Written by Lee Wallendar
Even if your home’s bathroom is small, it doesn’t have to look small. With a few alternations or remodels, you can create the illusion of a larger bathroom, all without moving a single wall.
1. Install a Larger Mirror
Mirrors not only add the illusion of more space in the bathroom, but they also reflect more light back in the room. Since your bathroom already has a mirror, consider dialing up the size. Super-sized mirrors up to 5 feet long and 3 feet high can easily be installed with just a cordless drill, drill bits, and a few screws.
—Tips
- Frameless mirrors add a feeling of more space.
- Screw into studs in order to support heavier mirrors.
- Look for a tarnish-resistant coating to protect against high-moisture condition.
2. Increase Natural Light
If more light is better in a small bathroom, then natural light is always the best. Windows and skylights that potentially can provide light may be painted over, dirty, or covered with curtains. Cleaning windows is easy and inexpensive. Skylights covered in moss can be cleaned roof-side with a scrub brush, warm water, and a mild detergent.
–Tips
- Repair broken blinds and curtains so that they open and close, as needed.
- For a permanent solution, replace clear glass windows with frosted privacy glass.
- Clean window screens with water and a soft brush, as cobwebs and dirt can impede natural light.
3. Replace the Bathroom Vanity Cabinet
Bathroom Vanity Cabinet offer many advantages, with one of the greatest advantages being the opportunity to store items below the sink and behind closed doors. But vanity cabinets, too, are space-wasters in small bathrooms.
For maximum room, replace your vanity cabinet with a cantilevered countertop or with a pedestal sink. Pedestal sinks can be self-installed and cost between $150 and $400. While pedestal sinks give you more floor space, keep in mind that your countertop space will shrink.
–Tips
- Flooring under the vanity cabinet may need to be filled in.
- Use a pry bar to gently pull the cabinet away from the wall.
- Remember to turn off the water supply before removing the sink.
4. Go Easy on the Decorations
Decorative accessories like artwork and small rugs are fun to add and make a small bathroom feel warm and inviting. But they can also lead to serious clutter if left untamed. If you are collector, consider thinning out extraneous items from the bathroom. Removing clutter is completely free and its effect will be felt immediately.
–Tips
- Instead of multiple items, limit yourself to one of each.
- Ask yourself if the item has any functional value.
- If you cannot bear to part with an item, move it to another room.
5. Decrease Color Contrasts and Dividing Lines
Dividing lines and sharp contrasts between colors serve only to make the bathroom feel smaller. Wherever possible, erase or blur lines between items.
For example, a wainscot that is painted a different color from the wall should instead match the wall color. Crown molding is a visual “stop.” Consider painting crown molding the same color as the ceiling or the walls. Wall tiling that ends halfway up the wall should be extended to the ceiling.
–Tips
- If the choice is between a light or a dark color, go with the light color.
- Wide baseboards can be replaced with narrower baseboards.
- Removing crown moldings altogether will provide an even greater sense of openness.
6. Add a Clear Glass Frameless Shower Enclosure
The largest item in a full bathroom is the shower or the bathtub/shower combination. Adding to that sense of size is the enclosure. While removing the enclosure is out of the question, you can take the next best step and make that enclosure transparent.
Frameless shower and tub enclosures are made of thick tempered glass held together at the corners. With no frames on the glass, the enclosure is as invisible as it will ever be.
–Tips
- Check the specifications since doors are either left- or right-opening.
- Bypass doors slide; pivot doors open like a door since they are hinged.
- Consult with a contractor or bath design professional since do-it-yourself installation can be difficult.
