Design Vogue

When your bathroom is on the teeny side, it can feel impossible—or impractical—to intentionally design it. You might be thanking your lucky stars that a toilet, sink, and (maybe) a shower can even fit in there.

However, while they pose their fair share of challenges, small bathrooms are also an opportunity to play around with your style—especially if there are clever storage solutions and practical layouts to help.

We tapped two interior designers for their tips on how to lay out and decorate a small bathroom so that it works for you—and is easy on the eyes—all at once.

Utilize Vertical Space

When floor space is limited in your bathroom, utilizing other surfaces is essential—especially vertical space.

“Lifting [larger storage items or fixtures] off the floor can help make the space feel less crowded,” Ruthie Tane, interior designer and small space decorator, explains. 

This can look like adhesive shelving above the toilet, or other renter-friendly storage solutions.

“For small bathrooms with only a pedestal sink, I would recommend a wall-mounted cabinet over the toilet as that's the most under-utilized space in a bathroom,” says Shamika Lynch, founder of small space interior design studio Maximizing Tiny.

A kitchen cabinet upper from your favorite home improvement store can even do the trick, Lynch notes—especially if it can be installed without a drill. Still, classic fixtures can be helpful additions, too.

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Add Punchy Hues

In a small space, it might feel counterintuitive to make it flashy. However, bathrooms are actually a ripe opportunity to stir up your imagination, as they can feel like a separate portal from the rest of your apartment.

“I'm a big believer that small powder rooms should be used as a place to show off quirky or unique pieces,” Tane says. “That bright colored sink basin or wild wallpaper you love but are too scared to use elsewhere in your home? The small powder room is the perfect place to go wild.”

In particular, Lynch enjoys extending tiling upwards in a saturated color.

“Tiling to the ceiling helps the eye continue all the way up, similarly to a paint color in a room,” Lynch elaborates. “You don't have to have a white bathroom just because it's small. Don't be afraid to go for a more tonal look.”

Make Your Shower Feel Taller

Showers can sometimes make a bathroom feel even smaller if they aren't optimized for the space. To make it feel less cramped, it can be helpful to extend the shower curtain from it's usual place a couple feet below the ceiling to all the way up.

It's as simple as placing a tension rod close to or flush with the ceiling. Then, get longer shower curtains and drape them from it. This offers the illusion of your shower and bathroom being taller that they actually are—and saves space since there's no shower door swinging open.

If you have a shower door already installed, it can be helpful to replace your shower door entirely if you can get permission from your landlord.

“Consider a bifold shower door to conserve every bit of square footage you have,” Lynch says. “This is particularly helpful when navigating around tight doorways and plumbing.”

Get Smart with Lighting and Layouts

In a cramped bathroom, the right lighting can make it feel more expansive.

“Adding multiple lighting sources is important!” Tane insists. “By including a sconce (or two) at the sink in addition to the overhead light, you can make the space feel a bit larger.”

You might also consider nontraditional layouts, if you’re starting from scratch.

“For a narrow powder room, it's generally most convenient to place the toilet facing the sink,” Tane says.