How to Gain Valuable Space in Tiny Bathrooms
These five tips show how even a little bathroom space can go a long way
Pangaea
5 June 2014
When you think about your bathroom, do words such as ‘itsy-bitsy’, ‘minuscule’ and ‘claustrophobic’ pop into your head? Or perhaps you’re going to add a new bathroom with limited square metreage. Not sure how to fit everything you need into the space? Not to worry. These tips will show you how to get the most out of whatever room you do have.
1. Claim as much space as possible
Creating niches is a great way to use space you might not even know you have. Inside your walls are studs, and they are usually about 40 centimetres apart, while the depth of the stud plus the plasterboard on the front of it gives you a little over 10 centimetres in depth. If this is an interior wall that does not have insulation or plumbing running through it, that is space you can use.
This tall niche next to the vanity pictured here has glass shelves and lighting at the top. It provides a handy place for a towel or toiletries, and it looks beautiful at the same time.
Tip: When using open storage like this, transfer toiletries out of their ho-hum, mishmash plastic bottles and into decorative containers. It will instantly make the room feel less cluttered and more stylish.
Creating niches is a great way to use space you might not even know you have. Inside your walls are studs, and they are usually about 40 centimetres apart, while the depth of the stud plus the plasterboard on the front of it gives you a little over 10 centimetres in depth. If this is an interior wall that does not have insulation or plumbing running through it, that is space you can use.
This tall niche next to the vanity pictured here has glass shelves and lighting at the top. It provides a handy place for a towel or toiletries, and it looks beautiful at the same time.
Tip: When using open storage like this, transfer toiletries out of their ho-hum, mishmash plastic bottles and into decorative containers. It will instantly make the room feel less cluttered and more stylish.
When nature calls, tight spaces can make reaching for the loo roll quite a feat; a recessed niche gives you extra room to move and can make the experience a lot more comfortable.
A towel niche works very well in a tiny bathroom, because towel rails and rings normally protrude up to 10 centimetres from the wall and eat up valuable room. This type of niche gives you extra storage without taking up space, and it frames the towels so they look neat and tidy.
If you are serious about gaining some space, then consider taking your shower niche to the extreme in size. The black band to the left is a niche that runs the entire length of the wall. This is a very custom way to go and involves framing out that space, so it increases the cost of creating this shower. But wow! You would have room to place everything you need for the shower or bath.
If you put shelves in your niche, then you can go to the extreme vertically instead of horizontally. This is a slightly more affordable option when it comes to the work of constructing the wall.
2. Reclaim door space
This bathroom has a pocket door that takes up zero space in the room. And what I particularly love about this sliding door is that it has a handle that’s easy to get hold of. Most pocket doors have a tiny, circular depression to hold so it can slide all the way inside the wall. If you can make your pocket door opening a little wider, then you can spare a few centimetres for a skinny, vertical handle like this.
This bathroom has a pocket door that takes up zero space in the room. And what I particularly love about this sliding door is that it has a handle that’s easy to get hold of. Most pocket doors have a tiny, circular depression to hold so it can slide all the way inside the wall. If you can make your pocket door opening a little wider, then you can spare a few centimetres for a skinny, vertical handle like this.
Notice that in this bathroom, if the door had been a swinging type, it would bang into the bathtub. The sliding door was the perfect solution here.
Pocket doors slide within the wall, while barn door hardware lets you slide a door along the outside of a wall. Sometimes you have wall space where you can slide a door, but there are pipes or electrical within the wall that would be hard to reroute. A barn door style slider might then be a good option for you.
Using a translucent material is a great way to allow extra light into the room and still provide privacy. It also is a great style statement in this home.
Using a translucent material is a great way to allow extra light into the room and still provide privacy. It also is a great style statement in this home.
Bi-fold doors are an option you don’t see very often. When people think about those, they usually picture those louvred ones hiding laundry facilities. But these beautiful wood and frosted-glass bi-fold doors are a great way to minimise the space taken up by a door that swings its full width into a room. These take up half the space when folded.
If your bathroom door swings inward and a pocket door isn’t an option, consider flipping it around so it opens out away from the room. Yes, it will require some work on the framing around the door, but it can be worth it to not have to try to scoot around the door when it is open and taking up space in your room. You also might need to open your door with a little more caution to avoid whacking someone coming down the hall – but this may be an acceptable trade-off when you are desperate for a little extra room.
Tip: Let your door do double duty as a message centre or a full-length mirror. If family members get ready at different times of the morning, this is a perfect spot for everyone to post messages. If you need a full-length mirror and don’t have wall space for one, then putting a mirror on the door is a great idea.
Tip: Let your door do double duty as a message centre or a full-length mirror. If family members get ready at different times of the morning, this is a perfect spot for everyone to post messages. If you need a full-length mirror and don’t have wall space for one, then putting a mirror on the door is a great idea.
3. Think ‘wall-mounted’ to make great use of space
The tank of a wall-mounted toilet is inside the wall behind it, so it uses the depth of the wall to reduce how far it protrudes into the room.
Once in a while you may have things already inside the wall that would be problematic to reroute, so installing your wall-hung toilet recessed into the wall may not be right for you. But consider building out a section of wall specifically to house the carrier system. Although it won’t reduce how far the toilet protrudes into the room, you can create storage above it for a seamless look that is highly functional.
Capturing all of that storage space above the carrier system definitely costs a lot more than installing a cupboard on stilts that straddles your toilet tank, but it looks so much nicer.
The tank of a wall-mounted toilet is inside the wall behind it, so it uses the depth of the wall to reduce how far it protrudes into the room.
