Before and After: 4 Breezy Bathrooms in 60 Square Feet or Less
Get ideas for visually elongating and opening up a compact bath — without expanding or changing the layout
Fitting everything needed into a smaller bath can seem like a tall order. Fitting everything in while creating a serene and airy feel, harder still. But the designers of these four baths that are no bigger than 60 square feet did exactly that, without increasing the square footage. And in three of them, they did it without even changing the layout. Could any of their strategies help make your own bath a bit breezier? Have a look.
After: Gutting the space allowed Woodard to switch up the layout. A new shower sans tub now sits at the back, opposite the door, and the toilet and vanity are facing each other.
The designer went for lots of white and a glass shower enclosure; both give the space an airy feel and draw eyes all the way to the back wall and its lovely teal tile. A narrower entry to the bath with a pocket door also cleans up the look.
Tile: Roca Tile
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The designer went for lots of white and a glass shower enclosure; both give the space an airy feel and draw eyes all the way to the back wall and its lovely teal tile. A narrower entry to the bath with a pocket door also cleans up the look.
Tile: Roca Tile
Shop for bathroom vanities on Houzz
A floating vanity with deep drawers replaces a chunkier floor-sitting model. Woodard added a half wall on the left to make the vanity look custom-built for the space.
Other touches that help the 44-square-foot bath feel more open: a wall-mounted sink faucet, a mirrored medicine cabinet and tile that continues from the main floor into the shower.
See 10 more eye-catching bathroom accent walls
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Other touches that help the 44-square-foot bath feel more open: a wall-mounted sink faucet, a mirrored medicine cabinet and tile that continues from the main floor into the shower.
See 10 more eye-catching bathroom accent walls
Read more about this project
“After” photos by Natalia Robert Photography
2. Beachy and Bold
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired empty-nest couple
Location: Imperial Beach, California
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters)
Designers: Lynn Siemer of Blythe Interiors and her former colleague Liz Langley
Before: Part of a 1980s addition, this Southern California guest bathroom felt uninspired style-wise, and a prefabricated corner shower wasn’t doing it any favors. Expanding the shower was the primary goal, but designers Lynn Siemer and Liz Langley also managed to give every other component a makeover too — without changing the layout a bit.
2. Beachy and Bold
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired empty-nest couple
Location: Imperial Beach, California
Size: 45 square feet (4.2 square meters)
Designers: Lynn Siemer of Blythe Interiors and her former colleague Liz Langley
Before: Part of a 1980s addition, this Southern California guest bathroom felt uninspired style-wise, and a prefabricated corner shower wasn’t doing it any favors. Expanding the shower was the primary goal, but designers Lynn Siemer and Liz Langley also managed to give every other component a makeover too — without changing the layout a bit.
After: The new shower’s white palette creates an expansive feel and cedes the spotlight to a dynamic vinyl wallpaper featuring arches that nod to the waves of the nearby ocean. A glass shower enclosure enhances the openness, while blue floor tile boosts the coastal vibe.
A custom white oak vanity and a woven pendant light shade warm up the look and add organic notes.
Wallpaper: New Beat in blue and green, Schumacher; vanity: custom, Blythe Interiors; vanity hardware: Bit pull in flat black and honey bronze, Top Knobs; wall, ceiling and trim paint: Alabaster, Sherwin-Williams
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A custom white oak vanity and a woven pendant light shade warm up the look and add organic notes.
Wallpaper: New Beat in blue and green, Schumacher; vanity: custom, Blythe Interiors; vanity hardware: Bit pull in flat black and honey bronze, Top Knobs; wall, ceiling and trim paint: Alabaster, Sherwin-Williams
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
A narrower, elongated white toilet helps visually lengthen the room. Another smart move that helps the 45-square-foot space seem bigger: The wallpaper on the vanity wall travels over the shower and down the wall here to pull focus to the farthest reaches of the bath.
Toilet: Reach in white, Kohler
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Toilet: Reach in white, Kohler
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“After” photos by MPMG Spaces
3. Natural and Nurturing
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A family whose two daughters use this bathroom
Location: San Diego
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters); 6 by 9 feet
Designer: Alyce Lopez of The True House
Before: Murky lighting, inadequate storage and no style to speak of made this San Diego hall bath ripe for a makeover. As part of a whole-house remodel, designer Alyce Lopez created a space befitting the two young sisters who use it.
