6 Design Tips to Make a Small Bathroom Better

May 29, 2015

Maison Valentina has been in some small bathrooms — you know, the kind that make you feel like you have to lose 5 pounds to enter them. But I really like working on this type of bathroom design. Trying to make everything fit in the available space is like doing a giant crossword puzzle.

Among the challenges: configuring the toilet and sink to code, allowing enough clearance for a shower and, of course, where to put the towels and t.p. Despite the challenges, in most cases it’s still better to squeeze in an extra bathroom where one is desperately needed, even if it must be small.

Here are 5 tips for designing a small bathroom.

Float the vanity. Besides just visually helping the bathroom appear bigger, mounting a vanity above the floor frees up a little space for small items

Round the vanity. Tight spaces can make sharp corners hip hazards. If the corners of a vanity would get in the way, opt for a rounded style. Yes, a round vanity can work in a square space. No more bruised hips!

Skip the shower door. If your bathroom is about 5 feet wide, that’s just enough space to squeeze in a toilet and a 30- by 60-inch tub. With tight conditions such as these, consider a glass panel instead of a glass shower door. It will keep most of the water in the shower and will free up needed elbow room.

Expand the mirror. In the tightest spaces, having a mirror stretch across the wall instead of just the vanity can enable two people to use it at once. In less-than-ideal space conditions, every inch helps.

Mount the towel bar on a door. Where can I put my towels? I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard that question.

When space is at a minimum, mounting a towel bar on the shower door keeps towels handy. You might need to store the bulk of your towels in a nearby linen closet, but having that one towel close by to dry off with is essential.

Use a wall-mounted faucet. Mounting a faucet on the wall allows for a narrower sink or vanity, which in turn frees up square footage in the total bathroom. Don’t be afraid to try a wall-mounted faucet in traditional design. It works anywhere!