If you’ve got a small bathroom, then you might feel very uninspired when it comes to decor and design ideas. Small bathrooms are notoriously hard to get right, on one hand, their size means you spend less on materials, however, on the other hand, they can often feel cramped and dark.
Small bathrooms can make morning and evening routines feel uncomfortable and less efficient, but you don’t have to let limited space stop you from enjoying your bathroom. All you need are some styling and decor tips that will help you to forget how small your bathroom really is. Whether you’re working on refreshing an ensuite bathroom, small understairs toilet or a family bathroom, here are 5 tips for decorating a small bathroom.
Be Strategic With Colour and Pattern
In a small space, it can be really tempting to just go all out with pattern and colour as a way of making a statement, but it might be best to take a step back and create a strategic plan instead. Instead of going bold and bright with colour and patterns, have it in one area rather than all over. For example, if you’re putting a patterned tile or herringbone floor into your small bathroom, avoid adding colour or patterns on the walls, too.
This can make your already small bathroom feel smaller, as there will be too much going on for the space. Instead, keep the walls or floor neutral and add texture in one area only. Avoid dark colours, too, especially if your bathroom has no natural light, as this can make the room feel cramped.
Reconfigure Your Shower
If you have a bath with an overhead shower, then it might be worth reconfiguring your bathroom suite and bathing options. If you don’t use the bath, then consider removing it and installing a walk-in shower instead. This can free up a lot of room and make the bathroom feel more spacious. If you do choose to install a walk-in shower or want to simply re-think your pre-existing bathroom layout, then instead of having a sliding or swinging glass partition wall, consider a fixed panel. Then, consider moving the shower ‘on’ handle to the open end, so that you can turn the shower on without getting wet.
Keep It Clean
This might seem basic, but when you have a small bathroom, it’s really important to keep the space tidy and mess-free. The issue with small bathrooms is that they are often lacking in storage space, which then leads to cluttered ledges and floors. In this situation, storage boxes and baskets are ideal if you haven’t the space to add any furniture.
Alternatively, you could also add some floating shelves onto a blank wall or over your sink. If laundry accumulates in your bathroom, then you can get slim laundry baskets to fit into small gaps, or if you have bottles of shampoos, conditioners and soaps cluttering the sides of your shower, get some adhesive in-shower hanging baskets.
In a small bathroom, you might notice dirt and mess more than if the room was larger, so keep the essential cleaning supplies close to hand so that you can clean as you go. Keep these out of the way or, for cleaning products that you can’t really store away, decant them into stylish amber glass bottles with very clear labelling, so then at least your cleaning products can look good in your bathroom too!
Don’t Underestimate Accessories
When you have a small bathroom, it can often feel like the addition of accessories can only cause the space to feel smaller and more cluttered. But, even if you want to make your small bathroom feel bigger, you also don’t want it to look bare. You can add decoration to your bathroom without causing the area to feel any more cluttered, it’s all about the accessories you choose and the strategic placing of them.
One of the best ways to utilise bathroom accessories is to start with functional decor choices, so the elements you would have used in your bathroom anyway. One of the first steps you can take is your bathroom mirror. In a small bathroom, the right mirror can completely transform your space. If you have no room for a free-standing mirror, choose a large or unique shaped mirror to hang over your sink. This will then reflect the opposite wall, making the room feel bigger than it is.
Rattan storage baskets not only provide extra storage space, but look good in a bathroom too. Finishing touches such as a nice bath mat, a nice scented candle or diffuser or even some humidity-loving plants would look lovely and add a nice touch to your small bathroom. If you have the wall space, then some art prints would also be a good accessory to add.
If your small bathroom is quite neutral in terms of decor, then some bright or nature-inspired prints would add some nice bursts of colour. In a monochrome bathroom, botanical art prints would look particularly effective, whereas, in a busy or colourful decorated bathroom, simple line art or typographic prints would look great!
Choose Light and Airy Tones & Colours
Unless you want to make a bold statement, which is typically not advisable for small rooms, then try to choose light and neutral colours to make your bathroom feel bigger. Neutral doesn’t need to mean white – it can mean pale or paired back tones and shades of grey, blue, blue and nudes. Any neutral tone will work well and make the space immediately appear bigger than if you use bold or dark colours.
However, dark colours make for great accent and accessory colours in a neutral-decorated room, so why not go for the industrial look with black metal features, such as black wire baskets or scaffold board shelves with black metal brackets?
Another decor idea is to complement neutral colours with other natural tones and accessories. Driftwood or light wooden furniture compliments light colours and adds some texture to the decor. Plants add some colour to the room and can help dehumidify and oxygenate the room, especially if your bathroom has poor ventilation. Linen and wicker are ideal materials to use in neutral small bathrooms, as they encompass the light and airy feel. Use wicker for plant pots and linen for towels or even a breezy Californian-inspired curtain.