Small Bathroom Ideas in the Spotlight

There are many creative small bathroom ideas and design tricks that can be applied to make the most of a small space and to make that space seem generous.

One of the most effective ways of blurring the boundaries in a limited space, is to use light cleverly. Natural light especially, can do a lot to open up space. And what if your bathroom does not have windows and adding a skylight is not an option?

Let there be Light!

A bathroom located away from outside walls need not be deprived of natural light.

A clever design solution not only brought light into this small master bathroom, but it also added a beautiful decorative element.

The wall between the bedroom and bathroom draws its inspiration from the Japanese Shoji screens.

The opaque laminated glass lets in ample natural light, yet it ensures total privacy. At most, a silhouette of another person can be seen from either side, adding mystique and a sensuous and romantic touch.

At night the lights can be turned on in either room, turning this glass wall into a dramatic lighting feature. Small bathroom ideas such as this won't break the bank either!

Another way to visually increase the size of the floor is to lift fixtures off the floor. In this small bathroom both the vanity and tub are raised, which appears to reduce their footprint, allowing the eye to continue along the floor.

The bathroom decor follows design principles often recommended for small bathrooms: A simple and light color scheme that recedes - rather than bright or strong colors which would come forward and make the space more enclosing. Even the finishing accent tile strip is simple and understated.

The advantage of small bathroom designs is that you can really splash out a chunk of your budget on one beautiful element, which can be the focal point and set the tone for the entire space.

Whether it's a beautiful vanity, deep soaking tub, glass wall or those really exorbitantly expensive tiles that you absolutely fell in love with.

And finally - Two more space saving features in this bathroom: A corner shower with a curved front and a pocket bathroom door that do not intrude into the space.

If you want all the fixtures, (i.e. tub, basin, shower and toilet) but have limited space, you need to plan your bathroom layout carefully and then use some
creative design ideas to make that space look generous. Again, the maximum use of available light can assist you in this.

Using glass bricks on two sides of the shower adds visual interest with the patterns of light it creates, whilst allowing ample light into the shower. A tiled enclosure would dominate the space and make the room seem cramped and a plain glass shower would not be as interesting.

Wall mounted dispensers in the shower further avoid the clutter of shampoos and soaps dotted about.

A single large roman blind covers both windows, creating a larger sense of scale. Two separate blinds would have broken up that wall and make it look more cluttered. Hung from the ceiling, it also draws they eye upwards and adds a sense of height.

An oversized mirror and floor to ceiling tiles all work towards creating a big canvas that is most effective in reflecting light and making the space look airy. Big tiles, especially, are great to make an area look larger.

Looking at adjoining rooms with a new eye can also open up possibilities for more small bathroom ideas. When planning your bathroom layouts, perhaps a closet can be forfeited or space can be stolen from a laundry to add a few precious feet to a small bathroom.

In the bathroom remodeling plan displayed here, we have done away with the adjoining guest toilet and incorporated it into the bathroom. Only minor structural changes are needed and it creates much needed storage space, his and hers basins and additional space for toweling off. The dividing wall between the toilet and basins need not be ceiling height either and can be in the same glass bricks as the shower enclosure, creating uniformity and light flow from the bathroom windows.

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