Small bathrooms are a tricky thing to manage. Can they be as glamorous or as spacious feeling as a ‘standard bathroom’?

 

Decorating a small bathroom is a skill and getting it right is crucial. If you can’t change the size of your small bathroom then you need to change the way it looks instead.

 

We share loads of tips on our blog. Check back on this recent blog on small bathrooms for more.

 

But today we’re going to look at decorating your small bathroom and how you can really make a difference.

 

 

Go for wallpaper with vertical strips for small bathrooms

You’ve heard about not wearing shirts with horizontal strips, right?

 

Well your bathroom is the same… but it’s not looking fat that you have to worry about.

 

Having vertical stripes makes your small bathroom look taller as it draws the eye right up towards the ceiling. We’re all guilty of not really taking in all of our environment so vertical wallpaper makes us take in more of the room and makes it feel bigger!

 

But… (and it’s a big one) you might find that having a totally clean look makes your room look less busy and therefore bigger. So think about this idea before you go racing to the hardware store.

 

Good lighting makes your small bathroom look and feel bigger

Good lighting is essential to make your house feel like your home – and your bathroom is no exception. Choosing suitable lighting can lift a tired look but it will also show more of the room and thus make it look and feel bigger.

 

You have many options for lighting in your bathroom – upgrade your lighting or bulbs to improve the look. We’re happy to advise if you need some help. Light up your life!

 

Floors or tiles should run the length of your small bathroom

Floor tiles will often do this in your bathroom but with the wall tiles it can be tempting to stop at the top of your shower or bath area.

 

Don’t!

 

It you think about it we can relate this to fashion too.

 

When someone wants to look taller then give them some peddle pushers and their legs stick out of the bottom and they look taller.

 

In your bathroom you’re having the opposite effect though. By tiling to the ceiling you’re adding height and creating that same illusion that you would with vertical strips on your wallpaper.

 

Deceptive tiling –you won’t believe your eyes!

 

Colour – lighter colours give the feeling of more space

We often say this, but your small bathroom won’t cope with a dark colour scheme so give it a lighter touch.

 

Go for bright white for the best effect. Bright white will help reflect the light and better lighting makes…? Yes you got it – more illusion of space!

 

Add storage in your bathroom

Ok, enough illusions. Let’s make some actual space. When you think about it your small bathroom is not so small when you take everything out. Have you ever moved house and looked back at your rooms and realised how big they were?

 

Be clever with your storage and you’ll find space. Use the height where possible and store towels and other items on the wall.

 

Try to keep the floor free from standing units and keep it all tidy with storage that helps you to be organised. Encourage your family to have a place for all their bottles and potions, and leave surfaces free from clutter.

 

Messy bathrooms are small bathrooms.

 

Be functional

And by functional we don’t mean boring.

 

When your bathroom doesn’t function well it can feel small. If your storage or suite isn’t doing the job as well as it could do it ruins the way it all works.

 

This might mean a little more than decorating but try to see what works and what doesn’t work so well and see if you can make it more functional or practical.

 

Here are some great practical ideas for your bathroom.

 

Narrow spaces work better with a consistent design throughout

Be consistent if you’re working in a narrow space. One or two colours throughout will really help the space. You can really enclose on your room if you use too many colours.

 

Match up your towels with your tiles and keep it light and bright.

 

Large square tiles help with making the area feel larger than it is

While we’re on the subject…

 

Tiles make a big difference too. Large tiles have fewer grout lines and the tile takes up more space. For every square metre you have, a large tile has fewer lines and fewer transitions, than a small tile.

 

You want to keep transitions, line breaks, noise, etc to a minimum in a small room.

 

Use a tall cupboard to store all your goodies and hide the clutter

Just like we mentioned early height and storage really helps… so why not combine the two?

 

Tall wall units work wonders in a small space as they store everything away tidily and the draw the eye to the ceiling. Plus, if you’re really clever you can hang them on the wall. This will show the floor under the unit and that help with the feeling of space too.

 

Use fresh colours like blue or green to emulate water and fresh feeling.

 

The bathroom will feel fresher and bigger if you use fresh colours. Light blues or greens feel fresh and clean and they’ll also bring out more light and help your room look bigger than it really is. You could change these by keeping them as accent colours for your toothbrush holder, towels, etc. Then you could change the look around more often.

 

Large mirrors (maybe even two mirrors)

We know that a mirror on the wall adds space but what about two? If you can, have one main mirror, and then another on an adjacent wall. The effect will give you that clever feeling of space but also reflect light around the room too.

 

Match the ceiling and walls in your small bathroom

Matching up the walls and ceiling can also bring space. The endless feeling of colour give fewer transitions again and the room feels like it goes on forever. Try to use the colour tips we mentioned and remember to keep it light and fresh.

 

Get as much natural light as possible

We save the best until last.

 

Natural light is a God send, so if you have a window do make the most of it. Don’t clutter it up by lining your toiletries along it or by using a dark blind. Let that light in and let your bathroom be the brightest it can be. Keep the windows open regularly to avoid the damp and mould, and increase the airy feeling in your bathroom.

 

Good lighting can only go so far… get some natural daylight in your bathroom.

 

It’s also worth mentioning light tubes. You can fit them into your roof and then run them down to the bathroom ceiling. They add lots more natural lighting into your bathroom.

 

You’d also be amazed how much light you’ll gain by cutting back and overgrown tree outside can give!

Small bathrooms don’t have to be small…

There’s so much you can do with your bathroom and apart from knocking a wall down and making it physically bigger you can make it work better and look better.

 

Of course, some bathrooms may need more than just a touch up. A new suite or better design can really transform the room so if you need help or advice on that just give us a call Alan Heath and Sons, or visit our Coventry bathroom showroom for more advice.