23 Ideas for Very Small Bathrooms To Try in Your Apartment Today
You have found the perfect apartment: a beautiful view of your favorite neighborhood, a large kitchen, renovated floors and even pets. His only flaw? It has a small bathroom.
Some may see having a small bathroom in your apartment as a drawback. There’s nothing wrong with having a small bathroom – it just means you need to get creative with decor and storage space! Here are some ideas for very small bathrooms to make them as stylish and functional as the rest.
1. Free up floor space
When you’re limited on floor space, you want to keep it as clear as possible. Free up floors any way you can, even if that means storing typical bathroom items in hallway closets or bedrooms.
2. Hang greenery
Plants can transform any space, no matter how small, into a soothing spa-like space. You don’t have to place pots on counters or ledges to incorporate them into your very small bathroom. Hang them from the ceiling so they don’t take up valuable surface space used for more practical items.
Plants do especially well if you have lots of natural light in your bathroom. However, if you only get a little light, there are still low-light plants that can survive in your small space.
3. Install a floating vanity or sink
Installing a floating vanity or sink, if you can, will make the bathroom much larger than having a sink with a cabinet. It opens up the space under the sink and creates the illusion of a larger bathroom. And if you really need storage space under the floating sink, you can always use shelves or decorative baskets to store the items you need in the bathroom.
4. Hang baskets for storage space
If you need more storage space in your very small bathroom, but you don’t have room in your bathroom, use a few hanging baskets. These baskets come in all shapes, sizes and designs. You can hang them from the ceiling and use the baskets to store bathroom accessories.
5. Tile everywhere
For very small bathrooms, covering the entire room with tile can work really well! Having floor-to-ceiling tiles creates a cohesive pattern that isn’t overwhelming, especially if you’re using large tiles. If you can’t install tile, you can use peel and stick tile in most cases that you can remove when you move.
6. Wallpaper
If tile isn’t your thing, but you still want a fun pattern on the wall, you can opt for wallpaper. Cover the entire wall with wallpaper, or just do the bottom or top half. Like larger tiles, wallpaper comes in peel and stick form and is removable, so you don’t have to worry about damaging walls or losing your deposit.
7. Remove cabinet doors
Cabinet doors are great for hiding clutter, but they can actually make compact spaces look even smaller. Make the bathroom feel like a bigger space by removing cabinet doors and storing shelves inside. You’re not actually wasting any bathroom storage or floor space, so it’s a pretty easy fix.
8. Use floor-length curtains
Using floor-to-ceiling curtains can make the ceiling appear higher, making the room feel less cramped. Add curtains to your bathroom. Even if you don’t plan to cover the window with them, they will serve a decorative purpose that will transform the ambiance of your small bathroom.
9. Incorporate natural wood
Natural wood brings a minimalist bathroom vibe and any luxury bathroom usually has some form of unpainted natural wood incorporated in some way. You can have natural wood shelves, cabinets or even storage bins – as long as it is natural wood it will make the whole space look more upscale.
10. Install glass shower doors
Having a shower curtain can make a small space look even smaller. It’s basically like putting up an extra barrier or wall. Instead of having an opaque shower curtain, replace it with glass shower doors that won’t hide the rest of the bathroom walls. If you can’t install a glass shower, try using only a sheer curtain or always leaving the shower curtain open when the shower is not in use.
11. Hang large mirrors
If you ask any interior designer, they’ll tell you that mirrors make a small space look bigger. It reflects light and brightens up the room, which is perfect for a small bathroom when you want it to appear more spacious. You can hang a larger mirror above the sink or a series of smaller mirrors in a pattern or on different walls to create a bit of visual interest.
12. Install Floating Shelves
Adding a few floating shelves provides extra surface space for storage, decor, or plants. And it doesn’t take up square footage, just a little wall space! It’s easy to add a shelf for floating storage, and there are even options that don’t use nails or screws (although these options usually limit the weight they support).
Even if you only have the wall space to add a floating shelf, it can make all the difference to storage in your powder room or small bathrooms.
13. Put up a gallery wall
Using a mix of fun frames, artwork and photos is a great way to incorporate decor into small bathrooms. Since everything is on the wall, it takes up no counter or shelf space. You can also use a few mirrors in your gallery wall to make the room look bigger by reflecting light and making your bathroom look brighter.
14. Buy a pedestal sink
Many powder rooms incorporate pedestal sinks and for good reason. A powder room is usually a small, cramped space, so you don’t want a bulky cabinet taking up square footage under the sink. The same concept applies to a particularly narrow bathroom or any small bathroom in general.
15. Integrate wall storage
Shelves aren’t the only thing you can put on the walls for more space to store things. You can add towel racks to store and display towels or you can install items like a toothbrush holder or a wall-mounted hair tool rack, where you can place your curling irons and hair dryer.
16. Go All White
Lighter colors generally make a room appear large and open. So when you have a small bathroom, using the lightest color possible and going white can give it a feeling of openness. An all-white bathroom doesn’t mean empty and boring – you can add textured wallpaper, patterned floor tiles and wall decor.
17. Use dark and dramatic colors
As a general rule, you don’t want too many dark colors in a small bathroom or powder room. However, if you take a more dramatic approach, dark colors like black or navy blue are the heavy hitters.
You can incorporate darker colored tiles in your shower room, dark patterned tiles with metallic accents on the floors or even wall tiles and wallpaper in darker color undertones. You don’t have to use just black to create drama – opting for deep plum, brown or navy blue will achieve a similar effect without leaving your bathroom devoid of color.
18. Don’t be afraid of metals
The bathrooms already have metallic elements, such as a faucet and a shower head. You can customize these pieces quite easily to whatever metallic color you want as there are quite a few to choose from. You can opt for cooler silvers or opt for deeper yellow golds or coppers.
19. Use corners
Corners are often underused parts of a bathroom, so put them to good use by installing a corner sink or shelving. In a small bathroom you need to take advantage of every possible room, so don’t be afraid to use the corners!
20. Use Multifunctional Decor
When you have a small bathroom, you can’t afford to give up decoration instead of function. Practicality should come first, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a stylish bathroom! Use multifunctional decor to serve both a functional and aesthetic purpose.
You may need to get creative with decor. Instead of basic plastic bins, you can choose cute storage baskets. Or, you can hang a faux deer head on the wall for a rustic woodsy feel and also use the antlers as hooks for towels and other things.
21. Wired wall light
Wall sconces can give a vintage touch to your bathroom. You don’t need to have the typical lights hanging just above the mirror. Remove this fixture and replace it with a few sconces on either side of the mirror. Or, you can leave the original fixture and add sconces in other parts of your small bathroom. Just be aware of the wall space they take up and keep in mind that you can add shelves or hooks for storage instead of lights.
22. Frame the Mirror
Something as simple as add a frame to the mirror can transform the whole look of your bathroom. It’s a great way to add extra color or a metallic element and it doesn’t take up extra space on floors or even walls, where you can have shelves to use for storage.
23. Use Basket Storage
When your storage space is limited, you use everything you can. But you don’t want your cabinets or open shelves to look like they’re full of items. Not to mention that if there are too many things in one place, it’s hard to find what you’re looking for and stay organized.
Grab a few storage baskets that will fit on your open shelves or cabinets. Not only will they look great, but they’ll also keep you organized so you can find what you need without spilling other items.
Start decorating your small bathroom
A small bathroom is a challenge, but it is entirely possible to make it both functional and stylish! There are plenty of tips and ideas to choose from, so there’s no reason why your bathroom shouldn’t become your favorite room in the house. Now start decorating!
