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Are you looking for unique bathroom renovation ideas for your small bathroom? So is most of Sydney. The lack of enough natural light and square footage makes small bathrooms challenging to decorate. However, if you do it right, the whole bathroom looks bright and spacious. And no, you do not have to break the bank.
Design tips for small bathrooms
These small bathroom ideas prove that even the tiniest room can give a good bathroom feel with bold design elements. Here are a few ways to make your small bathroom your favourite room:
1. Keep the colours light and bright
Vanity and wood floors will give your bathroom a serene feeling. To reflect natural light, use a soft mint green hue. The space around the freestanding tub makes the bathroom feel open. Additionally, use lightweight fabric so that your curtains allow maximum light in the bathroom.
2. Double down on dark colours
Dark colours such as black give a room depth and create an illusion of a large room. However, the catch is to use dark colours with a high gloss. The shade will bounce the little light available and bring out a big night sky effect. The other impact it will have is drawing attention to the lights.
3. Tiles
Tiling your bathroom floor and walls using small ceramic tiles can add impact to your bathroom design. Again, it is advisable to use two-by-six and one-by-four floor tiles which are not costly.
4. Go for a pocket door
During renovations, switch your door for a pocket door. Although it may be a little bit costly, it gives you more room for additional storage. The only drawback is that you need to look for space to hang your towels.
5. Lift the curtain
Don’t get confused about where to place your shower curtains. Move the fabric near the ceiling and past the height of the tab. The higher the ceiling in your bathroom, the better and more spacious it looks.
6. Use large-scale wall covering
Using a large or medium scale wallpaper will make your bathroom feel bigger. Again, using a big tile pattern will give your bathroom an illusionary scale.
Small bathroom ideas to maximise your space
When it comes to practicality and style, please do not limit your bathroom because of its size. With the right ideas, you can make the space in your small master bathroom efficient and stylish.
Large bathrooms are something most people can only dream of; however, you can make your small bathrooms just as glorious. It does not have to be cluttered. It can also ooze sophistication and style even if you only have a bathtub.
Below are a few ideas on how to create your dream bathroom:
Define zones
To make your space feel and look generous, define the zones. With this, your apartment bathroom can be small and simple and still feel big. For instance, your toilet can be less than a meter from your sink but using tiled splashback and wood wall panelling, you can separate the two by putting a sense of distance.
Fix the taps on the side of a sink
A narrow bathroom space should not be a hindrance to the look you want. A good example is to use a slim, oblong sink that will not take up space. Fixing the tap on the side will allow water to run away from the longest length.
Install an oval bath
Do not let a small bathroom stop you from getting a freestanding bath. An oval bath gives an impression of space with its cut corners. A shallow shelf can also come in handy for additional space for bath plants or bath salts.
Think like a bathroom designer
Bathroom designers think outside the box. They can make a small bathroom simple by not adding too many amenities. For instance, you should have hooks or bars for hanging your towel, not overuse patterns, and generally, keep the bathroom simple.
Fix a towel rail on waste wall space
To free up space, elevate your radiator above the toilet or bath to utilise the bare wall. To make the most out of your small bathroom, invest in wall radiators or heated towel rails. A low-sitting radiator feels bulky and cramps the room. On the other hand, when you elevate your radiator, you open up space, and the bathroom instantly feels big.
Wall-mount your storage unit
Mounted storage units are free of fuss and give your room a streamlined look. They are available in different widths, heights, and depths that you can choose from to get suitable bespoke bathroom furniture. They are also available in different shades of colour and texture.
Use light colours
When it comes to small bathrooms, the rule of the thumb remains to keep the colour light and bright. If you want your bathroom to look and feel bigger than it is, opt for light colours as they reflect light. This, in turn, gives the bathroom an airy and open feel.
How to renovate your small bathroom quickly and efficiently
As a homeowner, you may think that renovating your small bathroom is quicker, easier, and less expensive than a large bathroom. However, you will be surprised to find out that it is only a little bit faster, easier, and just a little less costly. This is because your small bathroom will have all the elements as a large one, and bathroom renovations will require the same professional labour as a large one.
