MAKE A SMALL BATHROOM LOOK BIGGER
Atight space can instantly “grow” with a few simple changes. A bathroom with minimal square footage may seem like a problem that has no easy solution, but there are ways you can open up a room without breaking down a wall. Instead of using a sledgehammer, use these decorating tricks to enlarge your bathroom. 1. Extend the walls vertically When you paint the ceiling and moldings the same color as the walls, the room will seem to go on and on since you’ve eliminated any contrast. Another idea: “If you’re going with a color other than white, paint the ceiling a shade darker than the walls,” says Michelle Homme, owner of Michelle Homme Interior Design in San Francisco. “It really lifts the space.” 2. Light up the room A flush mount ceiling light will keep a bathroom feeling open and uncluttered. “This type of lighting is ideal for small bathrooms,” says Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design at the
Home Depot, “because of its minimalist design with sleek, clean lines and its ability to evenly distribute light throughout the space.” Also, cleaning the windows will let in more natural light and make the space seem airier. 3. Look into a mirror Installing large mirrors not only adds the illusion of more space but also reflects more light back into the room, says Fishburne. “Place mirrors across from a window within the room to visually seem like you have two windows in the same space!” 4. Make the shower clear Instead of a door that’s frosted, install one that is clear. “A clear shower door allows light to reach all corners of the space,” says Homme. “That will make the room feel larger because nothing is closing it off.” If you don’t have a separate shower, hang a clear shower curtain to get the same effect.
5. Use height instead of floor space
For storage, install upright cabinets as a linen closet for towels and toiletries to maximize vertical space in a tight bathroom. Also, use wall hooks behind the door or on the walls instead of large towel rails – these will take up less space and look stylish, says Fishburne. Decorative storage baskets can hold items that look good on display and free up cabinet space. 6. Think big “Large-format tiles, especially rectangular, can make the bathroom look bigger,” says Fishburne. Choosing the right tile layout can help open up the floor plan too. “I like to run rectangle tiles vertically from the door frame, which help draw the eye to a focal point in the room.” For a seamless look, match your grout color to your tile color or choose a complementary color to help blend the grout lines. “This will prevent the eye from being distracted from the tile pattern and convey a sense of a larger space.”