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9 ways to make the most out of a small bathroom

By Guest Poster •

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By Samantha Magatelli

Most new builds have bathrooms that are designed to be much bigger than the bathrooms designed 20 or so years ago. So what do you do when you buy a beautiful character home that is perfect, apart from the pokey bathroom that comes with it?

Here are some tips to create the maximum space in a smaller than average bathroom:

http://www.blossomandbright.com/the-block-glasshouse-staircase-laundry-and-powder-room-reveals/
Source: Blossom and Bright
  1. Floating vanities can make the room appear larger as they give the illusion that the floor keeps on going.
  2. Two basins are not needed in a bathroom in my opinion; they just take up extra space. Couples aren’t generally in there at the same time every day, so save room by putting the basin to one side. This way you maximise the amount of space on the bench for things like hairdryers, make-up etc. otherwise electrical items end up in the basin, and that can be dangerous!
  3. If the wall where the vanity will be going is double bricked, you will have room in the cavity to recess the mirror cabinet creating extra hidden storage.

    http://designtribe.com.au/the-block-bathrooms-terrace/
    Source: Design Tribe
  4. Hidden cisterns are the same idea as the recessed mirror. If the wall behind the toilet is double bricked (which more often that not it is) you will have room for a hidden cistern to be placed in-between the cavity. For homes that are timber-framed it is even easier. If these are not options in your home, you can create a half wall (around 1200mm in height) for the in-wall cistern to sit into, which will also act as a shelf for storing candles or decorative items. You can also use this as an opportunity to tile the half wall in a feature tile for a bit of interest in the room.
  5. Recessed shelves/boxes in the shower are great for storing objects like shampoo and conditioner instead of having a shelf take up more room in the shower. Again, this will need to be on a double bricked wall or a timber-framed wall.

    http://afamily.vn/nha-hay/bai-tri-phong-tam-4m2-sang-trong-thoang-dang-2012052402264357.chn
    Source: Afamily
  6. Larger tiles are a must for making a room appear larger as there aren’t as many grout lines closing the walls in. Also, laying them horizontally tricks the eye to follow the line across the wall, making the room feel larger. Choose a rectified tile so you can lay them close together and have minimal grout lines, which makes it easier for cleaning.
  7. Tiling to the ceiling will also give that feeling of space so that the room appears larger than it is, as the light will reflect a lot better on a tile than on a painted wall.
  8. Unless you have small children, I don’t think baths are necessary, especially in a small bathroom. They take up a lot of room unless you create a shower/bath combination, which isn’t always the most stylish option.

    http://estmagazine.com.au/lubelso-concept-home/
    Source: Est Magazine
  9. Lighting is another important factor to make a room appear larger. It is vital to use nice, bright lighting in a bathroom in the correct positions so there are no nasty dark shadows. I would suggest using LED down lights, or starlights, as they are more economical than a halogen, and come in a cool or warm tone to complement the colours used in the space.

– Samantha Magatelli is an interior designer at S&S Interiors.

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September 26, 2014

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Home by Michelle says

    September 26, 2014 at 8:48 am

    Good tips, especially with the large tiles. I would add one thing: the bigger mirror the better:) at least it works with our long but narrow bathroom.

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      September 29, 2014 at 9:25 pm

      Great addition, Michelle!

  2. Natalia says

    September 28, 2014 at 10:26 pm

    Beautiful bathrooms! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      September 29, 2014 at 7:50 am

      You’re welcome!

  3. Janet says

    October 27, 2014 at 4:04 pm

    I recommend using a bathroom planning tool as can be found on the Reece website. You can design and visualise different layouts before demolition and the build. Measuring from at least 2 points on the same wall is also vital as most rooms aren’t square. And measure more than once. Also when seeking quotes, tradesmen will often have good suggestions and ideas that you may not have considered.

  4. Varsha Arya says

    December 29, 2017 at 9:56 pm

    Very useful tips to make bathroom superb

  5. Michelle says

    January 4, 2018 at 12:47 pm

    Any idea what the tiles are made of in the last image? They look like 25″ square tiles, but not sure if they are stone or ceramic. I love the space. Beautiful!

  6. Roseanna Donovan says

    January 2, 2019 at 5:38 pm

    Please ditch all those silly exclamation marks in your copy. They give the impression it was written by a breathless 13 year old – not good for your credibility.

    • Jen BishopJen Bishop says

      January 2, 2019 at 10:12 pm

      Hi Roseanna. While this was a guest post and not written by one of our team, is it really necessary to be so negative? This was a very popular piece of content which our readers found useful and we are always grateful when people share their expertise with us. Besides, we are an informal blog and we embrace a chatty tone.

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