When building your own home, you get to have the luxury of deciding what size of bathroom you want, but if you’re buying, it’s a whole different story. While small bathrooms may be a deal-breaker for some, are you going to turn down every good quality home you find just because the bathroom is on the smaller side? Of course not! Instead, you can use this to negotiate a lower buying price then pour yourself into a remodel that will leave you with a functional yet luxurious bathroom space. Below are ideas on how to work with what you have to get what you want.
1. Hung toilets with in-wall cisterns
Instead of your traditional floor-standing toilet and cistern which takes a little more space, you can have a wall-hung loo with the cistern installed inside the wall. This is not only remarkably edgy; it frees valuable space in a small bathroom. You can also choose to have corner toilets within your bathroom that occupies small space.
2. Bathtubs
If you really want to have a bathtub in a small shower, shop around to find out what options there are apart from the standard five-foot tub length. You can order one to fit your own measurements, but remember that this will take more time so start searching early. A frameless glass panel can help to keep splashes away, and because it’s completely transparent, does so without taking valuable visual space.
3. Mirrors
The magic of mirrors in small spaces has been long known and applied to many rooms of the house. Consider installing medicine cabinets similar in length to your vanity/counter, with mirrors installed on all the doors. Having mirrors along that length can make the room seem larger, and help you deal with the feeling of cramped-ness in the space.
If you don’t have cabinets, using mirrored walls will give the same effect, as well as enhance the charm of the space. Do not install mirrors too close to the shower area to avoid unsightly splashes – or the work that comes with removing them.
4. Smaller showers
Shower doors are a complete faux-pas if you have small bathrooms. Slightly bigger showers can still have the glass shower screen fitted with sliding doors that occupy less space. However, if you space if extra-small, do away with the screen completely in favour of a curtain rod and attractive shower curtain or a frameless glass panel. The effect is mostly visual: making a cordoned-off shower area disappear allows the eye to see the room as being much larger. The curtain/panel will still protect the area from shower splashes.
5. In-wall storage
If you have only enough room for a pedestal sink (no vanity), you have to get creative with storage. Consider getting in-wall shelves which are not only beautiful but can also provide the storage you need without eating into your bathroom space. These can be done in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on what you want. You can have sliding glass doors to protect whatever you store on the inside, if you want. Tile them to make them more attractive and easier to clean.
Bathrooms are usually small rooms in most houses. Good thing about it is that it is mostly used by one person at a time and you can always maximize the space by proper arrangement. If the rest of the house is spacious enough, you can go for it and work on your bathroom.