Wrong decisions in small bathrooms

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St John's Wood, Patience Designs Studio Ltd Patience Designs Studio Ltd Moderne Badezimmer
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Here on homify we talk a lot about overcoming the design challenges presented by small homes, but nowhere is this more pressing than in the bathroom. Even larger homes often have small bathrooms, and while in the living room you can easily reduce the amount of furniture or clutter to open up a space, everything in the bathroom tends to be a necessity, so any changes have to be very carefully considered. Not only that, but keeping a clean and tidy bathroom is as important from a design standpoint as it is for the wellbeing of your family.

That's why today we're going to take a look at some classic mistakes that we're all prone to make when designing our small bathrooms, in the hope that you can avoid them in your own home. Most of these have super simple fixes, so join us as we equip you with the know-how to make sure that your tiny bathroom reaches its massive potential.

1. Positioning your sink

Wimbledon, LEIVARS LEIVARS Moderne Badezimmer

Too often in small bathrooms you find yourself awkwardly squeezing around a sink placed right in the middle of the room, but remember that your physical experience of a room will actually have more of an effect on your perception of its size than your visual impression. Sinks ideally should be placed in the corner of a room, or somewhere out of the way, to allow as much free movement as possible.

2. Ignoring patterns

Bathroom Design homify Moderne Badezimmer Wannen und Duschen

When dealing with a small bathroom the design is all about deceiving the eye into perceiving a space as bigger than it is. While people often avoid complicated designs or patterns in small rooms believing that a busy pattern will overwhelm the small space, when done right it's actually a great way to create visual interest and distract from the room's small size. If you're not sure if a pattern or design will work then don't be afraid to get hold of our homify professionals; that's what they're there for!

3. Shower doors

Vasche in ghisa, Gentry Home Gentry Home Badezimmer Wannen und Duschen

Doors that swing on hinges create a huge amount of unusable negative space in a room, an absolute killer if you're dealing with a small floor area. Instead use sliding doors or an elegant curtain like they have here.

4. Square fittings

Consider the shape of every bathroom fitting, and make sure it is the most efficient use of space possible. This means doing away with square sinks in favour of rounded shapes that create more room.

5. Leaving toiletries on the floor of the shower

It doesn't take long for the shower floor to become covered in toiletries, cramming you into the corner when it's time for a shower. Make sure you have a dedicated place for toiletries to ensure that they are not taking up unnecessary space, either by building a shelf, or simply purchasing one with suction cups for the shower wall.

6. Using a small mirror

There are two good reasons to install a large mirror in a small bathroom; firstly it's much easier to do your grooming, and secondly it will effectively double your perception of the size of the room!

7. Towel rack

homify Moderne Badezimmer Wannen und Duschen

If your bathroom is two small for a towel rack, don't force it, because in practical terms they can take up a surprising amount of space. Recessed shelving like they have here is a great option, but otherwise simply use a hook, or keep your towels in another room.

8. Choosing the wrong sink

It's crucial that your sink doesn't take up the entire room, but that doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be tiny. For example here the sink is deceptively narrow, making it feel a lot bigger than it actually is.

9. Not enough cabinet space

Storage is absolutely crucial for maximising space in a small room. By keeping items hidden away it reduces visual clutter, so make sure that no matter the size of your bathroom you set aside a place for a bathroom cabinet.

10. Not making the most of the space

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If you have any kind of recesses, nooks, or crannies, then consider how you could use them. Too often with unorthodox spaces we end up ignoring them, but if you can fit a toilet, or alternately a large appliance like a washing machine, you'll create a huge amount of extra floor space!

Now you've got the knowledge, you'll never make these classic mistakes in your own home. For more great tips, check out these clever cleaning hacks!

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