Inspired Small Bathroom Designs
No matter if it’s called a restroom, powder room, or en suite; small spaces can feel luxurious when decorated thoughtfully. Here are some inspiring designs featuring smart storage ideas and stunning finishes to help make any small bathroom space luxurious.
Large mirrors make bathrooms appear larger, especially when combined with light colours. Add an element of style with decorative frames or round mirrors reflecting shower curtains for an eye-catching design effect.
Walls
While conventional wisdom suggests painting your bathroom light colors to make it appear larger, on-trend dark hues can also add warmth and personality. A deep red painted wall coupled with fun graphic floor tiles adds playfulness to this modern bathroom design idea.
An elegant free-standing tub can add luxuriousness to a tight space, especially when combined with custom cubby-style storage that holds towels and extra toiletries. In this en suite, panelling creates an attractive frame around the bath while an handy shelf above it acts as a mantelpiece for plush hand towels – adding even more luxury.
No matter where space may be limited, skylights can add lots of natural light into a bathroom without windows if done right. Studio DIAA designed this Brooklyn townhouse’s Crystalite skylight with a simple Farrow & Ball Pitch Black frame to complete this look and fill every inch of this bathroom with sunlight.
If your bathroom does not have windows, installing a ceiling-mount vanity with concealed shelving may help organize and store all your toiletries more conveniently. This design is perfect for an attic conversion as it maximizes vertical space.
Trying to maximize storage in your bathroom? One way of adding additional space could be installing recessed shelves behind your basin or in the back of the shower – an easy DIY option that helps hide unsightly pipework while freeing up more shelf and cupboard space.
Floors
Small bathrooms don’t need to be boring spaces! In fact, their limited square footage makes them the perfect place to experiment with colour and pattern combinations.
Geometric patterns can make an elongating statement with their geometric designs on the floor, adding dimension and creating the illusion of space. Herringbone and hexagonal mosaic patterns, particularly contemporary formats such as herringbone and hexagonal mosaics can add style even in small rooms according to Colin Roby-Welford of Fired Earth’s Creative Director.
Herringbone flooring is an iconic choice and can unify multiple surfaces within a bathroom space, as shown here in this bathroom designed by Atelier ND. Wavy tiles decorate the floor, tub surround and shower wall as well as running along the back of the vanity for a seamless look.
If your budget allows, consider concrete as your flooring material of choice. This eco-friendly material is impervious to water damage and easy to keep clean; plus it comes in various colors and textures that you can have polished or left as is for increased traction.
Wood can add warmth and character to a bathroom space. Designer Alexander Reid used an unusual pattern on the floors in this chic powder room to complement its slanted roof line and create drama, while pretty framed prints and an outdoor stool take up minimal space but offer lots of style.
Lighting
Lighting is an integral element of any bathroom, but especially so in small spaces where lighting can add drama. Selecting light fixtures that complement the colors and textures of walls and floor tiles is one way to unify a space as in this calming bathroom from Design Within Reach – hexagonal tiles add interest without being overwhelming while an unpolished brass vanity completes this look.
Natural lighting is key in any bathroom, but especially so in smaller ones where limited square footage can make cramped spaces feel cramped and confining. If privacy concerns arise in such spaces, rich materials like the marble vanity, gold accents and woven wood finishes in Brigette Romanek’s elegant powder room offer the solution – they all come together to create a cocooning effect.
Pale colors reflect more light than darker tones, helping small bathrooms feel larger. In this powder room, pink and blue walls contrasted against green wallpaper create an eye-catching combination, perfect for an intimate lavatory.
If your bathroom is small, opt for shallow recessed lighting rather than standard 6-inch fixtures to maintain adequate clearance while using less energy. For best colour accuracy choose lights with a high CRI rating (85 to 90% is best).
A bulb’s CRI rating is decided by comparing the appearance of coloured objects under an artificial light source to their appearance under an incandescent light with a CRI rating of 100.
The higher the CRI value, the better a bulb is at accurately showing the colour. The lower the CRI rating is, the more unnatural the colours will appear.
Storage
As utilitarian bathrooms transition into home spas, storage ideas become more refined. There are various solutions available for keeping toiletries organized; opt for a sleek black trolley (Nissafors PS25 Ikea) as an economical small bathroom idea that can easily transport supplies between bath, basin and shower without the need to double up on supplies.
If you opt for a wall-hung vanity, try including slimline cubby units to store toiletries and take full advantage of vertical space in rooms with low ceilings. Or add something truly custom like audreycrispinteriors’ stunning bathroom, where an eye-catching custom nook plays up the height of the room while providing extra storage solutions.
Floating bathroom cabinets offer another convenient storage solution, offering sleek designs to match the style and size of your bathroom with customizable drawer organizers and trays to store all of your toiletries and bathroom essentials. Or for something simpler yet still minimalistic, add a recessed shelf into the shower for easy access to shampoo/body wash bottles.
Add mirrors to your small bathroom ideas as they can help create the illusion of more space by reflecting light across a room and looking stylish at the same time. If your bathroom is overrun with products or decor items that no longer bring you joy, adopting Marie Kondo-esque techniques could help clear away unwanted clutter and find joy again in life!
If you are looking for a professional bathroom design and installation service then contact us for a free no obligation quote.