Making a tiny bathroom appear practical, tidy and even stylish is pretty impossible, right? Wrong! If you focus on clever storage solutions and go bold with color and accents, you can create a space that’s both functional and stylish without breaking the bank. Here are some clever design secrets to get the most out of your little powder room.
Deal with storage – After you’ve pared down extra toiletries and items that you don’t need to store in your cramped bathroom, you’ll need to find the right containers and storage space for them. Expandable, under the sink organizers help double your storage space where it counts. A small bathroom might have a shallow medicine cabinet, or none at all. Storage furniture won’t fit in a small bathroom, so it’s smart to maximize your wall space to help keep things off the sink and floor. The things you’ll want to put in storage bins include tissues, cosmetics, extra towels, hair accessories and styling tools. Hide cleaning supplies, extra rolls of toilet paper and other items you don’t want in plain view. Put a single towel rack behind the door or nice metal train rack mounted on the wall above the toilet so you have a place to hang fresh towels and used ones. One word of caution on those towel racks and hooks : don’t overdue it, and limit the amount of towels to the absolute minimum. For a powder room, just one hand towel will do. For a full bathroom, two or three towels, max.
Go bold with color – Just because your bathroom is short on space doesn’t mean you can’t pack a stylish punch with some color and cool patterns. Petty likes to play with artful wallpaper to add oomph, as long as the patterns aren’t too big or overwhelming. Try a simple graphic pattern that almost serves as a piece of art. Small bathrooms are great places to explore your wild side with color, so if you want to use rich or bold hues, let loose! There’s one rule : go for light and bright colors in the master bath. Lighter shades make it easier to see while you’re shaving or putting on makeup. Also, some of those wild colors you love might cast an odd pallor on your face in subpar lighting.
Light it up – Halogen or xenon bulbs are the best options near the vanity, ideally on either side of the mirror over the sink (if room permits). Otherwise, ceiling pendants or recessed lighting are your best friends. Try a plug-in-pendant in front of a sliding mirror vanity or just to the side of a mirror cabinet that opens for an easy DIY design. A great addition is a damp-rated waterproof recessed light in the shower. It helps you see better, especially behind a dark shower curtain.
Play with accents – Feel free to let your creative side out in small guest bathrooms. Hang up a brightly framed or fun-shaped mirror over the vanity to pump up the decorative flair; it can be big or small. For a tiny master bath, a recessed mirror is your best bet. Resist the urge to decorate with objects that attract dust and add clutter to your sink space. Shower curtains, however, can really transform a room. When choosing a curtain, bring a pattern or color into the bathroom that you really love, but make sure it balances out with other elements and the colors on your wall. If you decide not to go with wallpaper, a beautiful curtain – in a light color – can become a focal point.
