Bathroom Design
Which Types of Bathroom Storage Do Designers Prefer?
Discover tips from four professionals on making the best use of your bath space
Are there some types of storage that designers always like to include in their bathroom designs? If so, why? We spoke with Karen Knox of Making Spaces, Ana Rezende and Neil Curtis of Ripples Bathrooms and Eva Byrne of houseology to get the lowdown on the professionals’ favorite — and least favorite — ways to stash bathroom odds and ends.
This close-up of a bathroom storage unit Knox designed for a client shows how there’s a compartment for everyone and everything, from bath toys to lotions and potions.
“Kids’ toys can ruin a designed scheme or jar with the space,” Knox says. The pullout section at the bottom of the unit is for dirty laundry.
“A lot of bathroom storage can be very square, with lots of handles everywhere,” Knox says. “This unit is birch ply and there aren’t too many bits poking out for kids to bang their heads on.” Or adults to get their clothes caught on.
Find a bathroom designer near you
“Kids’ toys can ruin a designed scheme or jar with the space,” Knox says. The pullout section at the bottom of the unit is for dirty laundry.
“A lot of bathroom storage can be very square, with lots of handles everywhere,” Knox says. “This unit is birch ply and there aren’t too many bits poking out for kids to bang their heads on.” Or adults to get their clothes caught on.
Find a bathroom designer near you
Use Dead Space
Finding a concealed but accessible space for laundry baskets in the bathroom is a game changer, Byrne says. “Our baskets are housed in a recess at the back of the bath, accessed by means of a lift-up panel.”
Byrne’s own bathroom, and this nifty feature, can be seen here. “Two laundry baskets nestle there,” she says, “a black one for darks and a white one for whites and lights.”
Finding a concealed but accessible space for laundry baskets in the bathroom is a game changer, Byrne says. “Our baskets are housed in a recess at the back of the bath, accessed by means of a lift-up panel.”
Byrne’s own bathroom, and this nifty feature, can be seen here. “Two laundry baskets nestle there,” she says, “a black one for darks and a white one for whites and lights.”
Find Your Niche
“Some of the most standout bathrooms often incorporate alcoves and niches into the stud walls,” Curtis says. “These provide perfect additional space, maximizing a room’s size, and give you a wonderful opportunity to put feature lighting into them or a striking finish into the rear, with a mosaic or glass.”
“Incorporate a niche into any space you can,” Knox says. “Plan before you’ve tiled — it’ll be so much nicer than drilling into new tiles, or getting one of those things you suction on that can get rusty and fall off. Note that they should be designed to include a very slight slope so the water drains off.”
Turn Your Shower Niche Into a Design Star
“Some of the most standout bathrooms often incorporate alcoves and niches into the stud walls,” Curtis says. “These provide perfect additional space, maximizing a room’s size, and give you a wonderful opportunity to put feature lighting into them or a striking finish into the rear, with a mosaic or glass.”
“Incorporate a niche into any space you can,” Knox says. “Plan before you’ve tiled — it’ll be so much nicer than drilling into new tiles, or getting one of those things you suction on that can get rusty and fall off. Note that they should be designed to include a very slight slope so the water drains off.”
Turn Your Shower Niche Into a Design Star
Conceal to Reveal Storage
If you’re adding a toilet with the tank behind the wall, take advantage of the necessary pipework to create a useful storage unit.
Wall-mounted toilets with a concealed tank have the advantage of both looking attractive and offering a handy storage zone above the tank, Byrne says.
Here, there’s a shelf for display and three good-size cabinets that hold plenty but don’t encroach on the room.
If you’re adding a toilet with the tank behind the wall, take advantage of the necessary pipework to create a useful storage unit.
Wall-mounted toilets with a concealed tank have the advantage of both looking attractive and offering a handy storage zone above the tank, Byrne says.
Here, there’s a shelf for display and three good-size cabinets that hold plenty but don’t encroach on the room.
Tuck It Out of Sight
All three professionals agree that closed storage is preferable. “Toiletries involve spills and mess, so open shelving is best kept to a minimum and used only for decorative touches, such as plants or candles,” Byrne says.
Knox agrees: “There’s lots of lint in a bathroom from towels, and it tends to settle and stick to the contents of open shelving, almost as if they’ve been flocked.” However, for a guest bathroom open shelving can work well, she adds.
“Shelves or alcoves can make a real statement,” Rezende says, “but unless they’re in a shower or bathtub area, they can be tricky to keep clean.”
Browse bathroom storage products
All three professionals agree that closed storage is preferable. “Toiletries involve spills and mess, so open shelving is best kept to a minimum and used only for decorative touches, such as plants or candles,” Byrne says.
Knox agrees: “There’s lots of lint in a bathroom from towels, and it tends to settle and stick to the contents of open shelving, almost as if they’ve been flocked.” However, for a guest bathroom open shelving can work well, she adds.
“Shelves or alcoves can make a real statement,” Rezende says, “but unless they’re in a shower or bathtub area, they can be tricky to keep clean.”
Browse bathroom storage products
Opt for Drawers
The designers are also united on a strong preference for drawers over cabinets in vanity units.
“Drawers beneath the sink are always preferable to cupboards, which involve stooping to rummage for items at the back,” Byrne says.
