Using light-colored and clear fixtures can help make a small bathroom feel spacious.
While designing any kind of residential space will pose challenges, designing a small bathroom is particularly demanding because of the need to balance aesthetics and multiple functions within tight spatial constraints. Whether you are designing a small 5-by-8 bathroom from the studs up or just looking for interior design ideas, you can optimize color, materials and utility placement in order to make the bathroom feel as roomy as possible.
Instructions
1. Draw a representation of the bathroom to scale on graph paper, including any immovable elements already in place. For example, if you are designing the lights, accents and general decor of the bathroom but the sink, toilet and shower are already in place, draw them in in the correct location. You may need to make more than one drawing to achieve a complete representation.
2. Make a list next to the drawing of all the different things you need to remember to include or consider when designing the bathroom. This will help ensure you don't overlook anything. For example, if you are redesigning a gutted bathroom, you may need to install a new ventilation system. If you are decorating, remember things like a spot to stash the kids' bath toys and a place to store dangerous cleaning chemicals out of the reach of young hands. Efficient use of space is eminently important in a small bathroom.
3. Sketch the placement for each of the major elements on your list. If you are trying to figure out where to place items like a shower, a sink, or a set of shelves, draw and cut out scale representations of them from another sheet of graph paper. This way, you can move them around the drawing of the bathroom, trying out multiple ways of fitting them into the room.
4. Decide on a color scheme that will make the small bathroom seem bigger -- or at least not make it seem smaller. Avoid dark colors, especially on the ceiling, as those make the walls seem closer, the room cramped. Instead, select a monochromatic scheme like all white or all yellow with slashes of a light, complementary color. Or cultivate an airy, spa-like look for the little room with natural stone tile and wood and glass furnishings.
Tags: small bathroom, already place, bathroom feel, , graph paper