In many countries, the UK included, bathrooms tend to be quite small, with an average floor space of just a few square meters. The good news is that tiny spaces challenge interior designers to step up their game and come up with innovative, smart solutions to make a small area in the home look stylish and be practical while appearing larger than it really is! The even greater news? All that follows can have a positive impact on our mood and be achieved without calling for drastic and expensive changes.

1. Let Colour Scheme Work for You

Avoid wallpaper and patterned paint jobs that make the room look a bit crowded. Nothing compares to clean, simple paint, in this case, which has the power to give an airy feeling to the bathroom. You can choose between neutral hues (see beige or off-white) or light shades such as pastel yellow or sky blue. If you go with the beiges, you can then play with accessories to add splashes of colour if you like.

To increase the wow factor of your bathroom, you may consider having a feature wall. Prefer a wall with no windows or doors so you can be as creative as you wish without being limited by the various features on it. Wall decals, stencils, and even a bold colour will work just fine. A shelving unit on that wall displaying a beautiful plant, artwork, or ornaments can also help emphasise the wall and add an interesting note to space without being “too noisy”.  

2. Use Floor Tiles to Create a Larger-Space Illusion

Unlike what many people believe, placing small floor tiles in a tiny bathroom won’t make it look larger. Quite the opposite; the many grouting lines give the room a rather cramped sensation. The same applies to patterned and busy tiles. Sticking to larger, plain tiles of a single shade will make a big difference in the way your minute bathroom looks.

Doing the same with the tiling of the walls will help the space seem much less cluttered and bigger than with patterned tiles. To enhance the effect, you may also add mirrors. The plain tiles will appear multiplied, contributing to the illusion of space.  

3. Mind your Sanitary Ware

Wall-hung and back-to-wall toilets release much-needed floor space and help streamline bathrooms. On top of that, their usually compact design comes quite handy, maximising the available free space in the room. To further improve the larger-room effect, you may conceal the cistern; the fewer items in a room, the more spacious it feels! Don’t stop there. Do the same with your furniture and fittings.

Opting for objects with a narrow profile (or wall-hung) is a great way to make the bathroom appear less crowded and much larger. Let slimline fixtures also come into play and boost the desired effect as they take up much less space than their regular siblings but lack nothing of their counterparts’ functionality.

4. Go For a Smaller Bathtub

Although having a shower enclosure is a great way to enjoy a quick shower in a small bathroom, why deprive yourself of the pleasure of a bubble bath, which also has significant health benefits? Having a bathtub is no longer a luxury you just can’t afford in a tiny bathroom.

Besides many beautiful models featuring a smaller size, you will also find bathtubs specifically designed to not only occupy a smaller space but also contribute to the illusion of space such as these affordable options. You may choose a tub that comes with visible frames and a tempered glass top and have it all; a larger-room sensation and sheer delight!

5. Open Up Space with Open Shelves

Space-saving vanity units and open shelves are an ideal solution for small-scale bathrooms, offering more than enough storage for anything from cosmetics and soaps to linen and shower gels, and visually open up space without intruding on it. Besides providing practicality, such solutions help keep a minuscule bathroom neat and tidy too. It is incredible how small changes can have such a dramatic impact in the way a room looks and feels. So long to cluttered countertops and window sills.

Final Tips:

• You can further increase the amount of floor space you can use in the bathroom by simply hanging the door in a way so that it opens out of the room.
• Free up some more space in the bathroom with rails and hooks for your clothing or towels. If you have a heated towel rail, you may save some space with a hook and keep your towels fluffy and comfy warm.
• Having wire baskets will also give you a lot of space to store some bathroom essentials without taking up much space.

Living in a house with a tiny bathroom should no longer go hand-in-hand with you feeling as if you are entering a cramped, cluttered room. With simple, smart moves, you can now enjoy a space that feels and looks much larger and airy.