Bathrooms aren’t known as the smallest room in the house for nothing. Bathroom size has been shrinking over the decades. Increasingly, we’re converting small spaces into downstairs cloakrooms, or carving up a huge bedroom to make space for an en-suite. But having a small bathroom brings its challenges too.
How can you make the most of a small bathroom?
Choose Compact Ranges
Most manufacturers of bathroom ranges are aware of the problems many of us are facing when shopping for a small space. Check out the compact ranges online or in store. These are ranges of standard sinks, toilets and showers, made to fit into a smaller space. There’s no compromise on style or function, but you can just squeeze more into the same space. A good starting point is to draw a plan of your bathroom with accurate measurements. This will help you work out what fits best into the space.
Do You Need it All?
Baths take up the most space in a bathroom so do you really need one? The main consideration is if you’re thinking about selling your property any time in the future. Most buyers will want at least one bath in a house. So if you’re converting a small room as a second bathroom, then by all means ditch the bath. Think more carefully if it’s the main family bathroom though. If you’re not planning on selling your home any time soon, you always have the option of fitting a bath at a later date when the house eventually goes on the market.
Use the Corners
Another great way of making use of a smaller space is to try to put things in corners. The shower is the obvious choice to place in the corner, but vanity units and toilets can be put into corners too. Remember though that if you’re moving everything around in the room this can involve additional plumbing, which can boost the cost of the entire project. Corner baths are another possibility if you can’t give up the possibility of a long soak in the tub, but can look dated unless you shop carefully.
Maximise Floor Space
Another common interior decorating trick is to maximise floor space in order to make the room look bigger. Choosing a wall-hung toilet or vanity unit allows you to see the floor underneath, but doesn’t compromise on storage space. Keeping items off the floor makes cleaning much easier too. You can also trick the eye by using a large mirror hung above the sink. It will make the room seem brighter, but will also give a feeling of twice as much space.
Combine Fixtures
Another good option to save space is to look for combination units with toilet, sink and a bit of storage all in the same unit. You can even get toilets with the sink on top of the cistern, perfect for downstairs cloakrooms. Check the width of your combination units when buying. 900mm is fairly standard, with 1100mm offering a slightly larger option. Just remember to measure before hitting the purchase button.
