When we talk about bathroom remodeling projects we focus a lot on larger bathrooms or spacious bathroom suites. However, there are plenty of homes in America with small bathrooms. What do you do with the smaller spaces; how do you get the most out of them? If you are remodeling and can afford to steal space from an adjacent room, you have the option of making your bathroom larger. However, in the absence of that option other things can be done to maximize the small space you have the work with.
Design Elements If you are completely renovating the bath, try to think of a few design elements that might really open up the look and feel of the space without actually enlarging the footprint. For example, enlarging an existing window or adding a skylight will make a bathroom appear much larger by letting in plenty of natural light. If this isn’t possible, consider track lighting instead of conventional stationary lights. Track lighting gives you the opportunity to direct lighting around the room in a way that will make it to feel much larger. You can install track lighting on the ceiling or a wall. When choosing tile, make sure to stay away from dark or busy patterns. If there’s too much happening on your tile it will give the appearance of the room closing in on you. If you can limit tile to just around the tub or shower then that’s also good
Color Choices When it comes to color, the bathroom is no different from any other room. Light, neutral colors will do the best job of making the space appear larger than it is. If you are into the modern look, a white or light gray throughout really opens things up, coupled with a bold accent wall with a dash of color. Your lighter color choices should carry through to your draperies and linens too. But don’t worry; not everything has to be the same. You can use different colors as long as the shades are light.
Don’t Forget Efficiency Even in a small bathroom, you can maximize space for efficiency. For example, rather than a large and imposing medicine cabinet you can purchase and install a wireframe shelf unit that fits right over the toilet. This is a great way to utilize space that tends to be dead in most bathrooms. A pedestal sink makes efficient use of limited floor space if you do not need the storage space of a vanity. Because the pedestal sink has a smaller footprint, you’ll find it easier to move around a smaller bath. Lastly, in a home with multiple bathrooms it is not necessary to have a full tub in each one. If you can get away with a shower stall in the bathroom you are remodeling, you’ll instantly have more space to work with by going that route. If the space is exceptionally small, you could opt for a shower pan that fits nicely into a recessed corner.