Once in a while you may have things already inside the wall that would be problematic to reroute, so installing your wall-hung toilet recessed into the wall may not be right for you. But consider building out a section of wall specifically to house the carrier system. Although it won’t reduce how far the toilet protrudes into the room, you can create storage above it for a seamless look that is highly functional.
Capturing all of that storage space above the carrier system definitely costs a lot more than installing a cupboard on stilts that straddles your toilet tank, but it looks so much nicer.
This is one more bathroom with the same idea of using that space that would normally not be fully used above a toilet tank. It's a very clean-lined and uncluttered look.
A wall-mounted vanity will give you some undersink storage while visually opening up your bathroom space because you can see the floor all the way back. If storage isn’t such a huge issue, but the feeling of being crowded is what’s bothering you in your small bathroom, this solution is still better than a pedestal sink because of the storage space. And it isn’t any harder than hanging wall cupboards in the kitchen.
These little wall-mounted sinks also have the benefit of using corner space. Corners are often wasted space in a small bathroom, and these are a great way to use that space.
A custom wall-mounted organiser next to the toilet keeps items handy and off the floor. I like this better than baskets and magazine holders on the floor around a toilet.
4. Take a page out of kitchen-cupboard efficiency
The cabinets on either side of this shower are roll-out cabinets. We often see this kind of thing in kitchen pantry cupboards, where a roll-out organiser lets you reach things stored in the back of a deep cupboard. Without the roll-out function, the full depth on either side of this shower wouldn’t be easy to access.
The cabinets on either side of this shower are roll-out cabinets. We often see this kind of thing in kitchen pantry cupboards, where a roll-out organiser lets you reach things stored in the back of a deep cupboard. Without the roll-out function, the full depth on either side of this shower wouldn’t be easy to access.
Cabinets under the sink are often totally wasted space because they are just an empty box; once things go in, you can’t see anything at the back. Installing drawers under the sink maximises every cubic centimetre of space. These drawers are U-shaped to slide around the pipes under the sink.
5. Find great spots for shelving
Shelving isn’t a new idea for wall-mounted storage. But is there a spot that you haven’t thought about for that shelving? How about the end wall of a bathtub? This might not work if you have a shower-bath combo, but it’s great for a tub on its own. This shelf is mounted high enough in this shower-bath to avoid any water spray.
Tip: Using white towels in an all-white bathroom provides a minimalist, soothing look. You don’t have to go completely monochromatic, but a minimalist colour scheme will help to keep a small bathroom from looking busy.
Shelving isn’t a new idea for wall-mounted storage. But is there a spot that you haven’t thought about for that shelving? How about the end wall of a bathtub? This might not work if you have a shower-bath combo, but it’s great for a tub on its own. This shelf is mounted high enough in this shower-bath to avoid any water spray.
Tip: Using white towels in an all-white bathroom provides a minimalist, soothing look. You don’t have to go completely monochromatic, but a minimalist colour scheme will help to keep a small bathroom from looking busy.
Space above the door could be a bonus spot. You could also run open shelving above your vanity mirror or the full length of just about any wall as long as it is high enough so that you won’t bang your head. Toilet paper or rolled-up towels can be stored attractively in this way.
No matter where you mount those shelves, they should fill the space and relate to the style of the bathroom. Adding shelving that doesn't quite fill the wall or relate in style makes it look like an afterthought. Often, it takes having custom shelving to fully use the space and give the room that designer look that we love.
6. Go seamless
This tiny bathroom makes use of several techniques to maximise the space both functionally and visually. Creating a seamless shower area allows you to use the same flooring in an unbroken line, eliminating the chopped-up feeling created by a step up into the shower. Click on the photo to read the designer’s full description of all the things done to create a functional bathroom out of two former cupboards.
This tiny bathroom makes use of several techniques to maximise the space both functionally and visually. Creating a seamless shower area allows you to use the same flooring in an unbroken line, eliminating the chopped-up feeling created by a step up into the shower. Click on the photo to read the designer’s full description of all the things done to create a functional bathroom out of two former cupboards.
7. Use a vessel sink
The benchtop of this tiny cabinet would have been completely taken up by a standard type of sink. Using a bowl-shaped vessel sink frees up almost the entire top of this cabinet as usable space for toiletries. Using a wall-mounted tap also keeps the bench space free.
The benchtop of this tiny cabinet would have been completely taken up by a standard type of sink. Using a bowl-shaped vessel sink frees up almost the entire top of this cabinet as usable space for toiletries. Using a wall-mounted tap also keeps the bench space free.
Vessel sinks also free up space in the cabinet below that would normally have been taken up by the sink inside. Make use of that space below with cupboards or drawers.
Tell us
Have a great small bath? We’d love to see it. Please share your best design tip and a photo in the comments section.
More
How to Organise Your Bathroom Storage So You Can Relax
10 Ways to Add Extra Storage to Your Bathroom
Small Bathroom Ideas That Are Big on Style
12 Decorating Tricks to Make Small Bathrooms Work Harder
Tell us
Have a great small bath? We’d love to see it. Please share your best design tip and a photo in the comments section.
More
How to Organise Your Bathroom Storage So You Can Relax
10 Ways to Add Extra Storage to Your Bathroom
Small Bathroom Ideas That Are Big on Style
12 Decorating Tricks to Make Small Bathrooms Work Harder
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Our ensuite will have a semi-recessed basin, so we'll probably also use - if possible - a niche between studs to install a semi-recessed mirrored medicine cabinet. So even though we'll lose a bit of room in a wall hung vanity, we'll gain a bit of storage at shoulder height where it's more useful.