3. Natural and Nurturing
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A family whose two daughters use this bathroom
Location: San Diego
Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters); 6 by 9 feet
Designer: Alyce Lopez of The True House
Before: Murky lighting, inadequate storage and no style to speak of made this San Diego hall bath ripe for a makeover. As part of a whole-house remodel, designer Alyce Lopez created a space befitting the two young sisters who use it.
After: Lopez kept the location of the major elements but replaced every feature and finish. A pretty botanical wallpaper launched the look, and taking color cues from it are terra-cotta floor tile, a Roman shade and vanity cabinetry. The rest of the walls plus the shower, countertop and toilet are bright white, both for an airy feel and to set off the charming colors and patterns.
Mixed metals throughout — such as brass via the sink fixtures and sconces and polished nickel via the cabinet hardware and towel rings — add dashes of gleam.
Cabinets: San Diego Custom Cabinets
Mixed metals throughout — such as brass via the sink fixtures and sconces and polished nickel via the cabinet hardware and towel rings — add dashes of gleam.
Cabinets: San Diego Custom Cabinets
This slender shelving with a cabinet below is just one of the ways the designer added unobtrusive storage in the 54-square-foot space. The arched mirrors over the vanity (previous photo) are recessed medicine cabinets, the vanity has plenty of drawers, and a new shower niche gives each girl a shelf plus another to share.
10 Ways to Design Your Master Bath for Maximum Storage
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10 Ways to Design Your Master Bath for Maximum Storage
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“After” photos by Alyssa Lee Photography
4. Soothing and Spa-Like
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Plymouth, Minnesota
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Designer: Colleen Slack of Fox Interiors
Contractor: Stromberg Built
Before: Doors were the main issue in this Minnesota primary bath. One cut off the shower from the vanity area, two swung out toward the vanity and impeded flow, and one was absent between the bathroom and the bedroom. The homeowners also asked designer Colleen Slack for more storage and a relaxing spa look — a style they settled on by looking at Houzz ideabooks that Slack shared.
4. Soothing and Spa-Like
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Plymouth, Minnesota
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Designer: Colleen Slack of Fox Interiors
Contractor: Stromberg Built
Before: Doors were the main issue in this Minnesota primary bath. One cut off the shower from the vanity area, two swung out toward the vanity and impeded flow, and one was absent between the bathroom and the bedroom. The homeowners also asked designer Colleen Slack for more storage and a relaxing spa look — a style they settled on by looking at Houzz ideabooks that Slack shared.
After: Same layout, whole new look. Slack removed the door to the shower area and swapped the double doors for a single pocket door. Another pocket door now also provides separation from the bedroom, and a pullout cabinet provides a bit of privacy for the toilet. The new vanity has scads more storage than the old one, and a countertop cabinet adds even more while keeping the look streamlined.
Slack also expanded the shower, and its handmade-looking tile in various shades of pale green draws the eye to the back of the room. Two more design choice that help visually elongate and open up the space: The wood-look floor tile is squared to the walls rather than angled diagonally, and a clear glass sliding door has replaced the shower curtain.
Cabinet paint: Flora, Benjamin Moore; wall paint: First Star, Sherwin-Williams
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Slack also expanded the shower, and its handmade-looking tile in various shades of pale green draws the eye to the back of the room. Two more design choice that help visually elongate and open up the space: The wood-look floor tile is squared to the walls rather than angled diagonally, and a clear glass sliding door has replaced the shower curtain.
Cabinet paint: Flora, Benjamin Moore; wall paint: First Star, Sherwin-Williams
Read more about this project
More on Houzz
Read more bathroom stories
Browse bathroom photos
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your bathroom
1. Clean and Bright
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their baby
Location: Burbank, California
Size: 44 square feet (4.1 square meters)
Designer: Neela Woodard Design
Contractor: Brennan Construction
Before: Done up in shades of beige, this bathroom in a Southern California bungalow didn’t reflect the personalities of the color-loving homeowners. On top of that, a tub surround was hogging precious space, and bifold doors on the wide entry were flimsy and butting into the couple’s adjoining bedroom. Interior designer Neela Woodard used Houzz ideabooks to help the homeowners land on their style: clean-lined and bright with a midcentury vibe and a splash of color.
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