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Design Dilemma: Small Bathroom Makeovers

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You see plenty of renovations of grand master bathrooms that are so large and sumptuous they measure about the size of the average living room. But what about those of us with tiny bathrooms? Can we do a bathroom makeover that is both efficient and at least cute, if not beautiful? The answer is yes. And though you may not see too many of these bathrooms featured on home and garden television shows, they are certainly out there. Let’s take a look.

Below, a small 50’s era bathroom of about 50 square feet needed a redo. The shower leaked, the window and lighting were inadequate, and a pedestal sink meant the homeowner had no storage. A shower-tub combo was protected by a run-of-the-mill shower curtain. The blue tile was dated.

The owners hired Kate Dickson, who spent two months renovating their small space. She installed a new tub, shower head and glass shower doors. Keeping the shower-tub combo allowed this full bathroom (the only one in the house) to remain a place for both a bath and shower.
What makes this bathroom truly special is the patterned cement tile floor, which acts as the bathroom’s focal point. The rest of the bathroom — all white and classic, frames the floor. The sleek glass door streamlines the room, giving it a clean, modern feel.

Above, a new vanity was installed with a ledge (visible in the first picture) that runs across the wall above the toilet, functioning as more countertop space and more storage. The new vanity features storage and chrome fixtures that were affordable and classic.

This relatively modest bathroom renovation underscores some important tips to consider when renovating a small bathroom.

• In a small space, consider using a glass shower door or tub enclosure. A shower curtain breaks up the room, while glass opens up the space visually.

• Dispense with window dressings and use frosted glass. This allows more light to flood in and also helps open up the space visually.

• Consider a storage niche in the shower. Your bathroom will appear more spacious and clean without shampoo bottles clogging the corners of the tub.

• Go custom. Although it will cost more to spring for a custom vanity, it’s the best way to get the most out of a space.

• Consider expanding your medicine cabinet.  In tight quarters where you need to make the most of storage, the best way of all can be expanding a medicine cabinet to stretch across the wall above the sink and toilet. The mirrors help expand the space and the extra shelves provide more storage.