Bathroom
Ideas

Design Ideas for Small Bathrooms

Design ideas for small bathrooms can create more space in this room than you might have imagined. Although developing an efficient design for small bathrooms can be challenging, it's far from impossible to turn a small half bath into a cozy spa retreat, a powder room or a cute bathroom for kids. If you plan your choice of fixtures carefully, make the most of the space that you have available and get creative with storage ideas, your design for small bathrooms can make this area more functional and attractive.

You can keep your design ideas for small bathrooms affordable by choosing less expensive fixtures, hardware and surface materials whenever you have the opportunity. If you're searching for extra small toilets, tubs, sinks or cabinets for bathrooms, try your local home improvement outlet before you arrange for a customized version of the fixture you need. While a customized fixture will fit your specifications exactly, you may be equally satisfied with a sink or a set of cabinets that you can carry off the showroom at a lower cost.

Maximizing Interior Space

When you're planning design ideas for small bathrooms, small design changes can make a big difference. The first step in developing creative ideas for tiny bathrooms is to evaluate the room carefully. Open doors, drawers, medicine cabinets and windows to determine whether you could save space by replacing these features with versions that take up less interior space. If you have cabinets or shelves that protrude into the room, think about modifying them so that they're recessed into the walls, instead.

Doors in small bathrooms can take up a lot of space when you open them. If your petite half bath happens to be a popular space in the mornings, modifying your door could open up more room for personal care and reduce family tension at the same time. A folding door consumes less floor space than a conventional model, which can be a big advantage in a high traffic area. The same principle applies to cabinet doors or windows that open into the room. Although doors and windows aren't open all the time, they take up space when they're in use.

The pedestals of sinks and toilets consume space on the floors of small bathrooms. You can create more open square footage in these tiny bathrooms by replacing pedestal fixtures with wall hung units. Wall hung toilets and sinks offer the additional benefit of making your floors easier to sweep or mop. Focus your ideas on any aspect of the room's design that could open up room. Even a few inches here or there can add up to a space that appears larger.

If the original design of your layout is simply inefficient, your efforts to conserve space won't make as much of a difference. The traditional single line arrangement, with a toilet, sink and bathtub aligned in a row along one plumbing line, can be replaced by a more convenient, efficient design. To discuss design ideas for modifying your plumbing, consult a plumbing contractor. Creative, licensed contractors can give you inspiration as well as novel design ideas for small bathrooms.

Making the Most of Walls

When the floor plan of your room is limited, you can turn to the walls and ceilings for storage, ventilation or decorating ideas. Hanging wall organizers are a convenient, removable addition to your design ideas for small bathrooms. Remove appliances, accessories and cosmetics off the counters to make your vanity and countertops look bigger. Wall mirrors arranged at adjacent angles create an optical illusion of depth.

To draw attention away from the limited floor space, focus your design ideas for small bathrooms on making your walls and ceilings as visually interesting as possible. Consider creating a tile border or a row of wall decals just below the level of the ceiling to draw the eye up to the top of the room. Install wall sconces that shed light upward, making your ceilings appear higher and the entire layout seem larger.

Ventilation in smaller areas where moisture gathers can create a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Maximize ventilation by enlarging existing windows or installing a new window or skylight. Skylights and ceiling fans add light and ventilation overhead, so these fixtures won't infringe on your ideas for the floor or walls. The best design ideas for small bathrooms make the most of every available surface to create an overall impression of spaciousness.

Design ideas for small bathrooms can make your house or condominium more valuable as well as more comfortable and efficient. While it's not always possible to have a large area for bathing, showering or grooming, you can make a cramped space look and feel larger with a few decorating techniques. Consult an experienced interior designer for suggestions and estimates on this home improvement project.

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