Small bathroom Ideas for Compact Spaces

Bathroom layouts can be challenging, but a small bathroom can be particularly challenging. If your bathroom is short on space and you need some small bathroom ideas to make it work, then you have come to the right place.

Clever storage options and smart finishes means that even the smallest of bathrooms can be stylish as well as practical. Whether you opt for a sleek streamlined look, or traditional detailing, there are plenty of ways to pack a punch.

Be clever with glass

A walk-in shower with frameless panels looks barely there in this bijou bathroom. The bath is smaller than standard, but perfect for kids. White marble for the wall tiles gives the small space a dash of glamour.

Use clever paint effects to create an illusion of height

Paint halfway up a wall to create an illusion of height. By lowering the eye with a darker paint shade you create a distance from the upper portion of the wall. If the wall was all one colour the room wouldn’t have as much depth. This clever, yet simple paint trick is a great way to make a small space appear larger than it really is.

Mount your taps to the wall

Wall-mounted mixer taps work well in compact bathroom designs as the pipework can be hidden without the need for a basin pedestal. You can use that freed-up space to house shelving or a laundry basket. 

Wallpaper a cloakroom

One of the best ways to disguise a small bathroom is to create interest and a striking wallpaper is ideal for this. If you have a bath or shower in the room (rather than it being a cloakroom), make sure you buy one that’s made specifically for bathrooms, which will cope with the damp, warm conditions.

Trick the eye with tiles

The amount of space you have and what the eye perceives aren’t necessarily the same thing. Play with the boundaries of perception by tiling the side of your bath and the wall with the same design – it makes it hard to distinguish where each begins, thereby making your space feel larger.

Marble is particularly effective here, as it looks almost like one huge sheet and the individual tiles aren’t very obvious.

Frameless Glass Tub and Shower Panels

Let’s be honest, no one likes shower curtains. They stick to you when you’re showering and they are a pain to clean. Shower curtains also close off one-third of your room visually. To prevent this, swap out your shower curtain with a frameless glass panel instead. This will open up your bathroom significantly and allow more light into your shower or tub.

Glass panels are easy to install, maintain and are perfect for small bathrooms. They can be either fixed in place or hinged to swing. You can fold hinged glass panels inward when the shower is not in use as well. Avoid sliding glass panels, which require top and bottom tracks and are more difficult to clean.

Continual Flooring and Curbless Showers

Here is one of our favorite small bathroom design ideas – curbless showers. By eliminating the curb around your shower, your flooring can continue right into the shower. This works great with concrete, stone slab and tile floors. You can even incorporate a concealed or infinity-edge drain for a really seamless look. Plus curbless showers are easier to clean.

Think Vertical – Add cabinets and open shelving on the walls

Here is one of our favorite small bathroom design ideas – curbless showers. By eliminating the curb around your shower, your flooring can continue right into the shower. This works great with concrete, stone slab and tile floors. You can even incorporate a concealed or infinity-edge drain for a really seamless look. Plus curbless showers are easier to clean.

Think Vertical – Add cabinets and open shelving on the walls

Add shelving on the wall above the toilet, at the end of a tub or above the entry door or vanity mirror. Use narrow open shelves to keep the look light. Metal towel racks also work well. For cabinets, look for ones with glass fronts. Don’t forget the back of the door, it is a great place to add towel bars or robe hooks.

Don’t let a compact room be a barrier to creating your dream scheme – we’ve got all the tips, tricks and expert advice you’ll need. Let us know how you will be visually expanding your bathroom. Will you be using any of these small bathroom ideas?