Designing small master bathrooms can be challenging due to their limited square footage and the essential features they must accommodate, such as showers, sinks, and storage units. However, don’t be discouraged—there are numerous ways to transform your space. From strategic paint colors to innovative lighting solutions, this article explores a variety of creative ideas to update your small bathroom, making it feel more spacious, functional, and stylish.
Choose Light and Bright Colors
Light colors are ideal for small bathrooms because they naturally create a sense of spaciousness by reflecting more light. Classic choices like whites, soft pastels, and light grays work well across various elements, from shower tiles to countertop materials. Consider using an airy wall color, such as light yellow, to infuse warmth and brightness into your bathroom space.
Incorporate Dark Color Schemes
While many shy away from dark colors in small spaces fearing they’ll make a bathroom feel cramped, the right choice can actually enhance the sense of space. Designers often use blacks, deep greens, and navy blues to add depth to small bathrooms. The trick is to commit fully. Extend a dark green hue up your walls and complement it with large art pieces in harmonizing colors for a dramatic effect. Enhance the moody ambiance with wall sconces, warm overhead lighting, and candles displayed on floating shelves.
Maximize Mirrors
In small bathrooms, maximizing natural light is essential. Mirrors play a crucial role in bouncing light around the room, creating a brighter atmosphere. Position a large mirror opposite a window to distribute light evenly throughout the space. Replace a small vanity mirror with a wall-to-wall mirror to visually expand the room. For a decorative touch that enhances brightness, consider creating a gallery wall using small, eclectic mirrors.
Use Glass Shower Doors
Glass shower doors enhance the openness of a bathroom by allowing light to flow freely throughout the space. They eliminate the closed-off and dark feeling often associated with shower curtains. Frosted glass doors are ideal for maintaining privacy while still letting light filter through. Sliding glass doors are space-efficient choices for smaller bathrooms. Frameless glass doors minimize the visual presence of hardware, creating a sleek, modern look.
Consider Removing Shower Doors
Achieve a European-inspired aesthetic by removing your shower doors entirely. This not only frees up valuable wall and floor space but also creates an airy atmosphere in your bathroom. Integrating the shower into the room allows for a seamless tiling scheme across the entire floor and walls. Ensure you have a robust drainage system to support this design choice effectively.
Add Backlighting to Mirrors
Explore creative lighting options by incorporating backlighting into your mirrors. This enhances their functionality and adds a stylish touch. For a minimalist look, place a simple white light behind a rectangular mirror. Alternatively, backlight an irregularly-shaped mirror to accentuate its organic form and create a distinctive visual effect.
Utilize Tile Creatively
Extend tile beyond just the floor—take it from floor to ceiling for a striking design statement. Choose a few different colors and arrange them in an alternating pattern to add visual intrigue. Alternatively, use a contrasting tile color along the floor and ceiling edges to mimic trim and frame the space. In smaller areas, opt for smaller tiles that won’t overpower the room and are more manageable to install.
Elevate Shower Curtains
Create a sense of spaciousness in your bathroom by extending your shower curtains all the way to the ceiling. This simple adjustment visually enlarges the room and adds a touch of luxury. Opt for a minimalistic curtain rod paired with a bold curtain pattern to make a striking statement. For a more integrated look, consider installing a ceiling-mounted curtain track. This enhances both the aesthetic and functionality of your shower area.
Keep Floors Clear
Maximize space in a small bathroom by reducing large furniture pieces and clutter. Consider removing your vanity and opting for a pedestal sink to open up more floor area. For an even more streamlined look, choose a floating vanity that maintains storage functionality while visually expanding the space. Utilize wall units and shelves for additional storage without compromising on the room’s openness and functionality.
Opt for Large-Scale Wall Coverings
Opt for large-scale wall patterns to enhance the perception of space in your bathroom. Choose wallpaper designs with linear shapes such as vertical or horizontal lines, which draw the eye and extend the visual flow across the room. Alternatively, bold patterns like birds, geometric shapes, or animal prints can create a dramatic effect, transforming the space into something unique. Opt for wallpapers in jewel tones or darker shades to create depth and make the room appear larger.
