5 Solutions to Small-Bathroom Problems
Whether your room lacks a separate shower, adequate storage or a sense of spaciousness, there are remedies at hand
Barely have room to hang a towel in your bathroom? Don’t stress. We’ve identified common problem areas for small bathrooms and have come up with some techniques that will help increase the sense of space. Whether it’s with clever storage or space-enhancing tricks, you can take your modest bathroom from awkward to awesome. All it takes is a bit of planning and smart choices to make it feel bigger.
Visually elongate the floor even further by choosing a tile, or luxury vinyl, with bold lines that will draw the eye the full length of the room.
2. No Space For a Separate Shower Enclosure
In homes with just one bathroom, retaining the tub is most likely to be non-negotiable, particularly when there are little ones to bathe, so fitting in a separate shower is often impossible.
Solution: With recent advances in waterproofing and high-performance glass, designers are turning to the wet-room-and-bath combo to meet practical and aesthetic demands. By adding a wet-room floor, the space between the sink and tub can be dedicated to a walk-in shower area. Meanwhile, a frameless screen ensures there’s no visual interruption, allowing a clean, uncluttered view through the space.
In homes with just one bathroom, retaining the tub is most likely to be non-negotiable, particularly when there are little ones to bathe, so fitting in a separate shower is often impossible.
Solution: With recent advances in waterproofing and high-performance glass, designers are turning to the wet-room-and-bath combo to meet practical and aesthetic demands. By adding a wet-room floor, the space between the sink and tub can be dedicated to a walk-in shower area. Meanwhile, a frameless screen ensures there’s no visual interruption, allowing a clean, uncluttered view through the space.
Of course, the other option is to combine the shower and the bath, which is cheaper and more practical. This layout may not feel as luxurious as a walk-in shower, but if you opt for a frameless glass screen, you will achieve a similar contemporary look that will maximize the sense of space and light.
3. A Lack of Storage Equals Tons of Clutter
Who doesn’t want a serene, tidy bathroom with everything in its place? But finding enough storage for the countless plastic bottles and toiletries can be a relentless task in a compact space.
Solution: Become a shrewd space invader and steal some valuable territory from unused areas of the room. If you use the bath for washing the kiddies and taking a shower but never for a long lay-back-and-relax soak, consider fitting a mini tub so you can free up space for a cabinet or shelves. Or maybe have a recessed shelf built inside the shower area so you can store shampoos off the floor and out of sight. Ensure every inch is used for its storage potential, and your small space will feel calm and tranquil.
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Who doesn’t want a serene, tidy bathroom with everything in its place? But finding enough storage for the countless plastic bottles and toiletries can be a relentless task in a compact space.
Solution: Become a shrewd space invader and steal some valuable territory from unused areas of the room. If you use the bath for washing the kiddies and taking a shower but never for a long lay-back-and-relax soak, consider fitting a mini tub so you can free up space for a cabinet or shelves. Or maybe have a recessed shelf built inside the shower area so you can store shampoos off the floor and out of sight. Ensure every inch is used for its storage potential, and your small space will feel calm and tranquil.
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Don’t forget the wall space behind the toilet. This often-overlooked area is ideal for shelves or even a bathroom cabinet.
And what about this for a nifty idea? Building a pullout cubby below the bath will provide valuable storage for items such as toilet rolls, cleaning products or even children’s bath toys.
4. Limited Space For a Deep Sink or Vanity
Finding a ready-made vanity that will fit the narrowest of spaces, but will still provide plenty of storage, can feel like an impossible task.
Solution: Look to more creative ways of tackling extremely slim bathrooms and solving the space issue. Having a vanity or storage cabinets built to your own design and exact dimensions will be a big luxury, not to mention a big cost, but it will transform your awkward bathroom into a functional space that everyone can use. What’s more, stylish cabinetry will take the focus away from a petite sink or faucets that aren’t very glamorous.
Finding a ready-made vanity that will fit the narrowest of spaces, but will still provide plenty of storage, can feel like an impossible task.
Solution: Look to more creative ways of tackling extremely slim bathrooms and solving the space issue. Having a vanity or storage cabinets built to your own design and exact dimensions will be a big luxury, not to mention a big cost, but it will transform your awkward bathroom into a functional space that everyone can use. What’s more, stylish cabinetry will take the focus away from a petite sink or faucets that aren’t very glamorous.
Wall-mounting the faucets will also save on valuable space around the sink area and will mean you can position the sink up against the wall to gain more depth.
5. Landlocked Bathroom With No Natural Light
A tiny bathroom with no window: It’s a double whammy. And it can feel even smaller if the lighting scheme is dark and gloomy.
Solution: LED downlights are an energy-efficient option for bathrooms and will safely light up the wet areas as well as provide task lighting over the basin. It’s also important to consider the ambience in windowless rooms that don’t benefit from soft, natural light. Having a couple of bathroom wall lights on either side of a mirror will balance out the bright overheads and offer a more flattering welcome first thing in the morning.
A tiny bathroom with no window: It’s a double whammy. And it can feel even smaller if the lighting scheme is dark and gloomy.
Solution: LED downlights are an energy-efficient option for bathrooms and will safely light up the wet areas as well as provide task lighting over the basin. It’s also important to consider the ambience in windowless rooms that don’t benefit from soft, natural light. Having a couple of bathroom wall lights on either side of a mirror will balance out the bright overheads and offer a more flattering welcome first thing in the morning.
Or go down the more expensive route of adding a skylight. Large or small, the glow from the skylight will bring another dimension to the tiny room, drawing the eye up and out and bringing in natural light.
Tell us: How have you increased the sense of space in your small bathroom? Share your experiences in the Comments.
More on Houzz
The Joyful, Clutter-Free Home: Bath
Browse photos of compact baths for inspiration
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for bathroom organizing products
Tell us: How have you increased the sense of space in your small bathroom? Share your experiences in the Comments.
More on Houzz
The Joyful, Clutter-Free Home: Bath
Browse photos of compact baths for inspiration
Find a bathroom remodeler
Shop for bathroom organizing products
This is a common problem for some master baths and shower rooms that are a new addition and face an extremely tight footprint in which to squeeze a toilet, sink and shower.
Solution: Keep everything off the ground and you will expand the sense of floor space. Opt for a floating sink, toilet and even furniture, and the edges of the tiny room will be out of view beneath the suspended fixtures, making the floor area appear larger. It’s easier to clean too.
Find a bathroom designer near you