Most modern homes have limited bathroom space and the homeowners are left with no other options but accommodating within this limited space.
Naturally, small bathroom designs that help make the best use of the available space are becoming very popular with the homeowners.
Whether you are renovating your old bath or designing a bathroom for your new apartment, the following tips on small bathroom designs will help you:
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• Small and deep bathtubs are best suited for small bathrooms.
• If you opt for a shower stall, make use of clear shower screens for the enclosure. These, unlike the framed opaque shower walls, will help you economize on the space and have enough light.
• Pedestal or wall-mounted sinks and basins are ideal for small sized baths, as they do not occupy much of floor space.
• Introducing adequate storage space is a common feature of small bathroom designs as this helps hide and avoid clutter. Hence, you should try to introduce as many storage cabinets and shelves as possible.
• Coming to cabinets, having recessed and floating cabinets in a bathroom is a nice way of adding to the valuable space.
• You would be wise to place the toilet in an alcove, using the wall-space above to fix open shelves.
• In small baths, windows should ideally be placed near the ceiling as this leaves enough wall space for introducing some storage cabinets beneath it.
• As far as doors are concerned, most people are opting for sliding doors that can be slide into in-wall cavities. In case you opt for the hinged door, you could have the towel-rack installed on the door.
As such, there are certain design - as well as dimension-parameters (depending on the area/zone) that homeowners need to abide by while planning small bathroom designs. To top it, you can try a few optical illusion tricks to create an illusion of space.
Create Illusion with Color
Color! Yes, color is the best means of creating the illusion of space. You will need to opt for softer, lighter tones like pastel shades, neutrals or whites. These will create an effect of largeness and reflect maximum light. If you choose to use wallpaper, go for simple, plain designs.
Take Help of Light And Mirrors
Lights and mirrors are a great help when it comes to creating the impression of largeness. You should try to make the best use of natural light; so, add skylights and windows. As for electric lighting, add sources of light underneath shelves.
Placing a mirror strategically adds to the dimension of a small space by distributing light. This rule can be used effectively to illumine a small bathroom and also to add to visual expansiveness.
Make Use of a Design Trick
You can create the illusion of height by introducing vertical lines on the upper edges of the walls. Another nice way would be to have tiles installed to the walls. Edging the top lining with designed border tiles will add to the magic.
This, more or less, summarizes how you can best utilize the floor area available to you for a bathroom. Nonetheless, the most important aspect of small bathroom designs is the choice of bathroom tiles; whether they are floor tiles or wall tiles, you should opt for identically shaped, light colored tiles.
by Manuel Kupka
