A compact bathroom can still have style and comfort. The trick is to maximize the space.
The smallest room may be the main bathroom in a small house or the second or third bathroom in a large house. An en-suite bathroom can be designed to fit the narrowest of settings. They’re often incorporated into loft conversions to make the best use of available corners.
Whatever the scenario, innovative bathroom designs can change the smallest room in your house into a practical and attractive place.
Storage and Space
It’s easy for bathrooms to become chaotic scenes, especially busy family bathrooms. Shelves and window sills are covered in cosmetics, toothpastes, hair gels; the list of health and beauty products is endless.
Clever storage is a must, especially in bathrooms with limited space. Wall cabinets positioned high on walls utilise vertical areas and keep potions and lotions out of reach of small children. Another good use of wall space is floating shelves. Supported on concealed brackets they provide a neat solution for a bathroom packed with products.
Tiered wire baskets are useful for holding towels and wash bags and can be easily moved when required. A rail of hooks is also a helpful fixture for a door or wall. It provides a handy place to hang damp towels or dressing gowns and robes.
Instead of trying to squeeze in a floor-level radiator, you could try replacing it with a heated towel rail. A mounted towel rail can be positioned pretty much anywhere and switched on and off as needed.
If you rarely use the bath, why not take out the bathtub, and invest in a square shower cubicle. From a practical sense, a combined bath and shower provides the most functional solution. However, if you do lose the bath, that area could then become home to a large storage cabinet or vanity unit. In an odd gap, a wall-hung vanity unit can provide invaluable extra storage and maximise floor space.
Reflection and Light
Glass and mirrors are a simple but effective way to reflect light. They give the illusion of depth and height.
Large mirrored cabinets or long wall mirrors can help to make a narrow location appear wider. A wall mirror above a vanity unit with a glass top looks glossy and elegant.
A glass bath screen allows light to flow through, adding a bright and airy feel. Another trick is to use frosted film on a window instead of blinds to give privacy but retain maximum light from outside.
Tips and Tricks
Neutral wall and floor tiles create a consistency throughout that gives a feel of spaciousness and light. Whereas dark flooring can shrink small dimensions even further.
Plain vinyl flooring is a good option as it provides a uniform surface with no lines or breaks. This creates an open, fluid foundation for everything else. It’s also durable and easy to clean, making it an ideal choice for a much used family bathroom.
You may think squeezing a tub into your small bathroom is out of the question. But there are a couple of attractive alternatives to a full length bath. A compact corner bath or a tiny square hip bath is perfect for making the most of awkward angles, and it becomes an unusual feature.
Alternatively, if you’ve always hankered after a freestanding bath, then look out for one with squared-off edges. These smaller, roll top baths have been designed to fit tidily into corners.
In summary, there are plenty of innovative ideas and practical tricks that can turn the smallest room in your house into a valuable asset.