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Small Bathroom Ideas and Designs

Small Bathroom Ideas and Designs

Below are the main design elements and small bathroom ideas that will help you make the most of your space. From the color palette you use and lighting, to the tiles and smart storage designs – a lot can play a role in how your bathroom feels.

Small Bathroom Color Ideas

The color palette you use in your bathroom will have a big impact on how the space feels. If you want to create a bright, spacious feeling, and airy bathroom then the best color options would be light shades – mint, yellow, white, cream, tan, light grey, like the bathrooms in pictures (1) and (2). This means using a light paint color on the walls, and decorating the space in light colored pieces – light colored countertops, shower curtains, flooring, and decor pieces.

Black can also make a space feel larger. Use it on one wall (the one against the sink and mirror), and have all the other walls in white. The black will make the wall feel like it is sunken, further away.

Light color shades do make a bathroom feel more spacious. But there is always the option of embracing a small space, and creating a cozy feel instead. If this is the way you want to go, then opt for darker paint colors. Use candles and dim lights at night. Make use of the Shabby Chic style (Shabby Chic Bathroom Decor and Design Ideas).

For more pictures and bathroom color ideas have a look at my post here:

Lighting for Small Bathrooms Designs

Lighting can also play a big role in how a bathroom feels. If you want the space to feel bright and open, light up the bathroom as much as possible (Bathroom Lighting Ideas: A Well Designed Space). Use recessed ceiling lights as they hide away all the fixtures in the ceiling, creating a modern look. Light up all areas of the bathroom, every corner, including inside the shower area (Bathroom Shower Lighting Ideas).

Try and bring in as much natural light during the day. By adding frosted windows, a skylight or solar tubes – just like the bathrooms in images (3) and (4).

Tile Ideas and Design Tips

If you are planning on using tile in your bathroom, there are a few things you can do to make a small bathroom feel larger.

You want to avoid ‘framing’ the tiles, because this will draw more attention to the individual tiles making the space feel smaller. So find a grout color that blends well with the color of the tiles you are using. Also light colored tiles and glossy ones (since they reflect light) are best for small bathrooms.

People debate on whether the size of the tile helps make a bathroom feel larger. But one thing is for sure. Larger tiles look more modern, and use less grout creating a more elegant design. But they are more expensive and harder to install.

The Power of the Mirror and Glass

A large mirror, or a group of smaller ones, creates added depth. And because mirrors reflect light around the bathroom, it makes the space feel larger.

Go with transparent furniture pieces, like vanity tops, shower dividers (5). Because it is see through, it takes up less ‘visual space’.

Smart Storage Solutions

If you have a small bathroom, you’ll want to have smart and efficient storage solutions to make the most of the limited space. Here are some smart bathroom storage ideas:

Use The Walls: Make the most of the wall space you have for storage and organization. Fit wall cabinets (6), floating shelves, hooks and railings. Install a recessed walls in the shower. These will all save you countertop space.

The Door: The back of the door is another place where storage space can be added. Fit hooks and railings to the back of the bathroom door.

A Double Curtain: You can buy double shower curtain rods. You hang up the shower curtain on the rod closest to the shower. The second rod is where you hang up your towel. When you are showering, the curtain stops the towel from getting wet. And when you are done showering, you open up the curtain and your towel is right in front of you – saving you from reaching or getting out of the shower to get the towel.

Under the Sink: A few bathrooms really lose a lot of storage potential because of the sink design. You want vanities that have storage underneath just like the bathroom in picture (7). Either have open shelves, draws, or have it curtained off.

Built In: If you are doing a remodel or a renovation of your bathroom, see if you can get built in units fitted. Not only are these custom designed to make the most efficient use of the bathroom layout, but the built in cabinets will be designed to blend in with the design of the bathroom. Because everything blends well together – this creates less visual chaos, meaning the bathroom will feel more spacious. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7

For more bathroom storage ideas, have a look at my posts here:

January 31, 2014 in Bathroom, Small

Creating a Workspace At Home: Closet Office Ideas

Closet Office Ideas

The closet office aka the ‘cloffice’. Here are few ideas on how to turn a closet into an office and make it a great workspace:

The Doors: The closet doors are great to use for storage and organization (using hooks, peg boards), but depending on the size and layout of your closet they can make the work area feel cramp. To give you more space how about removing the doors – seen in picture (1). Hanging a curtain will hide away the home office when it is not in use (2).

