Small bathrooms and cloakrooms can often lack floor and wall space, and can be difficult to style without appearing cluttered. This guide will take you through how to get the most out of your bathroom space by using different colour, lighting and storage options.
Modern Small Bathroom Ideas
You'll be surprised how much you can fit into a narrow bathroom with the use of clever design and space saving furniture options. With these modern bathroom furniture tips, you’ll be able to make your space appear larger and decluttered, without losing its functionality.
Corner Basins
Corner and wall hung basins are great options for smaller bathrooms, or those of you wanting to create a clutter free space. Utilising corners is a great tip to save valuable floor and wall space, and brighten up corners that may otherwise be dark and shadowed. When it comes to bathroom storage, a nifty corner vanity unit is the best option to make the most our of your small space. Take it one step further and pair a wall mounted basin with a wall hung toilet to create a clean, minimalist space.
Shower Baths
Baths provide a focal point to your space but you can't deny that they take up a lot of room in a tiny bathroom. If you're undecided whether to install a shower or bath, why not go for a shower bath to combine the luxury of both options? Top tip: ditch the shower curtain and go for a bath panel, as this will make the space feel more open and is much easier to clean.
Wet Rooms
Wet rooms are a great way to open up narrow bathrooms and minimise the need for a bulky enclosure, shower doors or curtains. Contemporary wet rooms are the perfect option for small modern bathrooms and will add value to your property. Underfloor heating is a great modern alternative to heating wet rooms as it minimises the need for a clunky towel rail or radiator which may engulfs wall space, making a small look busy. It's important to choose the right tiles and accessories for wet rooms, as you want to ensure that all products are water resistant.
Wall Mounted Options
To attain more visual floor and wall space, wall hung furniture and storage cabinets will provide a more streamlined look to your bathroom design. Due to their elevation, wall mounted vanity units make the floor space underneath easily accessible, providing a perfect spot to store toilet paper, bathroom essentials or even a stool for the little ones!
Go Large with Mirrors
Small bathrooms greatly benefit from brightness, however many lack the natural light from windows. Large mirrors are your saving grace for windowless bathrooms, as they give the illusion of more space by bouncing light around the room. Match mirrors with a light colour scheme, such as whites and greys, as mirrors reflect lighter colours better than darker colours.
Top 5 Colours for Small Bathrooms
The best colours for small bathrooms in 2023 are shades that will make the space feel bright and airy, such as whites, greys and neutrals. The general rule for bathroom colours is the keep the pallet light and vibrant, so the small space feels open and not enclosed. Here are our top colour recommendations.
1. White
White is a classic and versatile option for small bathrooms and is the perfect foundation to build upon with pops of colour and varying tones. You want to avoid dark corners and shadows in your small bathroom as this can give a cocooning feeling. White bathrooms also look great paired with chrome taps & showers , as well as brushed brass accessories to add a little more depth and character.
2. Blue
A bathroom's main priority is to give connotations of relaxation and calm. Blue is notoriously known as a calming colour, with its connections to nature & water, making it a popular choice for bathroom colour schemes. A clever trick to give the illusion of height is to tile halfway up your wall which will add more depth to the bathroom design. Using colour to define zones makes the space feel more generous.
3. Pink
Fun and playful, pink is a classic colour for bathroom schemes. Pastel and baby pinks are great for adding vibrancy to your small bathroom, and darker tones such as terracotta and peach will give a warm tone. Remember, you don't have to go the whole hog with pink, a feature wall or small splashes of colour are enough to add character.
4. Grey
Grey can sometimes be overlooked as a bathroom colour, but there are many variations of grey tones which will suit almost any bathroom design. Grey is a good choice for a bathroom that lacks natural light, as the colour will appear cool and make the most of any light available. Jazz up monochrome bathrooms with grey walls to add some depth, or ago for a darker grey vanity unit to add depth to your scheme.
5. Darker Schemes
Whilst the general rule is to go for lighter, airy colours for small bathrooms, dark colour choices can give a cosy ambience which some people may prefer for a smaller bathroom. Dark feature walls such as navy and forest greens are becoming popular colour schemes for bathrooms in 2023. To avoid the space feeling dark and enclosed, use reflective surfaces and white sanitaryware to brighten the space up.
Brighten up Small Spaces with Lighting
It's a common rule of thumb that the brighter the bathroom is, the larger it will appear to be. Refreshing your bathroom lighting is a cheap way to brighten up small bathrooms, and there are many ways to add light to your space without spending a fortune. Avoid going for feature lights and large pendants, as this may look to busy, and go for the simpler options listed below.
Recessed Downlights
Simple recessed downlights or bright spotlights will add a 'barely there' look to your bathroom, which is more preferable for small bathrooms rather than going for a large feature light that may engulf the space. Recessed downlights are advantageous to make you bathroom appear larger, as there is very little/no space between the light and the ceiling, so the full height of the room can be used.
Illuminated Bathroom Cabinets
A mirror, light source and storage all in one place? What's not to love?! Small bathrooms benefit from features with many functions, and illuminated bathroom cabinets are the perfect accessory for tight spaces. By replacing a standard mirror with a mirrored illuminated cabinet, you can set yourself up with bonus storage and a light source, which is great hack for saving bathroom space.
Different Light Sources
Bathrooms need to be versatile and have lighting to suit all times of day. By going for a mixture of lights in your small bathroom, you can suit those early mornings when you need more vibrant lighting, or relaxed evenings where ambient lighting is preferable. A combination of wall lights, spotlights and recessed downlights will flood the room with light, making that self care routine that little bit easier and prevent the room from feeling dark and dreary.
Utilise Storage
They key for getting storage right in small bathrooms is making sure that every piece has a purpose. Try to avoid a cluttered look and only keep items that are necessary, to avoid the look of a busy bathroom.
Combine Bathroom Fixtures
If you're pushed for space, a combined basin & toilet vanity unit set is a great solution to give a seamless and tidy look. Contemporary combination units are becoming more popular in small bathrooms and cloakrooms in 2023, as they provide ample storage space and hide unsightly plumbing of your toilet which makes the overall space appear less cluttered.
Slimline Vanity Units
Our range of cloakroom vanity units are designed to make the most of the compact space in your bathroom. The compact nature of many narrow bathrooms and cloakrooms means that there is only enough space for a toilet and a pedestal basin, however with a slimline vanity unit and basin, you can have the essential sink & basin tap as well as bonus storage.
Recessed Shelves
Finding suitable spaces to keep your bath and shower essentials can be difficult. With recessed shower shelves, your essentials can be tucked away in a neat fashion, avoiding a floor full of toiletries. Recessed shelves also look modern and smart, and can be a feature for your small bathroom as well as a storage hack.
The main priorities for styling a small bathroom are to keep it simple and bright. Take a look at our article on how to fit an en-suite into any small space for further inspiration on en-suite layouts and other space saving ideas to help you make the most out of your space.
