by Thomas Alexander shows, it doesn’t have to be.
The smart choice of all-over tiling creates the functionality of a wet room, meaning a shower screen (which might provide too rigid a divide in a little room like this) can be swapped for this soft shower curtain to the floor and a curved feature bath. Splashes have been catered for, so the curtain doesn’t need to be 100 percent watertight.
9. Create a focal feature
Rather than trying to disguise your bathroom’s compact dimensions, give users something else to focus on.
Whether it’s a strikingly tiled single wall, a feature floor, or – as in this compact UK wash space by Malcolm Duffin Design – a wallpapered ceiling in a graphic pattern, the effect is to give the room a sense of drama and importance, which can help to detract from its petite proportions.
Your turn
Which of these bathroom ideas would help boost space in your home? Let us know in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Need more renovating advice? Read up on the 10 Dos & Don’ts of Designing a Kitchen Island
Rather than trying to disguise your bathroom’s compact dimensions, give users something else to focus on.
Whether it’s a strikingly tiled single wall, a feature floor, or – as in this compact UK wash space by Malcolm Duffin Design – a wallpapered ceiling in a graphic pattern, the effect is to give the room a sense of drama and importance, which can help to detract from its petite proportions.
Your turn
Which of these bathroom ideas would help boost space in your home? Let us know in the Comments below. And while you’re at it, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Need more renovating advice? Read up on the 10 Dos & Don’ts of Designing a Kitchen Island
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