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5 Tricks For Your Tiny Bathroom

It’s a 50’s holdover that is common to almost every home in America: a tiny bathroom with a tub/shower, toilet, and vanity all crammed in one small space. Back then, the average home had one bathroom that measured 5 feet by 8 feet. Even though most homes built today have 2 (or more) bathrooms, you can still find those minimal measurements in at least one of the bathrooms.

Well, fear not – you can make these rooms at least FEEL larger than they do right now without adding on to either the house or the remodeling budget. Here are 5 tricks I’ve picked up along the way to maximize those itty-bitty bathrooms.

1. Go Big

Conventional wisdom is to use smaller tiles in smaller spaces. Not so! Small tiles require more grout lines, and more grout lines can make a small space look busy and tight. Consider using tiles that are at least 18″ square. 20″ or 24″ could be even better. Don’t like square tiles? A variety of options are available in 12″x24″ as well. One step further is to use tiles with a rectified edge. These tiles can be mounted much closer together and grout lines can look as thin as pencil marks.

2. Focus In

One of the most common mistakes in small spaces is trying to do too much. More is not necessarily better in these instances. It’s best to pick one item that you would like to make the focal point of the room. It can be a mirror, a tile accent, a light fixture or even the countertop. Make that one thing pop and let the rest be background.

And don’t forget the impact that negative space can make. Sometimes not putting anything on the walls is the best solution – it’s surprising how loud a statement that ‘nothing’ can make.

3. Be Transparent

In a small bathroom, you want to be able to see as much of the room as possible. The easiest way to see more is to ditch the shower curtain and add a glass enclosure. Clear glass will give you the maximum effect, but not everyone likes to be that exposed in the shower. Obscure glass adds to the visual space, but not as much as clear. If your bathroom is setup in such a way that you see the tub/shower in front of you as you walk in the room, then combine Trick #2 and Trick #3: create a tile accent in the shower as your focal point and make sure everyone can see it by using a clear glass enclosure.

4. Light ‘Em Up

I don’t care how big or small a particular room is – proper lighting is a must. Even in a small bathroom, 2 light sources are a minimum, and it need to come from 2 different directions. A simple solution for small bathrooms is to add wall-mounted lighting over the vanity, then recessed lighting for the tub/shower space.

5. Pull It Together

I like bold contrast, but it’s tricky in a small space. Beyond your chosen focal point, consider coordinating various tones of the same color family.

If you do choose to go bold, here’s a Bonus Trick: your brain perceives horizontal finishes first, so make the horizontal surfaces as light as possible (the floors and the countertops); choose darker tones for the vertical surfaces (cabinets and accessories are a good choice, even a bold paint color on the wall can work). Your brain will perceive a lighter and larger room.

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