Small bathroom designs that maximise space

In small bathroom designs, where traffic jams, when toiletries, medications and dirty laundry are cluttering up the landscape, we’ve all wished for a little more room to move.

An easy solution would be to make the bathroom bigger, but that often means decreasing the size of bedrooms or living areas, where space is seen as paramount, leaving the good ol’ bathroom very much neglected.

Creating space in a small bathroom

As interior designer Janet Edwards suggests, there are ways to create more space or room for storage. "Firstly hide things that don't really need to be there," she says. "A well-designed vanity is a must, with as many drawers and shelves as possible, and in addition to the vanity unit, a medicine cabinet recessed in the wall is a great way to store away smaller items such as toiletries and medicines."

And for those sick of living among dirty laundry, Janet insists that "incorporating a dirty washing basket in a pull-down drawer could save space and avoid confrontations."

Installing a small cabinet above the toilet

Another solution is to make the most of unused wall space by putting storage above the toilet cistern, to store toilet rolls and cleaning products. And, if the wall cavity is wide enough, "you can save space around the WC by installing the cistern in the wall," suggests Janet.

Some modern bathrooms are doing away with traditional shower screens or curtains, thus opening up the space and creating a more roomy and open feel.

Minor changes such as installing a towel rack at one end, over the bath, help clear the way for bathroom traffic, while the back of the door is great for robe hooks.

Bathroom shelves and other fittings

Thin shelves that stretch to a reachable adult height can hold an abundance of items that often clutter up cupboards or benches, and tiled, recessed shelves in bath and shower cubicles are a great place to store soaps and shampoos.

Just because the bathroom is usually the smallest room in the house doesn’t mean you have to feel cramped. Whether you're building, renovating or just want a few cheap add-ons, it should be easy to find room to manoeuvre.

Contact a bathroom renovator to discover how you can maximise space in small bathroom designs: