Remodeling a Small Bathroom

by HDME Staff

Want some tips on remodeling a small bathroom? Though some bathrooms are designed to be the home equivalent to a luxury spa, others are quite small and have been added to a house with basic function in mind. This being said, just because you won’t be adding a whirlpool tub to a small bathroom, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be lovely. Assuming that knocking out a wall isn’t an option, remodeling a small bathroom can still bring the space up to date, make it more practical, and add some visual appeal.

The first step to remodeling a small bathroom is to draw a floor plan. Try to make it to scale, either using computer software designed for floor plan creation, or you can simply use graph paper that has a grid to help you to keep to more realistic proportions. By working this way, you can start to move around the various elements of the room and decide upon the best layout to get the most out of the space, while ensuring that the room simply “makes sense”.

Don’t forget that while it is easy to over-clutter a small bathroom, you can still get the most out of its space with elements such as free-floating cabinets. Keep colors and lighting nice and bright to open the space, and add accessories that match in simple themes and/or colors to give the appearance of care and cleanliness instead of making it a cramped, dark space.

Next, when remodeling a small bathroom, try to keep the items in your bathroom as small as possible to work with the size of space you have. For example, while cabinet sinks do offer lots of storage, they are also very bulky and will eat up usable space very quickly. Instead, a pedestal sink – especially a corner sink – gives a much more open appearance and allows for more maneuvering space within such cramped quarters.

Though you may like a wall-mounted sink for saving the most amount of space, keep in mind that these do not offer any storage or counter space, so you may only want to use this in the case that you have other storage options available within the bathroom. If you already have a pedestal sink and were hoping to keep the small bathroom opened up, head to a home-improvement store and find a smaller model or design.

If your small bathroom already has a bathtub in it, you can make an enormous difference by removing the tub and adding a shower stall. If you must have a bathtub, have a look for a smaller one that won’t invade on as much space. Keep in mind that while you may want to have the most luxurious bathtub possible, if you choose one that is shorter than five feet in length, you should abandon the thoughts of jets or a whirlpool as the smaller models are notorious for spilling over.

Space saving toilets that hug closely to the wall and have a smaller tank and seat will help in reducing the crowding in a small bathroom, so they are a very appealing option when remodeling a small bathroom.

By limiting the size of the pieces in the bathroom and keeping the clutter down but the lighting bright, you can surprise yourself at how big such a tiny space can become when remodeling a small bathroom.

The Big Question for YOU!
What’s the biggest challenge you're having with remodeling a small bathroom? And if you've done this kind of project before, tell us about your experience and any lessons learned.