Planning your perfect bathroom space can be a daunting task if you’re inexperienced – with so many sources for inspiration you might find the process overwhelming. Where to begin? What kind of style? What should I need to include? How much can I do myself? As a starting point for your bathroom make a note of your top line requirements, what items are a necessity for your new room and to suit its use? Many people find they don’t use a bath enough to warrant the space they take, however for a family, a bath is really important, and it’s worth noting this if resale is on the agenda. Follow our bathroom design tips when planning your bathroom to help use the space available to its full potential:

 

Large Mirrors

It might seem obvious, but many miss this trick. A larger than average mirror will give the illusion of space, and is ideal in a smaller bathroom. Consider a partially mirrored wall to really open the space.

 

Choose colour carefully 

In smaller spaces it can be beneficial to keep everything the same shade or tone. Choose complimenting wall tiles to your wall colour and try to avoid sharp changes of style and colour which can break up the visual flow and make the room feel smaller. Interior designers will often paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls to help the illusion of light within the room.

 

Tile to the ceiling

Another trick for creating the illusion of height is to ensure that features do not fall short of the ceiling. For example, in the shower consider taking the tiles to the ceiling.

 

Natural light

In a new build or remodel you have the opportunity to really plan the lighting. There is no equivalent to natural daylight so be sure to plan this into your bathroom layout. The direction the room faces will have an impact of the amount of natural light and at what time of day. A sink will usually be placed close to the window to utilise light as much as possible.

 

Plan your mirrors

High mirrors will open a room and can be used as feature above high shelving. Additionally, mirror placed opposite windows will bounce the light and give the effect of a second window.

 

Door swing

For small bathrooms the way the door swings may eat into valuable room space. Hanging the door so that it swings against a wall is ideal for a smaller room. For the smallest of rooms it may be beneficial to consider swinging the door outwards.

 

Clever storage and shelving

Space saving storage solutions come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. There are many vanity units and bathroom cabinets available on the market, however think creatively about the space. Shaped walls can be plastered and tiled to create bespoke shelving, and a shelf set into a shower wall perfect for storage of all of your toiletries. In small bathrooms shelving above the toilet or door can provide welcome additional storage for stacked towels.