Builders are often called in to work on small bathroom designs so they have a few tricks up their sleeves for opening up a cramped space.
The right lighting, they say, plays a big role in making a small bathroom look bigger than it actually is. Installing extra task and ambient lighting can help achieve this but they also suggest adding a skylight or swapping out a covered window for translucent glass.
Frameless clear glass, they advise, is also best for a shower in a small bathroom rather than a shower curtain. The glass extends the visual space of the room and can show off any special tile work in the shower.
Other builder tips include: installing a pedestal basin rather than a vanity and a wall-hung toilet. These bathroom accessories, they say, create the illusion of space in a small bathroom.
Tips From a Tiler's Perspective
Tilers are also good people to listen to when considering small bathroom designs. They know that installing the right tiles can really make a big difference.
When selecting tiles for a small bathroom choose a single, continuous tile style, they say, and always go for light coloured tiles with matching grout to create a seamless effect.
Extending tile flooring into the shower and right up to the top of the ceiling line will also help to trick the eye that the space is bigger.
Stylists have lots of bathroom ideas for staging small spaces. Mirrors, they suggest, can be an amazing tool for making a small bathroom appear bigger. But be careful where you place it, you don’t want to be reflecting the towel rail or the toilet!
Another excellent small bathroom idea, say stylists, is to paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls, a light, soft, and neutral color works best to open up the space.
Too many products in your bathroom, they say, can also make it appear small and cramped. Keep counters and surfaces as free from paraphernalia as you can.
Many a handyman has spent the weekend doing a DIY job on a small bathroom. Here’s what they have to say.
Utilise what space you have in your bathroom by considering swapping out fixtures and fittings that may be too large. They suggest installing a recessed shelf on the wall with a mirror to provide all important storage.
Handymen also recommend installing a stand-up shower with frameless glass doors, updating tiles and lighting and looking at clever ways to provide hidden storage so products are not on show.