5 Cleverly Designed Small Bathrooms from Our Tours
Many of us have modest-sized bathrooms, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be both beautiful and practical
Let the designers of these compact yet high-functioning and fabulous bathrooms inspire ideas for your own petite washspace.
The doorway original to the house had been in the angled wall. Working with architects MODEL Projects, Aysha reinstated the door on the angled wall and blocked off the other one. In doing so, and by bumping the loo along the wall a little, she created a useable nook in which to locate a luxurious double vanity unit.
Here’s how stylishly she used that newly accessible space. With bags of storage and two basins, it’s now eminently practical for the family.
An unusable cupboard with a large water tank in it was also relocated, clearing the way for a walk-in shower, and leaving space for a dreamy freestanding bath.
Read more about this deceptively simple rejig.
An unusable cupboard with a large water tank in it was also relocated, clearing the way for a walk-in shower, and leaving space for a dreamy freestanding bath.
Read more about this deceptively simple rejig.
A petite en suite slots into a mansard loft space
Jeremy Westcott of Westcott Construction added a new floor atop this 17th century family home in Portsmouth. The addition contains a bedroom, a balcony and this en suite shower room, which makes excellent use of a tricky space.
The small room is flooded with light thanks to three roof windows. Jeremy explains the thinking behind the rest of the design: “[The homeowner] wanted a wetroom feel with clean lines and no shower door, but without having to waterproof the whole floor, so we used a large shower tray and sank it down so it was almost level with the floor.”
Alcoves in the stud wall form tidy nooks for shower products, and the ceiling-mounted shower boosts the clean-lined, spacious look.
Read reviews of loft conversion specialists in your area.
Jeremy Westcott of Westcott Construction added a new floor atop this 17th century family home in Portsmouth. The addition contains a bedroom, a balcony and this en suite shower room, which makes excellent use of a tricky space.
The small room is flooded with light thanks to three roof windows. Jeremy explains the thinking behind the rest of the design: “[The homeowner] wanted a wetroom feel with clean lines and no shower door, but without having to waterproof the whole floor, so we used a large shower tray and sank it down so it was almost level with the floor.”
Alcoves in the stud wall form tidy nooks for shower products, and the ceiling-mounted shower boosts the clean-lined, spacious look.
Read reviews of loft conversion specialists in your area.
An exposed brick wall at the other end of the room adds interest and warmth. This was the front of an old chimney that went through the attic. The bricks were treated with a water-based sealant.
Making good use of the roof space, the cistern of the back-to-wall toilet is neatly hidden inside a boxed-in area in the eaves.
Check out the rest of this loft conversion.
Making good use of the roof space, the cistern of the back-to-wall toilet is neatly hidden inside a boxed-in area in the eaves.
Check out the rest of this loft conversion.
A dark, poky space is revitalised
Dublin architect Eva Byrne of houseology created the sense of more space and light in this weeny bathroom in a rental flat without expanding its footprint.
Dublin architect Eva Byrne of houseology created the sense of more space and light in this weeny bathroom in a rental flat without expanding its footprint.
In this shot of the same room after its makeover, you can see how simple tweaks have made a dramatic difference – it now feels fresh and inviting.
Eva replaced the boxy smoked-glass shower enclosure with this clear quadrant one, which is less imposing. Ditto the new white sanitaryware. She also added a mirrored cabinet to hide clutter and bounce light around, while a floating vanity unit beneath the relocated basin boosts storage even more.
See how Eva worked her magic on the rest of the flat.
Eva replaced the boxy smoked-glass shower enclosure with this clear quadrant one, which is less imposing. Ditto the new white sanitaryware. She also added a mirrored cabinet to hide clutter and bounce light around, while a floating vanity unit beneath the relocated basin boosts storage even more.
See how Eva worked her magic on the rest of the flat.
A small bath and colour combine functionality and warmth
The owner’s main complaint about this tiny bathroom in her top-floor flat was that it had no storage, designer Georgie Wykeham explains. It also felt a little clinical, thanks to a harsh combination of tile, ceramic and metal.
The owner was keen to retain a bath, despite the limited floor space, so Georgie fitted a smaller-than-average one with an overbath shower and discreet bifolding screen.
She then designed in almost an entire wall of storage beneath the eaves (just visible here behind the towel rail). Painting it to match the walls helps it to disappear.
The owner’s main complaint about this tiny bathroom in her top-floor flat was that it had no storage, designer Georgie Wykeham explains. It also felt a little clinical, thanks to a harsh combination of tile, ceramic and metal.
The owner was keen to retain a bath, despite the limited floor space, so Georgie fitted a smaller-than-average one with an overbath shower and discreet bifolding screen.
She then designed in almost an entire wall of storage beneath the eaves (just visible here behind the towel rail). Painting it to match the walls helps it to disappear.
“It [had been] a cold, unfriendly room,” Georgie says. Now, the strong but soft colour, textured tiles and decorative lampshade, along with a period-style basin and radiator, bring character and warmth.
Georgie also switched the locations of the basin and loo, tucking the latter next to the end wall rather than having it almost as a feature in the centre. Previously boxed-in pipework was also reduced, maximising the floor space.
Check out the full makeover.
Georgie also switched the locations of the basin and loo, tucking the latter next to the end wall rather than having it almost as a feature in the centre. Previously boxed-in pipework was also reduced, maximising the floor space.
Check out the full makeover.
Character and light boost an attic en suite
This pretty, compact bathroom is part of a top floor conversion undertaken by Matt Ryder of Ash Island Lofts.
The room is flooded with light thanks to a large roof window. The use of classic metro tiles, patterned flooring with a period feel, and a traditional-style basin all echo the Edwardian era of the house.
A flush storage cabinet is barely noticeable behind a small white door next to the basin, with an open shelf above on which decorative items can be displayed. The wall-hung loo and concealed cistern, meanwhile, contribute to the uncluttered feel.
This pretty, compact bathroom is part of a top floor conversion undertaken by Matt Ryder of Ash Island Lofts.
The room is flooded with light thanks to a large roof window. The use of classic metro tiles, patterned flooring with a period feel, and a traditional-style basin all echo the Edwardian era of the house.
A flush storage cabinet is barely noticeable behind a small white door next to the basin, with an open shelf above on which decorative items can be displayed. The wall-hung loo and concealed cistern, meanwhile, contribute to the uncluttered feel.
The owners didn’t want to scrimp on modern luxuries and asked for a walk-in shower that was as large as possible. “We went the full width of the room with the tray, which is 1.5m. It gives you the maximum size for a shower,” Matt says.
A frameless shower screen was picked for its simplicity and to keep the sense of an open space.
See more photos of this bathroom and the beautiful bedroom it’s attached to.
Tell us…
What ideas have you picked up from this collection of clever designs? Share your thoughts and any tips of your own in the Comments.
A frameless shower screen was picked for its simplicity and to keep the sense of an open space.
See more photos of this bathroom and the beautiful bedroom it’s attached to.
Tell us…
What ideas have you picked up from this collection of clever designs? Share your thoughts and any tips of your own in the Comments.
Homeowner and interior designer Aysha Rahman came up with one simple solution that created more space in her cramped family bathroom: she moved the door.
The unusually shaped room, with one angled wall, is typical of the houses on Aysha’s street. In a first wave of work to the bathroom, she’d had a partition wall removed that had separated the loo from the rest of the room (the loo was originally below the window opposite the door in this ‘before’ floorplan). In doing this, she put a new entrance in, also seen here. After living with this arrangement for a while, she realised it was all wrong.