Creating space in a small bathroom

Whether you are creating space or the perception of space, a small bathroom can be as enjoyable and effective as a larger sized bathroom.

It is a question of strategy, tactically using colours, textures and bath ware so as to maximise every inch of space.

Here are the 6 top tips from Zerona Gerber, In-house Decor Advisor for Bella Bathrooms & Tiles as follows:

1. Shades of Colour

Start off by choosing a base colour from a light coloured range and then use different shades of this colour in strategic areas of your bathroom.

Use porcelain or marble tiles with a tile grain which matches your base colour.  This will continue the colour, giving it an appearance of a continuous, seamless surface, which in turn makes the room feel larger.

2.  The Walls

When it comes to the walls, horizontal stripes in a darker shade to the base colour can be used effectively to create the illusion of space, in the same way that they can make a person seem larger. Stripes also give the impression of a rounded room shape, so that the room is experienced as a softer and larger space.

3.  Mirror on the wall

Keeping within the parameters of your base colour, choose a bright metallic tone in a mosaic format to serve as a frame for your mirror.  This helps reflect light which makes the room feel bigger.

4.  Making additional space

Creating recesses in the wall space above the bath or in the shower adds character and provides excellent place for storage.  These areas can be in a slightly darker shade to your base colour, drawing the eye to the space.

5.  The towel effect

There are various solutions for the placement of towels.  Towel racks help maximise floor space while an integrated towel rack on a bath or a vanity also provides a practical space saving solution.

Use towels in a brighter yet matching colour to your base shade so that towels create a source of interest in both texture and colour.

6.  Accessorising

Accessories can introduce an elegance together with a practical value of creating a neat, uncluttered look.  Items such as a freestanding hook holder provide an ideal answer to storing towels or robes, while an accessory like a hair dryer holder keeps the bulky hair dryer in its place, contributing to overall sense of order and maximising the bathroom space.

Ideally you should aim for a balance between empty space and space occupied by bathroom items, using a ratio of 60: 40.  In this ratio 60% of the room can be filled with the necessary items, leaving 40% of empty space, without any ornamentation in order to prevent an overcrowded effect.

Using these ideas as a starting point you can introduce your own preferences, creating a bathroom which maximises all opportunities to create more space while enjoying the distinctive stamp of your individual creative touch.