Last Updated on April 12, 2022 by Kravelv
Do you hate your small bathroom? There are countless solutions to transform it and make the most of your limited space.
A functional bathroom needs some space for you to move around without issues, about 150cm in front of the bathtub or shower and approximately 80cm in front of the WC. When dealing with small bathrooms even 1cm counts. A small bathroom can pose challenges even to an architect, especially when you also have to stick to a budget. So how can you, with minimum designing experience, arrange your bathroom’s layout to fully optimise the floor space?
Find out the tips we share on how to do a bathroom makeover.
Re-align all the items
A great solution is to place the bathroom items in a row, the bathtub/shower, the sink, and the toilet. This type of distribution makes space look more organised and it magnifies it. Architects state that this alignment creates a natural flow and makes space look more inviting and cosy.
If you place the heavy bathroom pieces on different walls, you will notice some large wasted areas, and wasted space is the last thing you want in a small bathroom. Well, if you align the items on a single wall, you will achieve a large functional space you will have no problems to use.
You should install the larger pieces at the bottom of the room
One solution to maximise the space is to place the larger items like the bathtub or shower away from the door. It will offer the illusion of more floor space and it will gain you more square feet for moving.
The way you arrange the fixtures highly influences your perception of the space.
You should replace the old bathtub with a showering area because it will create a cleaner bathroom geometry. Use a bathroom screen to isolate the area during showers. This trick will help you design an attractive and neat space.
A glass door is the best solution to isolate the shower area from the rest of the space. Your eyes will perceive the entirety of the room, and it will maintain this impression even when you will shower. A glass door will bring a sense of spaciousness and light to the bathroom that will make it look larger.
Choose a smart bathroom distribution
Depending on the layout of the bathroom, you can make some choices on how to install the fixtures to gain more space.
Long and narrow spaces
The best alignment for this type of bathroom is the one that features all the elements on a wall. Place the shower at the bottom of the room, it will create the impression that she space is more balanced. When placing the toilet and sink on the same wall you create enough space for the door to open. Because all the pipes are installed on a single wall, the bathroom renovation project will prove cheaper.
Extra tips:
- create a walk-in shower
- install dark colours tiles on the back wall
- install a large mirror
Wide and short spaces
This room typically has the door installed on the long wall either on one side or in the middle. When you determine the spots where you want to install the fixtures you should make sure that you place them in a way that enhances circulation. Create a shower area to one side because it will visually make the space look more symmetrical.
It’s recommended to install the sink in front of the entrance, no matter if the door is to one side or in the centre of the wall. When you enter the bathroom, the sink should be the first thing you see. When you see your reflection in the mirror, you have the impression you enter a spacious room and you will find it more pleasing. An option is to place the sink in the centre and the shower and toilet on its sides. Another solution is to install the sink in a corner.
L-shaped spaces
You’ll find it easier to rearrange an L-shaped bathroom because there are multiple ways to distribute the pieces to create the impression of a larger space. When redesigning the room you can install the sink on the wall opposite the entrance. You can install the shower on the shorter wall and the WC on the other part of the sink. Depending on the size of the pieces you plan to install, you can distribute them according to the long and narrow spaces. For example, the sink can be placed in front of the door, followed by the toilet, and the tub or shower.
Extra tip: reverse the way the door opens, if it swings outside the bathroom it will gain you more floor space inside.
Square spaces
Square rooms come with countless design options. Depending on factors like the presence or absence of a door, the position of the door, and where the pipes are placed, you can install the bathroom pieces one way or another. Different spaces have different needs and you should follow some guidelines to create a balanced space.
If the room has a window on the wall placed in front of the entrance then you should place a plant pot or a towel bar beneath the window, and install the other fixtures on the sidewalls of the door.
Another solution is to install the bathtub underneath the window, the sink on the wall towards which the door opens, and the WC in front of the sink.
A bathroom with an entrance on a corner and no windows allows you to install the items in an L-shape. Depending on the size of the space you can even place a double sink on one of the walls and build a half wall to separate the shower area from the rest of the room.
The best way to maximise the space is to move the plumbing. As you have seen above, placing all the items on a single wall opens up a lot of space, you can work with.
