Dealing with awkward bathroom spaces
By Tom Drake | 18th December 2023 | 5 min read
Transform a difficult space into a beautiful bathroom
From sloped ceilings, to small alcoves and curved walls, bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes. Trying to plan the layout of your bathroom when you have an awkward space can feel like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. However, with the right know-how and careful planning, you can ensure these difficulties don't stop you creating a stylish and functional bathroom space.
Alcove shower
A small alcove in your bathroom can feel like a design burden. A wasted space where you might be able to fit some shelves, but nothing functional. However, this could be the perfect place to position your shower.
With the inside of your alcove tiled, all you need to do is fit a shower door, or leave it open as a wetroom, and you've got a ready made shower enclosure. This can then free up space in the rest of your bathroom to install extra storage units, or a freestanding bath.
Vertical shelving
If you’re dealing with a bathroom that has a sloped ceiling, it’s likely you’ll have fewer straight walls that can be used for furniture. If this is the case, we recommend going vertical with your storage. Tall storage units can provide you with a large amount of storage space in a relatively small horizontal footprint, perfect if you’re short on wall space. You can use these units in pairs or at separate points around your bathroom to give yourself even more storage.
Mirrors
When your bathroom has a sloped ceiling, it can often make the space feel small and cramped. Installing mirrors can help counteract this.
Mirrors add depth to walls and reflect light, both of which can help a space feel brighter and more open. Alongside the mirror above your basin, consider installing smaller, decorative mirrors in some of the darker spaces in your bathroom.
Larger tiles
If your bathroom has a sloped ceiling or lots of other odd angles, this can lead to a space that feels busy and chaotic. Small tiles or tiles with patterns will only add to this feeling and create a bathroom which is visually overwhelming.
You can counteract this by installing larger, neutral tiles. This will reduce the number of grout lines and angles on your wall which should help to create a more relaxing bathroom space. If you do want to use patterned tiles, why not create a smaller feature wall, or vibrant basin splashback?
Create a wetroom
If your bathroom has curved walls, or walls that aren't completely square, it can be difficult to find a place to install a shower tray. If your bathroom has some odd dimensions, why not ditch the shower tray and create a wetroom instead? For everything you need to know about wetrooms, take a look at our guide.
Use smaller fixtures
When you’re working with an awkwardly shaped bathroom, a common issue is a lack of large, straight walls where you can fit a vanity unit, toilet, mirror and other furniture pieces. If this is the case in your bathroom, consider using multiple smaller furniture pieces instead of large built in units.
Rather than a large vanity unit, opt for a smaller unit that you can supplement with tall wall mounted units elsewhere in your bathroom. If you don’t have the space for a large mirror, install a smaller mirror above your basin and fit a larger mirror on the back of your bathroom door.
Decorate awkward spaces
Whether this is a small alcove or the area underneath a very sloped ceiling, if you can’t use these areas for storage or bathroom fixtures, why not decorate them?
From adding artwork, to a coat of bright paint or some plants, you can turn what would otherwise be unused space into an integral part of your bathroom decor.
Bath under a sloped ceiling
As long as you have enough room to comfortably get in and out without hitting your head, the space underneath a sloped ceiling could be the perfect place for a freestanding bath.
Rather than being wasted space, you can transform this area into a cosy relaxation spot. For the ultimate in luxury, install a roof window above the bath so you can watch the clouds or stars as you enjoy your soak.
Sliding doors
When you're dealing with an awkwardly shaped bathroom, traditional doors can be problematic. You’ve worked out where all your fixtures are going to go, you’ve negotiated the sloped ceiling, then you remember the door opening width. The space needed for a door to swing open can occupy a large part of your bathroom, which is why sliding doors are an increasingly popular choice.
These doors slide on a rail to open and close, which means you don’t need to worry about how far they’ll protrude into your bathroom. This can greatly expand the options you have to position different fixtures and fittings in your bathroom, with the added benefit of them looking great!
Consider clearances you need
When you’re renovating an awkwardly shaped bathroom, it’s likely you’ll want to change up the position of fixtures and fittings. Although this can help you improve the functionality of the space, don’t forget about the clearances you need around your fixtures.
From leaving enough space to open cupboards, to making sure you won’t hit your head on a sloped ceiling, just because a fixture will fit in your bathroom, that doesn’t mean you have enough space to use it comfortably. Make sure you pay close attention to the space available around your furniture and move it to a different point in the bathroom if necessary.
Consider existing pipework
Alongside taking into account the clearances you need, it’s also important to think about where your existing pipework is. Water and waste pipes can be difficult to move, so you might want to consider whether the benefits of doing so is worth the extra time outlay and cost.
When you’re looking to redesign your bathroom, it can be helpful to look at the fixtures which can’t easily be moved, such as the toilet and shower, then plan the rest of your bathroom around them.
That concludes our guide to awkward bathroom spaces. As you can see, with a little bit of planning, you can transform a difficult space into a beautiful and functional bathroom.
