Small Bathroom Design: Solving the Problem Wisely

If the area of the bathroom is not more than 4 square meters, then it can be called small. And often the cherished meters are even less - 3, or even only 2. And most residents of urban apartment buildings are forced to make do with such a tiny plumbing "happiness". Repair of such a small room causes a lot of difficulties. In fact, the design in a small bathroom is easily solved. The main thing is to approach this issue competently.

Want to make a good design in a modest-sized bathroom - start with the planning. Carefully think about the location of plumbing, interior details and color scheme. Do not be afraid to take a tape measure and a pencil, in order to make some calculations and drawings. The reward for this work will be as comfortable and functional bathroom, albeit of small size.

We advise you to read our article about bathroom design in Khrushchevka.

Remodeling allows you to increase the efficiency of the room. A number of tricks can help increase the usable area of a small bathroom.

The door should open outward. With the standard installation of a door that opens inward, a small room can lose a third of the available space and significantly lose functionality. You can also install a compartment door.

Move the bathtub. If the room is rectangular in shape, you can move the bathtub to the short wall. You may have to buy a new, shorter version. The costs will be insignificant, but the benefits of such a rotation will be tangible. You can also buy a bathtub that is not too long. Then there will be room for a sink or washing machine.

Give up the bathtub in favor of the shower. By replacing the bulky plumbing fixtures with a compact shower, you can relieve the space. With today's variety of market it is possible to choose a model for every taste, color and budget.

Put the sink in the corner. Corner sinks can save a lot of space. There are models with a nightstand and wall-mounted sinks. A nightstand will hide utilities, and a hinged sink will add weightlessness to the interior.

Get rid of the washing machine. Not literally, of course. You can also move it into the kitchen or into the hallway. Or you can hide it under the sink.

In some cases, global changes are possible, and the total area of a small bathroom increases. Someone decides to cut the pantry, sacrifice part of the corridor and even the kitchen. Someone breaks down the wall between the bathroom and toilet, combining the bathroom and making it combined. Either way, redevelopment is a serious step, requiring forethought and coordination with all family members.

If the desire to have a spacious bathroom you have more than the love of many hours of lying in the bathtub, then feel free to give it up. In very small rooms it can be replaced by a shower with a drain in the floor and a screen. The main nuance - careful waterproofing to avoid trouble with the neighbors. About this we have already told in the article about waterproofing of the bathroom.

Instead of the annoying bathtub, you can install a shower cabin. The minimum size is 90 by 90 cm. Shower enclosures can be equipped with a deep tray (25-35 cm), a flat (10-18 cm) and extra-flat (6-10 cm). To save space, cabins with sliding doors are best suited.

An interesting alternative for giving up the bath can be an ofuro. It is a Japanese bathtub in the form of a barrel made of hardwood or ceramic. A single ofuro solves two problems at once: saving space in a small room and allowing you to bask in warm water. But only by sitting. To do this, ofuro is equipped with a bench. Significantly save space and vertical bathtub.

To free up space in the bathroom you can hide the washing machine under the sink. Many washing-machine tandems are available on the market for this purpose. In some cases, the machine is moved into the kitchen. In this case, the transfer of necessary communications is not very difficult, because the kitchen has both water supply and sewerage.

Particularly resourceful owners manage to install the washing machine between the bathroom and toilet. To do this, they hollow out part of the partition, and the washing machine is firmly fixed in the opening.

The space above the doorway is a trump ace up the skillful designer's sleeve. You can organize additional storage space there. If you plan to place a small cabinet here, the competent lighting will turn it into the author's highlight of the interior.

The shelf will look simple and easy, bright accessories will add a stylish touch to the interior.

In creating the design of a small bathroom, you should not use dark colors. They will visually decrease the already small size of the room.

It is better to refuse complex combinations of colors, accent strips or tiles with ornaments.

Optimal color solution for a small area bathroom - it's light colors. In this case, the palette is not limited exclusively to white, although white bathroom will be a competent solution. You can use delicate olive, beige, light shades of lilac or pink.

Proper finishing of the walls, ceiling and floor will visually expand the space and make it cozy and interesting. Carefully think through the design down to the last detail and be sure to draw everything on the plan.

In terms of hygiene and reliability, the walls of the bathroom are best finished with ceramic tiles. For a bathroom with a small area, you should not use tiles of large size. It will "steal" the space.

Tiles with a large geometric pattern is also contraindicated.

To visually expand the walls, glossy glazed ceramics will do well. It is better to abandon the color division of the room with vertical or horizontal stripes. The maximum that you can afford - this zoning at the expense of non-contrasting colors.

Chic looks floor in a small bathroom, made of mosaic. Small elements of mosaics "dissolve" in the space, harmoniously complementing it.

Medium-sized tiles, perhaps with a mosaic pattern, will do.

But large ceramics is forbidden. It is also worth refusing contrasting grout for joints.

In a small bathroom, with the design use it is necessary to use even the ceiling. No, you don't have to nail a shelf there. But competently beat with the help of light and color will not be superfluous. A light suspended ceiling with a glossy look is just perfect.

If the height of the walls allows, then you can make a vaulted ceiling. By smoothing out the corners, you can get rid of the box effect.

Light clouds painted on the ceiling will add a sense of air, a slight euphoria and peacefulness. But they should be barely visible, otherwise the ceiling can "crush".

The right light in a small room plays a big part. Do not use heavy central lighting fixtures and too intense light. To get rid of dark areas and not irritate the visual nerve, it is best to mount soft spot lighting on the ceiling and small wall sconces.

Carrying out the design in the bathroom with an area no larger than 4 square meters, a special place should be given to the mirror. This essential attribute of the bathroom allows you to visually increase the space. A cabinet with a mirrored front above the sink will be a good option for a cramped bathroom. The mirror can be mounted on the door leaf. If the bathroom has a window, if possible, place a large mirror in front of it. But you should not overuse mirrors in the interior: multiple reflections will create the effect of a maze.

The small area of the bathroom - the furniture minimalism! A cabinet under the sink, a cabinet above it and a couple of shelves above the toilet - that's all. If you need a place to sit down, a folding stool with a wall mount will do. The color of the furniture in the bathroom should stand out softly against the general background without sharp contrasts. The original can be the use of glass in solving the furniture issue of the small bathroom. Shelves made of glass will add air and light. The main thing is to choose a quality material.

It is not necessary to burden the design of a small bathroom with an abundance of accessories. Use only the most necessary: holders for towels and toilet paper, mirrors. Holders can be placed in pre-equipped niches. By the way, in small niches you can hide scented candles.

You can make a special curb from a tile and use it as a shelf.

The key to comfort in a small bathroom is a competent arrangement of sanitary ware and furniture, a carefully thought-out color solution. The use of corner sanitary ware will allow you to play with the space in a new way and add comfort.

The feeling of coziness depends on little things: holders, rugs and even the number of tubes and jars on the shelves. The main rule is not to saturate the interior with such little things.

Scented candles, hidden in small niches, not only will add a sense of comfort, but also help to create a unique corner of relaxation on a few square meters.

And, of course, the lighting plays an important role.

Do not be afraid to repair a small bathroom. The creation of design in it - rather a challenge to the imagination than an insoluble problem. For example, the sink can be hidden in the wall, and the toilet bowl can be suspended above the floor. Decorate one of the walls with a landscape, and thus expand the space. The main rule is to stick to minimalism in the design of the bathroom of modest size.