“Things often fall out of cupboards, which tend to be quite shallow,” Knox says. “Also, as a vanity unit is base-cabinet height, you’d have to bend down and peer into a dark space with a cupboard.”
“Drawer dividers are essential and great for organizing makeup or shaving gear,” Rezende says. She adds, however, that if your bathroom is especially small, undersink storage might be something to avoid altogether. “It can make the bathroom look smaller and busier,” she says.
The designers are also united on a strong preference for drawers over cabinets in vanity units.
“Drawers beneath the sink are always preferable to cupboards, which involve stooping to rummage for items at the back,” Byrne says.
“Things often fall out of cupboards, which tend to be quite shallow,” Knox says. “Also, as a vanity unit is base-cabinet height, you’d have to bend down and peer into a dark space with a cupboard.”
“Drawer dividers are essential and great for organizing makeup or shaving gear,” Rezende says. She adds, however, that if your bathroom is especially small, undersink storage might be something to avoid altogether. “It can make the bathroom look smaller and busier,” she says.
Go Full-Height
Think about the footprint of your storage and try to minimize it. “Bathroom floor space is at a premium,” Knox says. “A ceiling-height cupboard uses only a small amount of floor space for the maximum amount of storage. Lots of different types of storage that all take up floor space will be a nightmare, as you’ll have no room to move.”
If you have an alcove in your bathroom, even better. “While it’s preferable to store household linen on a landing or in a hallway, an alcove in a bathroom can also serve the purpose well,” Byrne says.
She suggests spacing shelves about 10 inches apart and keeping things concealed with simple doors. Shelving about 18 to 20 inches deep is perfect, as items tend to get lost when shelves are too deep.
Think about the footprint of your storage and try to minimize it. “Bathroom floor space is at a premium,” Knox says. “A ceiling-height cupboard uses only a small amount of floor space for the maximum amount of storage. Lots of different types of storage that all take up floor space will be a nightmare, as you’ll have no room to move.”
If you have an alcove in your bathroom, even better. “While it’s preferable to store household linen on a landing or in a hallway, an alcove in a bathroom can also serve the purpose well,” Byrne says.
She suggests spacing shelves about 10 inches apart and keeping things concealed with simple doors. Shelving about 18 to 20 inches deep is perfect, as items tend to get lost when shelves are too deep.
Hold Out for Hooks
“Hooks, of course, are always really great,” Knox says. “Don’t just go for cheap chrome bathroom hooks, though. Look at all the materials out there that could help to soften the bathroom and make them part of the design, rather than purely functional.
“You can hang baskets from them — potentially freeing up some more floor space — or nice-colored mesh bags for kids’ stuff on the back of the door.”
Shop for bathroom hooks on Houzz
“Hooks, of course, are always really great,” Knox says. “Don’t just go for cheap chrome bathroom hooks, though. Look at all the materials out there that could help to soften the bathroom and make them part of the design, rather than purely functional.
“You can hang baskets from them — potentially freeing up some more floor space — or nice-colored mesh bags for kids’ stuff on the back of the door.”
Shop for bathroom hooks on Houzz
Make Use of Your Mirror
A mirrored medicine cabinet is a great multitasker, taking up little room and looking neat. “I like a combination of drawers beneath a sink — for large toiletries, small towels, facecloths and so on — and shallow, mirrored storage above, for smaller toiletries,” Byrne says.
The medicine cabinet doesn’t need to be huge, just big enough for things like beauty products. “Bottles vary in height, of course, so adjustable shelving is a bonus,” she says.
“Using mirrored cabinets is great for being able to store items at eye height,” Rezende says. “An integrated design helps if the room is small, as it doesn’t take space over the sink.”
Tell us: What’s your favorite type of bathroom storage and what would you avoid? Share your tips in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Key Questions to Ask Yourself When Planning Your Bathroom Storage
How to Remodel Your Bathroom
See more bathroom inspiration photos
A mirrored medicine cabinet is a great multitasker, taking up little room and looking neat. “I like a combination of drawers beneath a sink — for large toiletries, small towels, facecloths and so on — and shallow, mirrored storage above, for smaller toiletries,” Byrne says.
The medicine cabinet doesn’t need to be huge, just big enough for things like beauty products. “Bottles vary in height, of course, so adjustable shelving is a bonus,” she says.
“Using mirrored cabinets is great for being able to store items at eye height,” Rezende says. “An integrated design helps if the room is small, as it doesn’t take space over the sink.”
Tell us: What’s your favorite type of bathroom storage and what would you avoid? Share your tips in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Key Questions to Ask Yourself When Planning Your Bathroom Storage
How to Remodel Your Bathroom
See more bathroom inspiration photos
Making sure your storage accommodates each member of the household and all the items that need to be stashed is key. “The first question I ask when designing a bathroom is always ‘Is it a family bathroom; is it an en suite; is it a guest bathroom?’ ” Knox says. “In a family bathroom, we try to incorporate some kind of pantry-style unit, floor-to-ceiling ideally.”
Knox has something similar in her own home. “Half of it in our bathroom hides the pipework,” she says. “There’s a section for towels, big bins that we pull out to chuck in our stuff, and room for toilet rolls at the bottom.”