Use High-Gloss Paint
High-gloss paint adds a touch of luxury to any design. It enhances natural light reflection, making bathrooms feel brighter throughout the day. In the evening, it amplifies artificial lighting, enhancing the ambiance created by sconces, chandeliers, and mood lighting. For maximum effect, consider rich or dark paint colors such as black, plum, or even lime green.
Patterned Floors for Visual Interest
A patterned floor can visually expand your bathroom space. Opt for a herringbone wood floor to add dynamic movement throughout the room. Alternatively, make a statement with bold, brightly colored tiles featuring geometric shapes. For a vintage touch, consider installing a checkerboard pattern that adds charm and character to your flooring.
Add Shower Niches for Storage
Another significant space-saving solution is installing shower niches. Built-in niches can conveniently hold containers, soap, and other bath products within your shower walls, preserving valuable floor space and reducing the need for external storage. This not only enhances functionality but also adds a high-end aesthetic to your bathroom. Extend your shower tile pattern into the niches to create a seamless and cohesive look.
Create Space with Ledges
Optimize your space by incorporating built-in ledges. Create a ledge within existing windows to showcase plants and decorative items beautifully. Alternatively, install a ledge beneath your vanity mirror to conveniently store frequently used items such as toothbrushes and toiletries.
Relocate Towel Bars
Save valuable wall space in your master bathroom by repositioning towel bars onto existing furniture units. Attach a small towel bar to the side of your sink or vanity for convenient hand towel access. Install a larger bar beside your shower for hanging bath towels. Consider adding bars or hooks to the back of your bathroom door to maximize storage opportunities.
Install Space-Saving Sinks
Chunky sinks can occupy significant space in your bathroom and diminish functionality. To optimize your bathroom layout, consider replacing your sink with a more fitting option. Corner sinks, nestled between two walls, provide a clever solution to maximize floor space. While counter space may be more compact, you gain more maneuverability and reduce cleaning maintenance.
Select Compact Furniture
While large, luxurious furniture pieces such as a full-sized vanity or clawfoot bathtub may add style, they can easily overwhelm a small room. Instead, choose compact toilets, sinks, and showers to create a more spacious and comfortable atmosphere in your bathroom.
Opt for Closed Storage
Minimize visual clutter in your bathroom by opting for closed storage solutions. Consider installing a linen closet, vanity with cabinets, or chest of drawers to neatly store items out of sight. In smaller bathrooms, maximize floor space by utilizing a corner storage unit. For those with extensive makeup and cosmetics collections, choose a cabinet with numerous shallow drawers for efficient organization.
Curved Surfaces for Style
Changing the shape of your bathroom fixtures can significantly maximize space. Replace rectangular and square-shaped showers, tubs, and counters with those featuring rounded edges. This simple switch can reclaim valuable bathroom real estate and open up opportunities for additional storage. Rounded shapes also contribute to a sense of openness and welcoming ambiance in your home.
Install Stylish Shelving
Shelving doesn’t have to be dull! Embrace your unique design style with stylish shelving options that enhance your bathroom’s aesthetic. For a Mid-Century Modern vibe, consider installing a symmetrical teak shelf unit paired with a matching round mirror above the sink. In an Art Deco-themed bathroom, opt for gold or brass shelving units on the walls to display vintage perfume bottles elegantly. For a touch of ultra-modernism, hang metal ladder shelving above the toilet to maximize storage efficiency and maintain a sleek look.
Wall-Mounted Faucets for Space
Wall-mounted faucets offer a modern and stylish upgrade for any bathroom. Choose a neutral wood tone to complement a spa-inspired design, or opt for a concrete sink for an industrial chic vibe. Additionally, mounting your faucet on the wall frees up valuable floor space, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.
Creative Storage Solutions
In smaller bathrooms, maximizing every inch of open space is essential for adding storage. Hang custom-sized floating shelves in tucked-away corners to store towels and bath products efficiently. Install a multi-tiered shelf unit above the toilet to utilize vertical space effectively. Consider hanging a mirrored cabinet above your vanity to combine storage with practicality and enhance the functionality of your bathroom.
