How to make a small bathroom feel bigger

A small bathroom can present all sorts of design – not to mention logistical – challenges, particularly in a busy household. But a few clever storage and decor tricks can help you maximise the space you’ve got, and reclaim your morning serenity.

Smart storage

Keep floors and surfaces as clear as possible by storing as much as you can out of sight. Store toiletries, clean towels and bathroom accessories in a vanity cupboard, wall-hung cabinets or recessed wall nooks.

If you need to add extra storage, but space is in short supply, be inventive. Consider adding it the area above the doorway or even above and around the toilet. Howards Storage World is a good place to source all kinds of bathroom storage solutions.

(Image: Howards Storage World )

Wall-mounted designs

One of the best ways to visually enlarge a small space is to show as much of the floor as possible. You can achieve this by moving bathroom hardware off the floor and onto the walls. Think a wall-mounted toilet with a concealed cistern, a wall-hung basin and vanity, floating shelves and wall-mounted accessories, such as toilet roll holder and toilet brush set.

(Image: Bathe )

Bright colours and finishes

Reflecting light back into the bathroom will make it feel bigger and brighter. Choose high gloss tiles and pale paint finishes for walls, and illuminate dark corners with artificial lighting.

When it comes to tile format, opt for large format ones over the smaller options. Fewer grout lines visually break up the floor and help create an illusion of more space.

(Image: Ikea )

Clever designs

Seek out furniture and fixtures that allow you to move through the bathroom comfortably. Go for a bathtub or basin that has been specifically designed for small or awkward spaces, Reece has a good selection. Replace the shower curtain with a glass enclosure that lets through light or consider splashing out on a shower screen that folds away completely when not in use, such as the Duravit EOOS Open Space at Bathe.

If the bathroom door protrudes into the room, consider changing the swing so that it opens outwards, or replace it with a sliding door that tucks neatly into a wall cavity.

(Image:  Bathe )

Maximise light

Light – both natural and artificial – can be your best friend in a small bathroom. Remove blinds from windows to let the natural light flow through (if you’re overlooked by your neighbours consider adding privacy glass or tinting your windows), and boost this with artificial light to brighten up darker nooks.

Mirrors can be a very effective tool for maximising light and making a room feel larger. A long vertical mirror will make the ceiling appear high, a wide horizontal mirror will broaden the walls and a mirror opposite a window will capture the incoming light and reflect it back into the room.

(Image:  Bathe )

Check out Homely’s Small & Functional Bathrooms Pinterest board for more inspiration on how to make the most of small bathroom layouts.

Written by:
Georgia Madden is a senior writer for Houzz Australia. She specialises in home renovations, design and decor trends. She is a freelance interiors journalist and writer and a regular contributor to House & Garden magazine and a number of interiors websites. Confessions Of A Once Fashionable Mum is her debut novel.