If you have a small bathroom, it can feel like the walls are closing in on you when you’re in there. Don’t worry though, there are number of tricks. You can use to make your small bathroom look larger without replacing the space with a new one. With just some paint and clever design, you can turn your tiny bathroom into the room of your dreams! Check out these 8 design tricks below to make your small bathroom look bigger instantly.
1) Add Mirrors
Mirrors are a great way to trick your eyes into believing a space is larger than it really is. In fact, when you add mirrors to any small room, people will perceive it as feeling twice its original size. So, if you’re working with a tiny bathroom and want to make it feel more spacious, consider adding an extra mirror or two for optimal results. You can also place them in areas where they’ll reflect natural light from windows and skylights—this makes even more of an impact on how big your room appears.
2) Use a Colour Palette
It’s no secret that small spaces look bigger when they have a light and airy feel. In terms of decorating, one of our favourite ways to achieve a light, summery space is with a limited colour palette: White walls, light carpeting and bright paintwork can open up even cramped bathroom instantly, so consider toning down your space with neutral hues. By way of example, you could use pastel pink wallpaper as an accent wall behind your shower.
3) Clean up your Doorway
More than any other space in your home, a bathroom with a small door will look and feel cramped. Remove visual barriers between your bathroom and your hall by opening up that doorway. If you can’t change out your door—or if it isn’t too bulky—simply add an elegant moulding above it to create extra space, visually lifting your ceiling for an instant makeover.
4) Maximize Storage Space
We’re all for stylish aesthetics, but adding storage space is an easy way to make a small room look bigger without sacrificing style. One or two cabinets can transform a bathroom into a clutter-free space that feels larger and more functional. For example, you could add floating shelves above your toilet (they won’t take up much floor space) or install wall-mounted shelves over your bathtub (which will keep towels out of sight). It’s also smart to store bulky items like extra toilet paper in drawers rather than on open shelves.
5) Furnish for Comfort
The key to making a bathroom look bigger is in getting rid of any extra furniture. You don’t need chairs or stools; you don’t even need a bed. All you need are essentials: comfortable, portable seating like a towel rack or bench and some kind of lighting that can be moved around easily—or removed completely when there’s no one in there. The simpler you keep it, the, more your space will seem larger and lighter.
6) Get Bold with Tile Patterns
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: One of your best bets for creating visual interest in a small bathroom is tile. One of our favourite tricks? Work a herringbone pattern on an accent wall, which will draw more attention to your eye than if you painted with a solid colour. If all that tiny tiling makes you feel claustrophobic, opt for subway tile, which offers lots of visual appeal without being overwhelming.
7) Go for Floor-to-Ceiling Windows
We’ve talked before about how dark colours absorb light and make a space feel smaller. If you want your small bathroom to look as spacious as possible, bring in loads of natural light using floor-to-ceiling windows. And don’t worry too much about privacy—most small bathrooms are rarely used for bathing when guests are present anyway.
8) Hire an Expert
If you’re really stumped about how to design your bathroom, it never hurts to hire an expert. Contractors can be expensive—but so are remodels! There are plenty of affordable interior designers, who will give you helpful advice and may even offer a few design ideas for free. You’ll also want to ensure your contractor and any other experts you work with know exactly what kind of space you have. So that they don’t make impractical or unnecessary suggestions.