Use Ladders for Towels
Add a touch of creativity to your bathroom by using a vintage ladder for towel storage. This rustic addition complements various design styles such as Farmhouse, French countryside, and mountain getaway themes. The ladder’s multiple steps provide a charming display for towels, making them easily accessible. Installation is straightforward: find a ladder at a local antique store and lean it against an open wall or corner in your bathroom for an instant storage solution with character.
Minimize Bottle Clutter
You can achieve significant visual improvements in your bathroom without renovating by focusing on spring cleaning. Start by decluttering all your products and discarding any unused, expired, or empty bottles. Organize essential items neatly on the counter for easy access, while storing less frequently used items in opaque cabinetry to maintain a cleaner appearance.
Consider Skylights
If you lack natural light sources, consider installing a skylight in your ceiling! Skylights bring in lovely, diffused natural light to brighten any space. Placing a small skylight over your shower enhances the bathing experience with a relaxing and serene ambiance. Alternatively, a skylight positioned over your countertop offers optimal lighting for grooming and preparing for the day.
High Tank Toilets for a Vintage Touch
In historic homes, a high-tank toilet adds vintage charm and authenticity. This classic toilet design, dating back to the Victorian era, is renowned for its pull-chain feature. It perfectly complements bathrooms adorned with vintage hardware, light fixtures, and tiles, providing a period-accurate element that ties the room’s aesthetic together beautifully.
Unique Tile Patterns
Even the simplest tiles can be arranged in captivating patterns. Zigzags, rectangles, and repeating organic shapes are just a few examples of creative tile layouts. Enhance the visual impact by choosing a contrasting grout color, such as black grout with pink tiles, to highlight the geometric forms of your tiling.
Natural Accents in White Bathrooms
Incorporating natural accent colors can transform your white bathroom into a serene oasis. Introduce earth tones in your hardware, fabrics, and decor to evoke feelings of nature and relaxation. Ground the room with a terracotta shower curtain for warmth, or add peach bath mats to infuse subtle color without overwhelming the space. This approach creates a harmonious and calming atmosphere in your bathroom.
Theme-Based Designs
When considering themed bathrooms, you might envision ocean-themed spaces from vacation rentals and coastal homes. Why not personalize your bathroom by embracing a unique style, experience, or aesthetic that resonates with you? Transform your space into a rainforest retreat with tropical botanical wallpaper and hanging planters from the ceiling. Or, capture the essence of a sunset with floor tiles gradient in reds, oranges, and yellows, complemented by a warm burnt orange wall color. Embracing a theme adds personality and character to your bathroom design.
Use Brass Hardware
Brass is a highly sought-after material for bathroom fixtures because of its durability—it’s resistant to water damage, scratches, and dents, ensuring it can last for decades in your home. Its popularity also means there’s a wide variety of design options available. Choose chrome brass with a silver finish to enhance a contemporary bathroom aesthetic, or opt for bronzed brass faucets to complement an antique claw-foot bathtub.
Monochromatic Color Schemes
In a small bathroom, a monochrome color scheme can make a bold statement. Embrace the trend of color saturation by painting your walls, ceilings, and trim in one cohesive color. To make a monochrome design budget-friendly, start with an existing bathroom feature as your inspiration. For instance, if you have navy hexagon tiles in your shower, extend the theme with dark blue flooring and glossy blue walls to create a stylishly moody atmosphere.
Add Greenery for a Fresh Look
The bathroom is an ideal space for adding plants, as many thrive in warm, humid environments—especially tropical varieties such as Boston Ferns, pothos, and philodendrons. Utilize hanging planters from the ceiling to let vining plants cascade and fill vertical space. If you have a freestanding bathtub, consider placing tree plants like Monsteras and Fiddle Leaf Figs to fill the area between the tub and the wall, adding greenery and enhancing the room’s ambiance.
Install Under-Cabinet Lights
Common bathroom features such as counters, shelves, and cabinets can create shadows that make the room feel smaller. Illuminate your bathroom by installing under-cabinet lights, enhancing its appearance during the day and night. Choose soft, warm-toned light bulbs to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
Use Vertical Space Efficiently
