Big ideas for small bathroom designs

You’ve probably noticed that most home improvement magazines don’t spend a lot of time talking about small bathroom designs. After all, where’s the fun in that? It doesn’t make for a load of great photography. Still, just because you have a small bathroom doesn’t mean you can’t “big” it up.

The key to bigness in small bathroom designs starts with the tile. Big tile gives the impression of spaciousness. For example, if you have a “half bath” (toilet and shower) off of your master bedroom, replacing the linoleum or current tile with larger tile will add an immediate feeling of spaciousness to the area, even when you close the door. If your shower area will allow for replacement of the floor without costing you thousands, you can extend the same spacious tile look throughout the entire half-bath area.

Wall color can play a big role in implying bigness in small bathroom designs. Basically, the brighter the color, the bigger the feel. Lighter shades of blue, green and yellow are popular in small areas. Another way to add some “room” to the walls is to layer two shades of the same color. Start with the darker shade and paint the walls completely. Once they dry, apply the lighter shade in spots, using a rag or other uneven surface (a sponge works well here, too.) The lighter spots over the darker color adds depth to the walls, which t”widens” the room a bit.

Even the bathroom mirror can add space to the proceedings. If you have a frame around the mirror, take it off or replace the framed mirror with a simple pane-style mirror of the same size. The more “open” look of the mirror will add openness to the entire room.