Nobody likes a small bathroom. Unfortunately, a lot of houses have them. If you live in a home with a bathroom that makes you feel a bit claustrophobic, you might think that there isn’t much you can do without some major (and majorly costly) renovations. This may not be the case, though. There are actually a number of small changes that you can make to your bathroom to make it not only appear bigger, but possibly even give you some more space to work with.
Bear in mind that some of these options are a matter of personal taste. You’ll need to think about how these would work with your own personal style preferences. With that said, even if you only use one or two of these suggestions, you may be surprised at how big of a change they can make in your bathroom … all without having to tear down a wall or anything.
Change Up the Look
The first thing that you should do is stop and take a good look at your bathroom. Are the walls some dark, unappealing color that was last seen in the wilds of the 1970s? Does the lighting give everything kind of a dull yellow tint or cast some big shadows everywhere? Did some unfortunate soul decide that the bathroom really was the place for some deep-pile carpeting? The look of your bathroom can have a big effect on how open (or not) it appears, and in many cases can make the bathroom seem smaller or more unpleasant than it actually is.
Some options for fixing this include adding mirrors (which are always useful in the bathroom anyway), painting or adding wallpaper to cover up dark or grungy walls, and replacing light fixtures with something that will give you a bit more illumination everywhere. Try painting one wall a different complementary color as an accent. Choose wallpaper with repeating patterns but also with ample open space between repetitions. Paint your cabinets or add light-colored veneer to help lighten up the space. The lighter and more inviting the bathroom is, the larger it will seem.
Revamp Your Storage
Another thing that can make a bathroom feel small is clutter. If every available surface seems covered with soaps, styling products, makeup, or manscaping tools, it’s going to trigger that part of your brain that doesn’t like crowded spaces every time you enter the room. This is where good storage can come into play, since it will give you a place for all that clutter, so you don’t have to just shove everything into an unorganized mess in the cabinet.
Consider installing rotating storage or under-shelf racks in your cabinets to make organizing easier. Adding a high shelf with a towel rack under it can also help, letting you move towels out of your cabinet and position them closer to your bath or shower without taking up precious floor space. Hanging a multi-panel medicine cabinet is also a great idea, since it gives you more storage for small items and medicines while also adding additional mirrors to the bathroom. Once you deal with some of the clutter on your surfaces, you’ll be surprised at how much more open the bathroom seems.
Bringing the Bathroom to Life
If you aren’t exactly sure how to revitalize your bathroom, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Painters and interior designers may have suggestions on how to change the look and functionality of your bathroom without breaking the bank and can assist you in picking colors and other options to really open the place up. They may have additional suggestions based on the actual layout of your bathroom as well, helping you to feel more comfortable in the bathroom without all the cost of significant renovation.