Small bathrooms have big potential if you decorate them right. Make the most out of your compact lavatory with these nine tips.
1. Color it Bright
Since dark hues seem to draw in the walls, go with light colors on all the surfaces. If you must have violet or forest green somewhere, add your dark shades as accents instead. White and pastels will create the sense of greater space, especially if you paint the walls and ceiling the same color.
2. Tile to the Max
The smaller the room, the more open it looks if you use larger tiles across the floor and on up the shower to the ceiling. Even consider tiling the ceiling of the shower or tub enclosure, as well. One school of thought suggests that by setting the pattern on the diagonal, you gain the illusion of even more space. Avoid using black grout, though, as that will defeat the effect.
3. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Mirrors can make walls appear to disappear. A large mirror behind the vanity area or on an unobstructed wall lends a spaciousness that isn't really there. Another trick for a wall can include a mural or picture that offers depth perspective such as scenic nature viewed from the frame of a window.
4. Hooks for Looks
Hooks can perform where your towel bars used to, but they take up much less space on the wall. Plus, they're a little more versatile in that you can also easily hang robes or things on strings.
5. Hide the Door in a Pocket
Pocket doors slide in and out of the wall rather than swing on hinges. If your wall configuration allows, this method of moving the door out of the way opens several square feet of space on the interior. If you can't remove studs to hang a pocket door, consider a barn door that slides on the outside to achieve the same effect.
6. What's in Your Wall?
Speaking of walls, wherever possible, use that space behind the drywall as much as possible. You can recess the medicine cabinet and storage shelves, utilizing the four inches, give or take, to the best advantage in your small bathroom.
7. Sink in or Sink Up?
Vessel sinks, the basins that sit atop the counter, offer a little more space on top of the vanity cabinet. But these trendy bowls may be a bit disadvantageous if you have children, so you may want to go with either a very small vanity or a pedestal sink, instead. The idea is to free up horizontal area, either at waist height or on the floor.
8. Uplight the Night
Wall sconces brighten the bathroom where you need it. By reflecting the light off the ceiling, you enjoy more illumination per fixture in a fashion that also avoids glare.
9. Clutter Be Gone
The single most important consideration when you decorate your tiny bathroom is to avoid clutter. Store all non-essentials, such as cleaning products and extra towels, elsewhere. Use decorative items for the useful elements, and keep the artwork to the bare minimum.