Do you only have a little bathroom? Without taking down any walls, simple remodeling options such as a new color, flooring, and bespoke countertops can help you extend the area. Sears Home Services provided this information. It is based on both facts and personal opinions...
When a Full Bath Feels Like a Half
Bath…
All bathrooms were small until a few decades ago—most were
less than 5 feet by 8 feet, with just enough room for a tub/shower combo,
vanity, and toilet. You might think that redesigning a small bathroom is more
difficult because it's impossible to generate openness and space without
demolishing walls. Fortunately, homeowners who are willing to work with what
they have may discover that the right colors, fixtures, and amenities may make
a small bathroom appear and feel larger than it is. Joe Maykut, a product
manager for Sears Home Services, was kind enough to explain about the best
design options for homes with small bathrooms. If you're planning a bathroom
remodel, the eight ideas below can help you make the most of your restricted
space.
1. Always use a soft touch.
From wall paint to furnishings, dark colors and contrasting colours should be avoided in a small space. To avoid feeling like you're in a cave, Maykut suggests sticking to light colors—a monochromatic color scheme is optimal. Soft gray walls, for example, are really popular right now. If you want a little more color, think of frosty blue, seafoam green, warm white, and butter yellow. All of these colors look great in a small bathroom when paired with white trim and cabinetry. You're sure to find some interesting light-colored cabinetry alternatives among Sears Home Services' pallet of more than eight colors.
You may avoid the strong clashing hues that can make a small
room appear even smaller by keeping to the lightest tones within the same color
family for paint and furniture. Matching the color of your floor tile to the
color of your walls is also a smart idea, as this will make the room's corners
disappear, giving the impression of more space. Avoid using any color on the
ceiling; a simple white is the best option.
2. Make a Statement with Vibrant
Colors
Just because the walls and trim are light doesn't mean you
can't add some color and personality. Maykut suggests brightening up the
bathroom with colorful decorations. Red towels and a soap dispenser in the same
color will brighten up a modest bathroom without becoming overbearing. A
patterned rug adds texture and color to the floor. This color scheme makes
updating your bathroom a breeze: simply change out your linens and decorations
for a completely different look and feel.
3. Create the Illusion of Height
Raising the bathroom ceiling gives the impression of
additional space, and it's easy to do. To begin, replace huge crown molding
with smaller crown molding that is painted to match the ceiling, as massive,
dark crown molding would overwhelm a small space. Take into account the room's
illumination as well. A dangling ceiling fixture emphasizes the small size of a
room, so replace it with recessed lighting for a more sophisticated aesthetic.
Is there anything else I can do for you? The distinction between the wall and
the ceiling is blurred by wall sconces that direct light upward, almost as if
the ceiling has retreated.
4. Consider the concept of
reflection.
The more light that bounces about in your bathroom, the
larger it appears. Mirrors, which are designed to reflect light, are the most
apparent place to start. "Whenever you have the chance to place a mirror
on the wall, choose the largest one that will fit," Maykut advises. “It
will give the impression that the space is larger than it is.”
High-gloss fixtures (tubs, sinks, and showers), gleaming
countertops, and gleaming tile backsplashes all contribute to this effect.
Consult the Sears Home Services team for materials that have the right amount
of sparkle and will blend in with the rest of your project.
5. Develop a Love of Pockets
To be accurate, pocket doors. The typical bathroom door
swings inward, restricting the amount of space available behind it. (After all,
putting useful storage near the door if it hinders it from swinging open far
enough to let people in is meaningless.) In a small bathroom, on the other
hand, a pocket door is unobtrusive, receding into the wall to maximize space.
While installing one entails reconfiguring the wall to make a
narrow aperture into which the door can slide, the change in the neighboring
room only takes up a few inches of space. If you're remodeling a master
bathroom, a pocket door with a frosted privacy glass panel can help to open up
the area even more.
6. Reconsider your storage options
Because there never appears to be enough space in the
bathroom for everything you want to keep, start by minimizing how much you keep
there. An adjacent hall or bedroom closet can be used to store additional
towels, cleaning materials, extra toilet paper, and tissue boxes.
After that, take a look at your kitchen counters. “In small
facilities, limited counter space is usually a concern,” Maykut notes. You'll
frequently be without a spot to put your cup of tea or curling iron. Getting a
customized countertop is one creative way to gain space. Maykut recommends
“extending a short ledge of countertop along the wall behind the toilet” rather
than placing the vanity close to the toilet. This empty space would be ideal
for storing tissues or a variety of other items.
According to the Sears Home Services team, choosing a
countertop and arranging space-efficient storage for your bathroom isn't as
tough as it may appear. A skilled consultant will take the appropriate
measurements and assist you in choosing countertops and cabinets in the comfort
of your own home when you schedule a consultation. You can even choose shower
fixtures, flooring, and accessories that suit your taste and budget during the
consultation, just like you would in a bathroom store.
7. Go for the Glass
A clear glass shower door, rather of dividing the shower from
the rest of the bathroom like a curtain or partial wall might, merges it in.
Replace a tub with a standing shower if your remodeling plans allow it, and
choose a shower with glass sidewalls and a transparent glass door.
8. Remember to Ventilate
A small bathroom will not appear larger with ventilation, but
it will be more pleasant. Maykut encourages homeowners to "create enough
ventilation in order to avoid the high humidity that can harm paint and
drywall" for their own comfort and to preserve a newly rebuilt bathroom.
Bathroom ventilation fans, which are usually mounted on the
ceiling and suck hot, humid air out through a duct to the outside of the house,
should be added throughout the remodeling process. To keep the ceiling looking
clean and uncluttered, choose a concealed ventilation fan.