Wednesday, April 02, 2008

10 Quick Fix Ideas for Small Bathrooms

After dying my roommate’s hair the other night, I managed to get dye everywhere but her scalp. Blame it on my inexperience or our small, cramped bathroom. I chose the bathroom size. If only we could ditch the toilet, tub, or sink, our bathroom would be more spacious. For obvious reasons, we decided to leave them, but plan to make other adjustments. My mission was to find the best way to make our bathroom look bigger with some quick fixes. I hope these inexpensive, easy improvements inspire you to do the same to your tiny bathroom.

Top 10 Small Bathroom Visual Enlargements
  1. Color Conscious - Brighten and cool the room in both paint and fabric. Keep the feel light and airy; use the 60-30-10 Rule. 60% Dominant Color, 30% Secondary Color, 10% Accent Color
  2. Wallpaper - Stick with textured paper. Choose one that uses vertical lines to add the height illusion; nothing busy.
  3. See Clearly - Substitute the opaque glass shower enclosure for a clear, frameless one. Don't hide the little room you have. Use sheer or delicate fabrics.
  4. Merge - If you have both a shower stall and bathtub, eliminate the shower by adding a shower head to the bathtub. 
  5. Get in Sink - Use a pedestal sink to add more floor space. Mount it to the wall it to clear the floor, or add a vessel sink to provide more counter space.
  6. Don't Cut Corners - Replace your large out-dated toilet with a small modern corner toilet to avoid wasted space. Corner sinks are also available as a wall mount and pedestal.
  7. Mirrors- Reflect the space with multiple mirrors. Mirrors make any room look bigger. Use at least one with a built-in medicine cabinet to help with storage.
  8. Clear the Way - Only leave out what is absolutely necessary. Remove small accessories and organize to give everything a home.
  9. Board the Floors - Light colored flooring, such as birch wood, will match the cool colors and aid in the eye trick of appearing larger. Ask a professional about the best wood and sealant to use in bathrooms. Tile is a safe alternative, working well on counter tops, walls and floors.
  10. Cut the Carpet - No wall to wall carpeting. Use runner carpets to give length to the floor rather than those stumpy, rectangular bathroom carpets.