Bathroom renovations always present unique challenges. There’s no other room in the house like the bathroom.
No other room – including the kitchen – that fulfils the same functions or makes the same demands on space, materials and your imagination.
A bathroom renovation needs to balance myriad factors including water, ventilation, lighting, hygiene, safety and of course, aesthetics.
All these considerations are condensed and amplified when it comes to the small bathroom. And that’s what we’re going to focus on in this article.
Below are seven small bathroom renovation ideas that will help turn your tiny toilette into a relaxing, rejuvenating mini-spa.
Go Minimal
As any general contractor can tell you the biggest challenge inherent in a small bathroom renovations is how to make the most of your limited space.
One of the best ways to do so is to adapt a minimalist design ethos. Minimalism is all about banishing clutter and imposing clean lines that allow the eye to move freely.
Simple geometric shapes are the order of the day. And there are no baroque elements that are going to snag your attention and undermine the sense of openness.
Small bathroom renovations that utilize minimalist design concepts can result in a space that feels much bigger than it is.
Or Classic
Minimalism can create the illusion of wide open spaces. But maybe you actually want your bathroom to reach out and embrace you.
After all, what’s wrong with a cosy, classic look? It provides as sense of safety and security and can be very emotionally reassuring. Wainscoting is a mainstay of the Victorian bathroom.
It provides loads of visual interest and endows a space – regardless of its size – with a timeless element that many find suites the atmosphere of the bathroom to a T.
It also propels other design choices which makes bringing together a coherent design that much easier.
The Tub’s the Thing
Just because your bathroom is small doesn’t mean you need to forget about long, luxurious soaks in the tub.
There are deep soaking tubs out there today to fit every conceivable design ethos and many won’t take up much more room than a small shower stall.
Such a tub can become the central design motif that other elements of your renovated bathroom feed off of.
It can also transform what used to be little more than a seldom used WC into your most treasured retreat.
Wallpaper
A place for everything and everything in its place. In the case of a small bathroom it might be just the place to forego paint and indulge in some wallpaper.
The general contractor will tell you that wallpaper is not something that’s going to help open up a space.
With wallpaper you’re accepting the limited amount of real estate you have to work with and determining to make the most of it.
But wallpaper is not an element (like wainscoting) that drives the design. The exact pattern and colours you select will be a function of the overall design. A kind of cherry on the cake.
Let There be Light
People tend to think that small, by definition, means utilitarian. But even the smallest space can be endowed with elegant overtones.
Including your small bathroom. The thing is “elegant” doesn’t have to mean “big”. Gold fixtures, for instance, can be extremely elegant and don’t require any added space.
A small chandelier, sconces on each side of the mirror, natural stone flooring, a quartz countertop and hardwood touches all add to the sense of luxury without making demands on the limited space.
Banish the Tub
But wait. We thought the tub’s the thing when it came to bathroom renovations.
Well, it can be for some folks. For others however – particularly those interested in opening up the small space – eliminating the tub and replacing it with a shower stall is a great way to start.
While removing the tub will remove a focal point you can still create plenty of visual interest by lining the shower stall with some compelling tiles.
In addition, if space is seriously constricted the shower nook can be open on one side.
Milman Design Build is Toronto’s premier home renovation general contractor. Contact them today to discuss bathroom renovation possibilities for your home.
