Small Bathroom Design Ideas

Small bathroom design ideas help you make the most of limited square footage when you're redecorating or remodeling a bathroom. Most larger houses have at least one small bathroom that either functions as a guest facility on rare occasions or serves as a storage area for muddy boots or dirty laundry. It's hard to know what to do with these odd-sized facilities, but you can make the most of their limited space and turn them into functional bathrooms by applying creative design ideas.

If you live in a condominium or small townhouse, you may have only one full bath in your home, with a half-bath for guests. Your small bathroom design ideas can make these crowded spaces more useful by focusing on organization and storage. Fresh colors, unique flooring or tile and warm, appealing lighting schemes can increase your satisfaction with your smaller rooms. Consult an interior design specialist to exchange ideas for transforming your small bathroom without overextending your budget.

Optical Illusions for Bathrooms

If you don't have a lot of square footage in bathrooms, you can still create the illusion of spaciousness. You can deceive the eye into perceiving extra space by painting your walls in two pale, neutral colors with subtle contrasts to achieve more depth. Install a large mirror on the wall behind your vanity to enhance this impression. You'll step through the door thinking that you're entering a much larger environment for your master bathroom layout.

Lighting schemes that expand and enlarge a smaller space are perfect for your small bathroom design ideas. If you have a small bathroom with high ceilings, add wall sconces with lamps that cast light upward. These eye-catching design accents draw your gaze up to the source of illumination, so that you aren't as aware of the small dimensions of the room.

If your small bathroom design ideas extend to remodeling, consult an architectural design contractor about installing a large window or skylight. A skylight will immediately expand your visual field and increase the illumination in the room. You can install sheer curtains or blinds over a picture window to filter and diffuse the sunlight or control air flow into the bath.

When you add an extension to your vanity, you can create an impression of length with this design trick, even if you don't have enough footage for a second sink. Choose a light counter top material that doesn't appear to crowd the area. A narrow shelf can create the illusion that you have more room, and it provides a bit of additional storage space.

Color Schemes for Smaller Bathrooms

Just because you don't have a lot of square footage doesn't mean you're restricted to neutral shades of paint. Your small bathroom design ideas can include dramatic, bold colors, too. Experiment with a single, dynamic shade in your design ideas, such as a bright pink or sunflower yellow on one wall. To avoid overwhelming the area, paint the adjacent walls in a more subtle version of the primary hue.

If your bathroom collects a great deal of steam from the shower or tub, shop for moisture-resistant brands of paint. If you're redesigning a smaller powder room that doesn't include a tub, you have a broader range of options for your painting ideas. Glossy paints repel moisture more effectively than matte brands, but glossy walls in a confined space could appear too shiny. Consult an interior decorating expert for ideas about the best brands of paint to use for your small bathroom design ideas.

Powder rooms are a fun place to apply your small bathroom design ideas. Because you don't have all of the practical considerations of a fully functional bathroom, you can play with accents, eclectic patterns and intriguing colors. Indulge your preference for your favorite colors by painting your powder room in feminine pinks or blues. Create a more masculine look with cream colored walls and a bold, striking oxblood ceiling. Add a comfortable chair upholstered in a fabric that complements your color scheme.

Pale, calming colors may feature in your small bathroom design ideas if you want to create a refuge for relaxation. Blue-gray or pale honey shades can soothe your spirits after a stressful day at work. Line the walls of a smaller shower with blue glass or ceramic tiles, and add a small bench so that you can decompress under the warm water.

Sharing your small bathroom design ideas with an expert gives you the opportunity to benefit from a professional's experience. Having internet access in your home makes it easy to find a consultant who can offer their own ideas for maximizing a limited amount of square footage. Take advantages of the resources at your fingertips to find the products, materials and contractors that will make your remodeling job a complete success.

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