Small Bathroom, Big Design – 5 Tips for Renovating Your Bathroom with Style

It’s not uncommon for bathrooms to be drastically short on space. This smaller footprint can make potential changes seem too difficult to achieve. Yet, at Archant, one of our goals is to find creative solutions to design barriers. You don’t need to knock down walls to make efficient use of your existing space. In fact, we believe it’s possible to maximise the current size of your bathroom with some intentional updates.

We talk with thousands of homeowners who want to redesign their bathrooms. Many ask a similar question, “how can I make my small bathroom more efficient without changing the size?”

In this article, we’re going to discuss five beautiful and clever ways to do just that. Some of the solutions are so simple, that you’ll wonder how you hadn’t thought of them yourself. Others are a bit more involved but still stop short of a massive renovation. By the end, we think you’ll have some great ideas to move your bathroom project forward.

1) Streamlined Porcelain Vanities

It’s time to rethink the negative perception of smaller bathrooms. With the clever use of a space-saving vanity, you can make the entire room look and feel much larger. The ability to stylish elements without modifying the structural integrity of your home is a huge benefit. This will not only save time but is much more budget conscientious as well.

Our porcelain vanities are meticulously crafted with the integrated sinks seamlessly incorporated into the design. They echo high-end appeal while also offering a small footprint in terms of space. With porcelain, your vanity can be made to look like nearly any material imaginable including concrete, metal, and marble. With a cutting-edge continuous design, you won’t encounter any gaps, crevices, or unsightly adhesives.

2) Lighten Up the Palette

With opaque or scaled-down window sizes, bathrooms are typically lacking in natural light. This can make the room feel too dark and uncomfortably cramped. To make them feel larger, most experts recommend working with a lighter colour palette. Whether you accomplish this with a fresh coat of paint or the brighter tones of large-format porcelain tiles, the effect is similar. Tiles do offer an advantage worth noting, however. Thanks to the reflective quality of a porcelain surface, light sources will bounce from the tile and brighten the space.

It’s not just the colour of the walls that has an impact, but other key elements as well. For example, a floor that’s lighter in tone will also be very effective at creating a larger, more open feel. Our gorgeous large-format porcelain tiles are perfect for this task. When paired with white or light cabinetry and handles, the entire room benefits from a more spacious appearance.

3) Modern and Minimalist Shower

While many designers recommend having at least one bathtub in a home, they can take up a considerable amount of floor space. As an alternative, you could design your second bathroom with a simple, but beautiful shower. Complete with glass doors and porcelain walls and flooring, they have a minimalist appeal with a modern touch of sophistication.

As an added benefit, porcelain’s non-porous nature makes them very simple to keep clean with no place for bacteria or mildew to hide. A damp cloth and a warm soapy mix are all that’s needed to keep your shower looking new. All that’s left to do is add a stylish shower head and you have a luxurious spa-like setting.

4) Think Outside the Box

The above-mentioned tips are merely suggestions based on what’s been successful for many of our clients. Having said that, we firmly believe that creativity and innovation are staples of great design. As such, we encourage you to break the rules and try something new where possible.

For many bathroom projects, finding sufficient storage can be problematic. This is a great opportunity to dream up some clever ways to stow your towels and toiletries. Of course, there are so many inspiring ideas on Pinterest, but don’t limit your imagination to any one site. Think outside the box and you just may create some of your own trends.

5) How to Keep Bathroom Renovation Costs Down

If you’ve been frustrated by the size of your bathroom, there is a definitive advantage to a compact space. Renovating a room that’s smaller in scale will keep the cost down. With less raw material and expedited labour, the budget doesn’t need to be as large.

Having said that, the actual quality of the items you choose will also affect the overall price. Ideally, you want to strike a balance between cost and value. The perfect additions will be long-lasting and beautiful without overcapitalising.

Another cost-saving tip is to keep the existing layout of the bathroom intact if possible. Should you need to move elements like the toilet, shower, or sink, the price of plumbing will quickly add up. By simply swapping out existing items without relocating them, you’ll find substantial savings.

Small Bathrooms = Big Opportunity

The limitations of a small bathroom are mainly based on your perception. We believe the examples here are actually an opportunity to design an amazing space without the hefty price tag of a larger room. We’re excited to see what plans you have in mind for your bathroom. As Interior Designer Sister Parish said, "Innovation is often the ability to reach into the past and bring back what is good, what is beautiful, what is useful, what is lasting."

Move Your Bathroom Renovation Forward

If you love some of these ideas and would like to incorporate some or all of them into your bathroom renovation, we encourage you to come have a chat with our trusted experts. Book an appointment for a time that’s convenient for you. We have the solutions and expertise needed to help make the process smooth and worry-free.

Related Links

How Much Should I Budget for a Bathroom Renovation in New Zealand? (Pricing Guide)

Four Trendsetting Ideas for Upscaling a Bathroom with Porcelain

5 Essential Questions to Ask Before Renovating a Bathroom

The Main Problem with Bathroom Design, and How Porcelain Can be a Fitting Solution

How Much Should You Be Spending on a Bathroom Vanity? (Pricing Comparison)

10 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Porcelain Vanity for Your Bathroom Redesign