Still, there are a few ways you can make your bathroom renovations less costly and a little quicker.
1. Planning considerations
Regardless of the bathroom size, they are categorised into three. Recognising your bathroom will ease your planning work. A full bathroom contains all the amenities under one roof – bathtub, shower, sink, toilet, and vanity. It is generally used daily. Since full bathrooms have many uses, it is essential to choose materials and fixtures to use.
- Powder room
Large houses have one or two powder rooms that contain a toilet, sink and door. It is mainly used by guests and family members when they don’t need to use the full bathroom. Due to its small size and few fixtures, you can renovate this room quickly and efficiently. However, since it is a secondary bathroom, you should take your time because there is an extra bathroom that you can use during renovations.
- Guest bathroom
This is a full bathroom with all amenities but only used when you have guests. If your kids are all grown up, you can transform their full bathroom into a guest bath. Since a guest bath is not used most of the time, you can use economical materials and fixtures to renovate to save on cost. Also, you can take your time renovating it to save a few dollars.
- Primary bath
This bathroom is used daily and should have full services. In a home with two full bathrooms, the primary bathroom is the one used by the homeowner. This room is essential, and you should spend enough money to get quality and durable materials and attractive fixtures.
2. Time is money
You cannot escape cost, but you can work on reducing it. It will cost you more to renovate your bathroom quickly than it would if you took your time. A quick renovation will require the services of bathroom designers, and you will have to pay for their skills and experience.
While you can be your own bathroom designer, it will take more time than contracting professionals. The less costly route to take is to work on the bathroom with the help of family and friends. Well, you will do the job, alright. You will also save a few thousand dollars, alright! However, to guarantee the quality, a good bathroom designer will do the renovations better than several amateurs.
3. Professional vs DIY or both
Whether hiring professionals or working on the renovations yourself depends on your DIY skills, budget, and schedule. If you cannot DIY, you can hire professionals to work on it to save time. However, if you have advanced DIY skills, you can take your time and work on the bathroom in your free time. By doing this, you will save a lot of money.
If it proves too much work for you, look out for contractors willing to split the work with you. For instance, you can do the demolition and painting work. And if you find other simple tasks that you can do, discuss with your contractor upfront.
Small bathroom renovations overview
Below is a general overview of a small bathroom renovation process:
Planning
Whether you contract a professional or opt for DIY renovations, your job quality will depend on how you will manage time and costs. The essential plans involved are drawing, acquiring building permits, contracting professionals, scheduling renovations, and outsourcing materials. If you contact professionals, they will do all the work mentioned above, which will cost more. But you can do all the planning to save some cash.
Demolition
All renovations begin with tearing down what you want to replace. Depending on the available time, this is a simple task that you can do over the weekend. All you need is to hire a roll-off dumpster and contact a disposal company to remove all the debris.
Framing
Framing involves installing structural frames like framing a shower stall. Using your DIY skills is okay, but you will require an inspection to ensure the work is done correctly.
Plumbing
In plumbing, you should try to avoid DIY, and if you must, you should be very cautious. If plumbing is installed wrongly, it will be catastrophic. A plumber may be expensive but worth every dollar.
Electrical
This is another job that you should not feel the pinch of paying. Contract a licensed electrician to run circuits, installing lights and vent fans.
Drywall installation
During renovations, you need to open up a few drywall and ceilings. After wiring and plumbing inspection, you can install the dry walls or hire a professional drywall installer as they are not pricey.
Tile and flooring
The highest cost in a bathroom is purchasing and installing ceramic tiles. Tile work is not easy and takes a lot of time.
Cabinetry and fixture installation
The final step is to install vanities and fixtures. For the fixtures, you can call back the plumber and electrician to complete the work. And make sure an inspection is done on the final installation. Lighting brings out a good bathroom feeling to your small bathroom.
Final words
Do not let a small bathroom be a hindrance to your dreams of having your luxury bathroom feel. When renovating your small bathrooms, always pay special attention to achieve a visual expansion. Will you use the above small bathroom ideas on your master bedroom?