Do you have a small bathroom you would like to make bigger but can’t?

While tearing down walls and rebuilding your bathroom from scratch may be the most effective way to accomplish your goal, it is not always possible. Costs, position inside your house, plumbing and a multitude of other factors play a role here and sometimes it’s just not possible. Does that mean you are out of options? Certainly not!

Our spatial perception of any bathroom is largely affected by:

Bathroom lighting

Light can do wonders to our perception of space. Clever placed light sources not only serve their functional purpose but immensely affect our perception of the size of the bathroom. Make sure you combine both natural and artificial light sources as much as possible. Skylights, roof windows (where possible) and bigger windows will allow a lot of sunlight to come in while visually enlarging the space and giving it an open feel.

For artifical light sources consider using many small light sources embedded into the ceiling instead of one or two big light sources. Also try mixing in a number of additional lamps for added effect, and do not forget mirror lighting. LED light sources can create fabulous effects if applied properly as well. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to consult a lighting professional for assistance if your budget allows it. Colored lighting can also work well for emphasising certain key places in the bathroom.

Mirrors

Mirrors, mirrors, mirrors - use them! If you can, get a mirror that will cover most if not all of one of the walls. It can easily make the bathroom appear twice as big as it really is. Combining two or more mirrors on opposite walls can also chieve fantastic effects. Oh did we mention Mirrors?

Floors and walls

Light colors make up for little space. By light we mean light warm colors, drop that blue idea please! Avoid making the whole bathroom too sterile by only using white unless an all white bathroom is what you really want. Floors and walls should ideally be light colored just like the accessories and furniture. Some contrast is always good, but try to avoid too much of it unless you want certain items to dominate the space. Any combination of pale colors should work well. Using wallpapers or tiles on the walls can add more texture to them and make up for the small space as well. Mixing small and big tiles on different surfaces can create a good effect as well. If possible, shelves carved inside walls will also break the perception of a small rectangle room and make your bathroom look more spacious.

Bathroom furniture

Avoid big, avoid much, keep it simple. You want more room thus really big things have to go out. A small bathroom packed with big furniture is like a small garage with a humvee parked inside - too crowded. Switch that big vanity for a smaller one, get rid of excess cabinets, vaste bins and generally anything you don’t really need in your bathroom often. Replace anything too big for a smaller model and your bathroom will magically start breathing again. If you have a big tub, consider replacing it with a shower cabin or a smaller tub.

Keep in mind that a small bathroom will always be a small bathroom even if you make it look bigger, if all you want is a feeling of more space then everything will be great. On the other hand, if you really need more space, knocking that wall down and expanding the bathroom might be a good idea afterall, and it might not cost you as much as you think.