A small bathroom can be endlessly frustrating. Between trying to find places to keep all of your things and starting every morning by elbowing your partner in front of the mirror, a tiny bathroom can make you feel like you live in a dollhouse. But there’s hope for miniature bathroom-itis. You may not be able to change the footprint of your tiny space, but you can hack it to make it feel larger. And some of those changes are as simple as a trip to the hardware store.
1. Hang patterned wallpaper. It may seem counterintuitive, but patterned wallpaper is a great way to make a small space feel roomy. Large-scale patterns trick the eye into perceiving a foreground and a background, which makes stuffy walls feel further away. Bonus: In such a small room, you can get away with bold prints that might feel overwhelming elsewhere — and pricey wallpaper can stretch much further. (via Martha O’Hara Interiors)
2. Install open shelving. Open shelving not only provides a place to store toiletries besides already-cluttered countertops, it also elongates narrow walls, creating the illusion of more space. Make sure to choose your shelves in a finish that repels moisture and dust, so you can keep maintenance to a minimum. (via Prentiss Architects)
3. Get a floating sink. Making small spaces feel larger is all about expanding sight lines. Replace a built-in vanity with a floating sink to allow you to see more of the bathroom’s floor, which instantly expands the room’s visual real estate. If a floating sink is too spare for your taste, consider a floating vanity or a pedestal sink with a narrow footprint. (via Benco Construction)
4. Rev up the color. If your bathroom has wooden vanities or dark walls, you can give it an instant lift by changing its color scheme. Bright, light hues attract and reflect light, instead of absorbing it, making even shoebox-sized spaces feel airy and expansive. (via Melton Design Build)
5. Go for glass shower doors. Glass shower doors, like floating sinks, are another feature that works by expanding sight lines. A shower curtain may not take up more space than a glass door, but it creates a visual wall that makes the bathroom feel miniature. A transparent barrier allows a tiny room to look its largest, without adding any floor space. (via Martha O’Hara Interiors)
6. Hang an oversized mirror. Mirrors amplify light and expand sight lines beyond the boundaries of a room’s walls almost like magic. A large, broad mirror will reflect more of your small bathroom, and the added mirror space will mean that you won’t have to engage in pitched battle every morning when you and your partner are brushing your teeth. (via Structure Home)
Are you thinking about updating your bathroom? Follow us on Pinterest for more inspo.
