Small Bathroom Ideas - make a statement in a small space!

In a tiny bathroom, you have to be smart and clever with your design and there is beauty in that.

While there are some limitations design-wise, small bathrooms can still be spectacular by making the most of the space you have with clever storage, layout, and use of color. The choice of shower that you decide on can be partly dictated by the space and shape of your bathroom. If space is limited, having a shower over the bath is a practical way of ensuring you can still have both, which can be important in a family bathroom.

Finer details make a big difference to the look and feel of a small bathroom. The handles on your storage cabinets are not just for function, they are an elevating touch, so should coordinate with the overall look. Reflect light around the room and create a sense of space using illuminated mirrors and reflective surfaces such as gloss cabinets, tiles, or floors.

Even in small bathrooms, many people aspire to a freestanding bath to create plenty of wow and a focal point that instantly makes the room seem more luxurious. However, budgets and space constraints mean this isn’t always an option, yet a standard fitted bath can be just as interesting when it comes to bathroom design, particularly if you decide to dress it up with tiles. Bath panel tiling is exactly what it says on the tin; it is adding tiles to the side of your bath, whether in the same or contrasting style as the rest of your bathroom. The process involves using specialist tile backing board which won't warp and requires a bit more effort than using standard bath panels, but it is often worth the extra effort.

If you're in a quandary over how to decorate your small bathroom, just keep it simple with soft, natural shades. Choose furniture and accessories with clean lines and keep the room as clutter-free as possible to create a feeling of space. Lighter shades of whites, neutrals and greys are all ideal to open up awkward narrow and small layouts, to bounce the light onto all walls to avoid any dark corridors or corners.

While the general advise for small bathroom color ideas is to decorate with white to create a bright and airy feel, there's no denying how fabulous on-trend darker paint shades can be. There's also an element of cocooning and ambience that comes from using darker paint colors in smaller bathrooms, so it is very much a choice of personal taste. Although it might seem a bad idea to use dark colours in a small space, there are ways to implement it without it looking gloomy! If you want to go dark on the walls, add pops of light colours through furniture and fittings. When using dark paint and tile choices, the use of reflective surfaces can be invaluable for welcoming light to bounce around the space, to stop it feeling too flat and restricted – because dark colors absorb light, making the room feel more closed in and smaller than it really is.

Mounting your vanity to the wall and leaving the floor space beneath clear of clutter, will make your space feel larger and less boxed in. Opt for a vanity with plenty of storage for towels and toiletries and choose a basin that sits neatly on top. Architecturally and visually, it is best to keep a small bathroom feeling open by not crowding too many things into it. The room will feel bigger if you use a pedestal sink rather than a bulky vanity, a clear glass door rather than shower curtain and reflective surfaces such as glossy ceramic tiles in a large scale.

Small bathrooms can be just as fun and creative to reinvent as larger bathrooms. Powder baths in particular, I love to add a little something unique!