The minimum square footage for a full bathroom in my area is 35sq.ft. That’s 7 feet long and 5 feet wide. Just wide enough for a bathtub from one wall to the other.
That’s the size of the master bathroom in my house. I wonder what the builder was thinking (or drinking)? The other bathroom serves 3 smaller bedrooms and gets 5sq.ft. more space than the biggest bedroom? Oh, well. It’s mine. And I don’t have to share.
The toilet is practically up against the tub, the vanity is 36 inches wide and there’s a mirror 5 feet long and nearly 3 feet wide on the wall. The linen cabinet is built into the clothes closet on the other side of the wall with a door that opens into the bathroom against the main door that also opens in. Both can’t be open at once.
So how does one turn a tiny bathroom like this into a comfortable space?
Below are 10 tips that I’m using to make my bathroom better without tearing out walls.
Since the floor and wall space is small, 12″ tiles would make the room feel like claustrophobic. Stick to 6″ tiles or smaller. I’m putting 6″ tiles on the floor and small decorative tiles on the walls to make the space feel bigger. I’m pouring my own concrete tiles to save money. I can easily paint them to resemble marble and save a bundle.
Color
Light colors make spaces seem larger to the eye. In a small space, use light colors of paint or wallpaper. . Use a shade lighter on the ceiling to make the space seem even bigger. Simply save some of the wall paint and mix some white in to make a shade lighter without having to spend money on a special paint mix.
These are great for making small bathrooms feel bigger. To save money, try to find one at a used fixture store. Or make your own by crafting the pedestal yourself from unique materials.
Corner Bathroom Cabinet
I like space beneath the sink. So, instead of a pedestal I’m going to build my own corner cabinet since I can’t find one small enough for my bathroom. I can buy my own ready made sink, or use a glass or stone bowl for one.
I can easily make a corner medicine cabinet and make use of an antique mirror for a door. Or design my own and have a glass company cut one for me.
Tub/shower
There are a lot of tubs with surrounds that fit into the space, I can choose a corner shower to save space, but I like the looks of the new 5 foot spa/tubs that have come to the market recently. Frameless glass doors don’t cut the space off visually and make the area seem smaller.
Shelves
Even though the room is small, I plan to use floating glass and Plexiglas shelves. Candles in glass holders can sit on these, and not make the room seem smaller. A Plexiglas towel holder will fit right in.
Lighting
By taking out the 4 foot long fluorescent light (and moving it to the garage) the lighting options are wide open.
For daytime lighting, since my bathroom is an interior room with no window, I plan on putting in a Solatube. This is a skylight tube that lets the room light up using the sun instead of electricity. And it’s eligible for federal income tax credits! Perfect for a small space.
For nighttime lighting, just turn on the regular lights.
Ventilation
Every building code requires ventilation in bathrooms to prevent moisture damage and hazardous mold growth.
I can choose an Energy Star model with a light that’s very quiet, making sure that the ventilation tube goes to the outside of the house, not into the attic. A great number of old houses have this problem.
Venting to the inside of an attic is against code requirements because you’re dumping moisture to an inside space. There it’s absorbed by the insulation and into the roof decking, destroying both. That’s just dumb.
The Solatube mentioned earlier also has a ventilation kit that can be added in a kitchen or bathroom installation. Perfect.
Linen and Accessories Storage
The current linen closet is a space built into the walk-in closet on the other side of the wall. Instead of the current shelving which wastes about two-thirds of the space, it won’t be too hard to open the framing, build in some drawers on the bottom and adjustable shelves on the top.
The new framing and doors will give the appearance of a built-in piece of furniture. Perhaps a sliding pocket door- that won’t compete with the current entry door and it won’t be hard to customize it with louvers, glass or tiles.
Entry Door
If there are no electrical wires or plumbing pipes to compete with, consider changing the wide door to a pocket door. That way, you don’t have to open and close the door just to get around in the bathroom.
In my space, wires and plumbing prevent the installation of a pocket door without major renovations, so it’ll stay for now.
These 10 tips will help any homeowner to sit down and renovate a small bathroom. Instead of just a tiny space, why not a mini-spa? By saving money in one area, you have more to spend in another.