Lighting Design Ideas: You’re going to need a good amount of lighting if you want to convert the closet into a comfortable place to work. The problem with just having a ceiling light is that if you have shelves they will block the light from getting to the desk. A simple way of solving this is to have a desk lamp (an adjustable one is best – like the one in the picture (3)), or if you want to get your hands dirty, fit a wall light under the shelves.

Storage Options: When it comes to storage you’ll want to make the most of the wall space that goes all the way up to the ceiling. The best way to do this is to hang floating wall shelves or Elfa shelving. This can mixed with hanging a peg board (which can be painted or framed (4)) to hang stationary/craft items. Baskets are great for organizing things and decorating the space.

Decorating a Closet Office Ideas: To liven up the office closet here are a few decorating and design ideas. Wallpaper can decorate the walls or how about painting a part of it (of even the inside of the door) with chalkboard paint (5). A framed mirror can make the space feel larger (6).  Then there is painting the walls all one color like in picture (7)1/2/3/4/5/6/7

Here are some more home office posts to get ideas from:

February 12, 2013 in Home Office

The Space Under The Stairs: Ideas and Designs

Ideas Space Under Stairs

When it comes to doing up that space under the stairs, some ideas are better suited than others depending on where the staircase is located in your home. Is it in the basement, on the ground floor – is it next to the living room (a dry bar could work) or in the foyer area (better suited for storage and closet ideas?).

Daybed or Reading Area: How about turning this little space into a cozy nook for a daybed or reading area as seen in pictures (1) & (2). Line the walls with shelves or fit a bench with storage under it. If you want to go a step further, and there is an exterior wall, then look to install a window.

Home Office: A common idea for this space is to use it as a home office (3) (4). Fitting a desk can be done easily. The only other thing it needs is some storage options and a desk lamp. Hang up a curtain if you want to close it off when it is not in use.

Bed: If the space you’re looking to makeover is in the basement, one idea is to turn it into a bedroom. Check out picture (5) of the double bed fitted under the basement stairs (14 Different Room Ideas For a Basement).

Playroom: This is a pretty cute idea, turning that tiny space into a nice little private playroom (6).

Kitchen/Dry Bar: If the stairs are close to the living room or kitchen why not convert it into a dry or wet bar (7). It could also be used as a make shift wine cellar with wine racks and a wine refrigerator.

TV Room: If the staircase faces a living area, then built in cabinets can house an entertainment area (8).

Storage: You can either have an open storage area with cubbies, floating shelves or hooks to hang jackets and keys (9) or a closed off storage area using draws (10) and closet doors (or turn it into a walk in closet).

Bathroom: Yup, you can have a bathroom under the stairs – this tiny space can be turned into a toilet if needed. It will be cramped. But the best way to do it is to have the sink by the door in the tallest end of the space, and the toilet at the other end where it slopes. A better layout, if the space is wide enough, is to have the sink and toilet side by side at the tallest end (11).

Some other ideas on what to do with this space under the stairs include turning it into a walkway (12) or how about converting it into a dor or cat house (13)1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13

Related Posts:

February 12, 2013 in Misc, Storage

The Small Basement: Ideas and Tips On Making It A Dream Space

Small Basement Ideas

There are two ways to make a small basement feel much larger: A) hang up a framed mirror and b) pay attention to the lighting in the room. To make a space feel bigger with lighting, you want to have as much ceiling lighting as possible and try to light up all of the corners (Design Guide: Basement Lighting Ideas and Options).

That space under the stairs, the nook, can be used for a number of great small basement ideas and spaces. There are people who have built a home office, playroom, bathroom, and even put a bed in there. A simple way of using that space is to turn it into a storage area by hanging shelves. For ideas and photos on way to use this space have a look at our post here: The Space Under The Stairs: Ideas and Designs.

Other storage design ideas for a small sized basement or half basement include putting baskets into the overhead rafters (pictured) or have built in cabinets made (In The Basement: Storage and Organization Ideas).

One way to save space in a small basement is to avoid having internal walls to separate different areas. An alternative is to use railings and curtains. So for example, if you want to have gym equipment down there, a laundry room or a small home office, along with a family room, then you can put curtains up that hideaway the gym equipment, washing machine, or home office when it is not in use. This will then leave you with a nice and cozy family space. 1/2/3/4/5

Related Posts:

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February 7, 2013 in Basement