Small bathroom ideas

• Key points:

  • Maximise space with wall-mounted fixtures such as wall-hung toilets, vanity units, and storage cabinets.
  • Use light colours and large tiles to make the room feel brighter, more open, and relaxing.
  • Make the most of unused spaces by installing a shower in an alcove or a freestanding bath under a sloped ceiling.

Wall-mounted vanity unit

• Choosing a wall-mounted vanity unit rather than a pedestal basin will give you extra storage in the space under your basin that would otherwise go unused. It’ll also free up floor space, and with no bulky pedestal, your bathroom will look larger.

• 

Wall-hung toilet

• As with wall-mounted vanity units, choosing a wall-hung toilet will leave more of the bathroom floor visible, which in turn makes the space feel larger. Complete the look with a wall-mounted toilet roll holder and toilet brush.

• 

Straight bath

• If you're looking for the best bath shape for a compact space, we recommend a straight bath. They can be installed in a corner, and come in a range of lengths to suit the dimensions of your bathroom. For more help with finding the right bath, take a look at our bath types and bath sizes guides.

• 

Create a wet room

• If you’re working with a small bathroom, it can be tricky to find the space for a shower tray. So why not ditch the tray and create a wet room instead? Removing the shower enclosure and tray can open up your bathroom, making it feel larger and more spacious. For everything you need to know about wet rooms, take a look at our guide.

• 

Sliding shower doors

• With a sliding shower door, you don’t need to worry about the door opening width. This provides more options for positioning your shower tray and other bathroom fixtures, which is particularly useful in a compact space.

• 

Mirrored bathroom cabinet

• Mirrors add depth to walls and reflect light, which can both make a room feel larger. Choosing a mirrored bathroom cabinet combines these benefits with handy storage that will help keep the clutter off your surfaces. It’s a simple way to make your bathroom feel more open while keeping everything organised.

• 

Keep your shower tidy with a shower caddy

• When you’re working with a small space, keeping clutter at bay is vital. Hanging a storage caddy in your shower enclosure or above your bath will keep toiletries off surfaces and everything close to hand. In our range, you’ll find solutions in a great selection of shapes and sizes to suit your shower or bath.

• 

Use lighter colours for walls

• Keeping your bathroom light and bright is the best way to open it up and make it feel bigger. Using neutral paint colours such as white, cream, and pale grey, along with glossy surfaces, is a simple way to achieve this. It helps reflect light around the room, creating a more open and airy feel.

• 

Choose larger tiles

• Small or patterned tiles can be visually overwhelming in a compact bathroom, so instead opt for larger, neutral tiles. With fewer grout lines and lighter colours, your small bathroom will have a brighter, more calming aesthetic.

• 

Bathroom wall panels

• Bathroom wall panels are a great alternative to tiles in shower enclosures and above baths. They’re easy to install, and the smooth surface isn’t broken up by grout lines, helping small bathrooms feel more spacious. When choosing a style, stick to neutral colours that reflect light around the room for a brighter, airier feel.

• 

Combine your shower and bath

• If you have a separate shower and bath, combining these in a shower bath is an easy way to save space. Much more than just a shower head perched over the bath, these multi-taskers are cleverly designed to offer a generous space for showering at one end, without compromising on the functionality or comfort of a bath.

• 

Choose lighter flooring

• Choosing light, natural flooring in your bathroom will open up the space and make the room feel bigger. As with the walls, avoid small tiles or heavily patterned flooring, which can make the room feel too busy. Stick to simple, neutral styles to create a calm and spacious look.
• 

Swap radiators for underfloor heating

• Replacing a radiator with underfloor heating can free up valuable wall space for extra storage and make your bathroom walls feel less cluttered. There's also the added benefit of stepping onto a warm floor on cold winter mornings. For more information, see our underfloor heating guide.

• 

Use spotlights to brighten the space

• For overhead lighting, choose bathroom spotlights. Position them evenly across the room and consider adding extra lights above key areas, such as the bath. Evenly distributed lighting and the absence of a large central fixture will make your bathroom feel brighter and more spacious.

• 

Alcove shower

• An alcove can feel like a wasted space, particularly in a small bathroom. However, this could be the perfect place to position your shower.

  With the inside of the alcove tiled, all you need to do is fit a shower door, or leave it open as a wet room, and you've got a ready-made shower enclosure. This will free up space in the rest of your bathroom to install extra storage units or a freestanding bath.

• 

Tall bathroom cabinets

• Tall bathroom cabinets provide lots of storage space in a relatively small horizontal footprint, ideal 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.

• 

Add depth to walls with mirrors

• Mirrors add depth to walls and reflect light, which can both help a small space feel brighter and more open. Rather than just installing a mirror above your basin, consider installing smaller, decorative mirrors in some of the darker areas of your bathroom.

• 

Use smaller fixtures

• If you have a small bathroom, consider using multiple smaller pieces of furniture 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 small mirror above your basin and fit a larger mirror on the back of your bathroom door.
• 

Decorate awkward spaces

• In a small bathroom, flat walls are taken up by furniture units or bathroom fixtures. If you have a small alcove or space you can't use under a sloped ceiling, this is the perfect place to add decorations. From artwork to a coat of bright paint or bathroom plants, you can turn what would otherwise be unused space into an integral part of your bathroom decor.

• 

Bath under a sloped ceiling

• If one of the reasons your bathroom feels small is a sloped ceiling, this could be the perfect place to install a freestanding bath. Rather than being wasted space, you can transform this area into a cosy relaxation spot.

•