Cloakrooms can be difficult to style as they're the smallest room in the house, but planning a renovation doesn't have to be a laborious task, and a well designed space will add value to your home. Style and function are the key for this process, and we're here to take you through some small cloakroom furniture recommendations as well as storage hacks and design ideas.
Preparing for a Cloakroom Renovation
The first steps in preparing for a cloakroom renovation involve accurate measurements of the space you have available, which will help you decide which priority products you can squeeze into your space. In some cases, a basin and WC may be all that will logically fit into the space, in which case we have some great storage tips and product recommendations to ensure you choose the right furniture and ceramics.
1. Cloakroom Furniture
The best furniture for cloakrooms include wall mounted and slim vanity units as well as corner basins, as these will make the most of your space whilst not skimping on style. Wall hung furniture is great to free up that little bit of floor space, which will give the appearance of a less cluttered cloakroom. Here are some of our furniture recommendations.
Go Wall Mounted
The compact nature of many cloakrooms means there’s often only enough space for a toilet and a pedestal basin, but if you opt for a slim cloakroom vanity, you’ll still be able to get that all important bit of storage to keep the space looking neater.
Wall mounted, slim vanity units are an elegant solution to your small cloakroom needs, and and we have a range of wall hung units to suit a range of styles, from classic white, wooden finishes and colours such as indigo blue or baby pink if you're going for a more playful scheme.
Corner Ceramics
Wall hung and corner basins are great for saving space whilst still maintaining function. Bathroom corners can typically be dark and shadowed spaces, so by opting for a corner basin, your bathroom will not only appear brighter, but you'll make use of a space that's otherwise unoccupied.
Cloakroom Toilet Storage Hack
The best toilets for cloakrooms include back to wall and wall mounted toilets where the cistern is concealed, as this gives a more streamlined, uncluttered finish. Forego the unsightly toilet plumbing to give an overall cleaner look, and create a shelf in the process to keep some of your bathroom essentials!
2. Wall Colours
Although neutral and brighter colours are best for small spaces as they will make the room look brighter, cloakrooms are your chance to experiment with wall colours and patterns as it is a room that will be not as widely used as a kitchen or living area will be.
Dark Blues & Greens
Navy blues and dark greens are on-trend bathroom colours that we predict to be big in 2022. These tones provide a nice contrast with ceramics and toilets which gives more character to the room, and these colours are a lovely base to build upon with other textures and accessories.
Feature floors can be just as effective; try a pop of dark green paired with a few of small plants and you’ll achieve a modern, luxurious cloakroom design!
Tiles
Feature walls can also be curated with tiles, and tiled basin splashbacks are a great way to incorporate colour and texture if you don’t want to commit to a full wall. Tiling halfway up the wall is also recommended for small cloakrooms as it will make the space look larger by distinguishing the different sections of your room whilst adding a beautiful finish.
Wallpaper & Prints
Wallpaper is back in and it’s already making waves in many bathrooms in 2021, and continuing into the next year. Popular choices include floral designs and plant prints, which are great for adding a touch of nature to your space especially since many cloakrooms lack windows and natural light.
Having your wallpaper on just one wall will still give a stylish finish, without the print overwhelming the space with too many colours and textures. Wallpaper will add definition and depth to a cloakroom, and is great for rooms without showers as there’s less chance that the wallpaper will peel.
3. Storage Solutions
Storage is an essential part of any bathroom, but can be difficult to come by if you have a small cloakroom with little wall and floor space. The best storage ideas for cloakrooms include floating shelves, wall mounted mirrored cabinets and recessed shelving.
Be clever with your storage - if you have a particularly tiny bathroom, you’ll have to think about what essentials you need as it could be that you have no room for any storage cabinets, in which case, small shelves will come in handy. Here are some of our top tips for maintaining a tidy and clean bathroom with nifty storage.
Shelves
Floating shelves are a must for tiny bathrooms that require storage spaces. You can buy a variety of different shelves in the smallest of sizes (or even make your own!) to store toothbrush holders and soap dispensers. Take a look at some of our shelves below, including a mirror with a built in shelf for a great 2 in 1 functionality.
Cabinets
Mirrored cabinets can be a great edition for narrow cloakrooms as they provide the ever important mirror and a storage capacity in one. You can choose to take it one step further and go for an illuminated mirror cabinet, which is especially nifty for rooms without natural light which may require the vibrancy of artificial lighting.
4. Inspiring Cloakroom Transformations
There's nothing better than a bathroom transformation, and these next few images show some unrecognisable finished cloakrooms compared to how they looked before the renovation. Disclaimer: there's some carpet involved...
@52doorsdown
This is a perfect example of a bathroom that has been transformed by switching a traditional close coupled toilet with a back to wall toilet where the cistern is hid behind the wall. This creates a more streamlined effect and a shelf to place accessories such as plants. Can you notice how much bigger and brighter the cloakroom looks with new tiles and textures?
@renovating_cartrefle
Check out how much bigger this next cloakroom looks after a few touch ups and storage switches. Installing your basin tap to the right of the sink on a cloakroom vanity is a clever hack to ensure the unit doesn't protrude too far from the wall. The floating shelf and hanging planter are all great storage ideas to make use of the space available, and panelling halfway up the wall gives more texture and character.
@pi_bathrooms
The biggest transformation in this monochrome cloakroom is the replacement of a towel radiator with a towel rail. Sometimes heating is not always necessary, and the lack of a bulky radiator opens up the room and reveals more wall space which is pleasing to the eye. The unsightly toilet plumbing is hidden behind a WC unit which gives a cleaner effect and the statement floor and metro tiles give a stylish finish.
@livingwith_laura_j
Finally, a few changes in layout has transformed this lacklustre small bathroom into a statement space consisting of plants, prints and wall mounted storage. Not only does this bathroom look brighter thanks to the neutral walls + floors and a large mirror, but it's got plenty more character and looks ten times more inviting!
5. Heating
Having a heating source in a small bathroom may not be required if the space is simply a WC and basin, in which case a towel hook or rail may suffice. But if you do need some warmth, consider underfloor heating, as radiators and towel rails can take up a lot of space on walls. This will not only free up space, but ensure you have a warm room which will prevent the accumulation of damp.
If you still require a towel rail, these are available in a range of compact sizes so you’ll easily be able to find one to fit.
6. Lighting
It can be difficult to get lighting right in small spaces, especially with dark cupboards under the stairs, so it’s important to use artificial lighting and paint colours to brighten up the space. Recessed downlights are a great option here as they take up very little space and can provide vibrant lighting for dark rooms. LED mirrors and cabinets can also help to give more brightness, along with wall colours such as white, greys and light blues as these will reflect any light available around the room.
Designing a cloakroom renovation can be a tricky task and you'll need to be savvy in your storage, but there is potential to make a stylish cloakroom in any small space with a few of these handy tricks! If you're looking for more storage ideas, check out our top 7 small bathroom storage ideas which is packed full of useful tips to maximise space and limit clutter.
