During the home remodeling process, the focus tends to be on living rooms, bedrooms, and other high-traffic living spaces. Bathrooms are often left in their original state with outdated styles that don’t match the rest of the home’s aesthetic. This is especially true with small bathrooms; they are seen as less of a priority, and homeowners can feel restrained by the tight space. When it comes to small bathroom remodels, we have seen it all. Today we are going to look at some tips and tricks for making your small bathroom work for you. 

Small Bathroom Layout

One of the biggest things homeowners struggle with when remodeling a small bathroom is the layout. Tight spaces are difficult to work with, especially if it is a full bathroom with a shower or tub. Building codes specify that a toilet must be at least 15 inches measured from the center of the toilet from any side wall or obstruction. These codes also require that the toilet be more than 30 inches from center to any other fixture, like a sink or a shower. 

At Deer Ridge we approach our bathroom remodels with these measurements in mind, and work to create a space that fits our customers’ needs with plenty of room.  If you are remodeling a full bathroom, we like to put the shower on one side, and the toilet and vanity on the other side. This creates a clear pathway through the bathroom, and easy access to the vanity mirror after you step out of the shower. This also allows us to maintain the proper distances between fixtures without making the bathroom too long. 

Small Bathroom Lighting

Having the proper lighting in a small bathroom is important, and allows you and your family to see while doing hair and makeup. When it comes to lighting, we love incorporating natural light elements into a space, especially a small one. If there are no windows in the bathroom, we love adding a skylight to bring in more natural light. 

Lighting fixtures in a small bathroom can also be tricky. You want to bring in as much light as possible without using up too much vertical space. We recommend a combination of recessed LED lighting, along with wall sconce lights above the vanity. These fixtures will bring in plenty of light, without taking up too much space. 

Space-Saving Bathroom Fixtures

When you are dealing with a small bathroom space you may not be able to splurge on large toilets, vanities, or showers. Thankfully, there are plenty of compact bathroom fixtures on the market, making a full or half bathroom possible in even the smallest spaces. Corner vanities save space while also providing plenty of room for makeup and sanitary items, and corner showers are also available as small as 30” x 30.” Frameless glass shower enclosures are also a great option for small bathrooms and open up the space visually. 

If your bathroom is especially small you may want to consider pocket doors over a traditional door. Pocket doors slide into the wall so you don’t take up any room in the bathroom as you open the door. 

Small Bathroom Organization

In many cases having a closet in your bathroom isn’t possible due to space limitations. Not having a closet doesn’t mean that you can’t store your toiletries and other items in the bathroom. We love getting creative with open shelving to make use of vertical space while leaving the floors free. Towel hangers on the door also save space and leave more room for shelves on the wall. In small bathrooms, you are typically dealing with a smaller vanity, so drawer and countertop organizers can also be helpful to keep everything nice and tidy. 

Small Bathroom Color Schemes

Choosing the color of your bathroom may seem like a strictly aesthetic decision, but the right color can also open up the space and make it appear more spacious. Typically, lighter colors will make your small bathroom feel more spacious. With that in mind, the obvious choice is a shade of white. If you have another color in mind, we recommend a creative accent wall paired with a shade of white. This brings a splash of color into your bathroom without making it feel too enclosed by the darker color.

Are you ready to move forward with your bathroom remodel? The team here at Deer Ridge Construction would love to speak with you about your project, contact us today for a complimentary quote!