My Bathroom Is Too Small! Maximizing the Space

So many people have the problem of a bathroom that's too small. If the one bathroom has to service an entire family, including Mom, Dad and a couple of kids, it's smaller still. However, there are ways to maximize the space of a small bathroom without breaking the bank. Focus In a small bathroom the renovation should revolve around one focal point on one wall. It might be the vanity wall, or the bathtub wall. Sometimes all that needs to be done is to put up some decorative ceramic tile on the backsplash behind the vanity, or a spot decorative tile on the bathroom wall. The whole wall won't even need to be retiled. Get Rid of Bulky Furniture In a small bathroom, as in any small room, bulky furniture makes the place even more cramped. In the bathroom this usually means there's an ugly and unwieldy vanity. Get rid of it for something more streamlined and modern. A plus is if the vanity has its own towel shelf, a pull out drawer for sundries and even a pull out hamper, all of which saves space. Try a Shallow Vanity A vanity doesn't have to be deep to be stylish or a place for storage. A vanity that's only about a foot deep can hold a great many items. A normal sized sink can be set into the vanity, and then cantilevered out for an interesting look. Mosaic Tiles on the Floor Mosaic tiles are tiny and give the illusion that the floor has more space than it really has. Big tiles on the floor can make a room seem tiny. The mosaic tiles can also be added as a ribbon or frieze on the walls, even on the walls of the shower stall. Clear Glass Shower Door This makes the bathroom seem larger because it extends the sight line. Frosted glass doors on a medicine cabinet can do the same, to a lesser extent, while obscuring what's in the medicine cabinet. Speaking of the shower, tiers of metal shelving in one corner of the shower is also a space saver. Clean Lines Clean lines in the bathroom also give a sense of spaciousness. A Window If there's no window in the bathroom one should be installed if the homeowner can afford it. Light makes the room look bigger and a windowsill is, frankly, also a place to put stuff. Cabinets The medicine cabinet doesn't have to be the only cabinet in the bathroom. A cabinet can also be mounted above the bathtub and be big enough to hold linens, towels, toilet paper and sundries. Get Rid of the Tub... Some people rarely use their bathtubs, so they should get rid of it and replace it with an esthetically pleasing and efficient shower stall. ... Or Get A Claw Footed Tub Just because people can see beneath the claw footed club makes it look like it takes up less space than a built-in tub, whether it does or not. Change the Direction of How the Door Opens Simply changing the direction of how a door swings, from right to left, or left to right, can free up a lot of space.