Bathrooms Play An Important Role In Establish Your Home Value. When people are looking to purchase a home, the number of bathrooms and overall bathroom design is a top consideration. Because of this, your bathroom plays a key role in determining your home's overall value

Let’s be honest here, how many of you have got a big or a good size bathroom in your home? A bathroom is a key room in any home where it serves a fundamental hygienic function, but it is also a place to relax by taking a bath or a shower and getting ready. Well, I guess not many, and as matter of fact, many of the bathrooms in an average house are quite small. When we design our client’s bathrooms we always find many challenges to take into consideration and issues to solve. So let’s consider some design tips that can help you to make the most of your space without compromising on the essentials but still give the illusion of spaciousness!

We don’t all have the luxury of a huge, spacious bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower. If you are one of the many whose bathroom feels like it is bursting at the seams, here are a few tips to maximize the space you do have, or at least create the illusion of space.

The secret of how to design a small bathroom is all in the planning, and the smallest space the more this needs to be well thought out. Hence prioritize what is most important to you. Don’t forget about the negative space that you need around you to move and not have to hit another piece of furniture or object. That will hand up in screaming and frustration every time that you will use the bathroom! So consider well where you are going to position your basin, toilet, and bath or shower and think that with these will follow also accessories and they need to be taken into consideration in terms of space too.

Be smart when you choose your tiles. Try and select large, plain tiles for the wall for instance with a different color version of the flooring. If you can, avoid too many patterns. If you do choose patterns do only for the walls or the floor and not both as this will make the space feel cramped.

Try and clear the floor as much as you can. Therefore, if you want to make the room feel bigger opt for wall-mounted units. These are handy also when it comes to cleaning – always think about the practical side too!

Also, choosing the right brassware can make a difference in terms of spatial illusion. In fact, wall-mounted taps and a shower mixers with a concealed body are a nice way for reducing the visual clutter and making the space feel larger.

Storage

Always a big issue when it comes to the bathroom and one aspect that people often forget. You look at the beautiful pictures on Pinterest or in magazines where there is just one small bottle on display. In reality, doesn’t really work like this. You all are going to have toilet paper packs, shower gel, soap bottles, and a lot more stuff that you need for your everyday use. Thus when planning your bathroom think from the start about how you can create the extra space and plan ahead for fitted niches or conceal cupboards within stud walls. Also, try and get a vanity unit with drawers or cabinets that are quite spacious where you can put things and not only look pretty!

How much storage do you need in a bathroom?

Plan a clear floor space of at least 30 inches from the front edge of all fixtures (lavatory, toilet, bidet, tub, and shower) to any opposite bath fixture, wall, or obstacle. Code Requirements: A minimum space of 21 inches must be planned in front of the lavatory, toilet, bidet, and tub.

• If you have installed vanity cabinets, which require a lot of space, you need to think about it. You can remove them and select a dressing table reserved for the bedroom. It will give you the option of adding a sink above the table, and you get an open space beneath, which you can consider for creating extra storage.
• Create recesses in the walls to store your toiletries – the ideal space for this would be above a bathtub.
• Instead of a built-in cupboard, use open shelving to store your folded towels, and it will create the illusion of more space.
• Do you have a bathtub? You can install towel racks on the wall just above your bathtub. This trick can optimize the available wall space in a small bathroom.
• If cabinetry works in your bathroom design, you can install mirrors on your cabinet doors, which will give the illusion of a spacious bathroom.

Choose curved corner cabinetry, as it will lend your small bathroom a gentle and rounded appearance, and it will not hurt you if you bang into it by chance.

When it comes to heating underfloor heating is a good solution and space-efficient. Or use towel rails, which can also be used for heating too.

If you are a bath person and do not have the right space for a full-size tub why don’t consider Bijou-style baths that usually are smaller in length and also so pretty! Note that bathrooms are the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew, and your towels are easily susceptible to these gross fungi. It's fine to keep one towel hung up in the bathroom, as long as you swap it out once a week. Turning on an exhaust fan can help dry out the room and your damp towel faster.

When it comes to saving space people don’t consider doors. Using sliding or pocket doors can be a good free-up layout option. Or if you still want to keep the standard door, then make sure that you hang it so the swing is outside the room!

Last but not least don’t forget of course to add a good size mirror. This is the easiest trick for creating the illusion of more space and also can help to spread the lights around.

Bathroom Interior - A great bathroom design can help you achieve your everyday needs with efficiency as well as give you a relaxing space to unwind after a long day. For instance, having ambient lighting and cool design touches can create a relaxing atmosphere and a spa-like feeling right within your house. It is best to keep it simple and elegant! Don’t exaggerate it with fancy patterned interior decor. Use neutral colors in your interiors, such as ivory, pearl white, beige, light grey, light green, light yellow, or light brown. Selecting one of these soft neutral colors will make your small space appear larger. Boost the beauty of your neutral tone bathroom interiors by adding pops of color. Add maroon or coral-colored towels on open shelves, place a luminous red or maroon bathmat, and spice it with aqua laundry baskets. Place a small plant pot in one corner, or where there is some space and looks classy, it will bring freshness to your small bathroom.

Smart Additions - Don’t install different floor tiles for your shower area; instead, use the same floor tiles for your entire bathroom area. It guides the eye along the tile line, making your bathroom appear roomier.

• Avoid small sinks; instead, install one long narrow trough sink – it is a practical solution for a tiny bathroom space.
• Opt clear glass shower screen or better is an open ‘wet room’ ambiance, as it will open up the space and decrease your cleaning work.
• Fit a sliding door instead of a door that opens into the small bathroom. It will make your bathroom spacious.

Lots of Light -Light feels a lot like space in interiors, so if you don´t have natural light from windows or skylights, create it:  Increased Visibility - Sufficient lighting is important for the overall visibility of your bathroom design. With increased visibility, comes comfort and accessibility to make the bathroom environment much easier to use. Warmer Environment - Light helps you feel much more comfortable in your bathroom.

• Choose shower screens that are transparent rather than opaque
• Choose frameless shower screens to remove visual barriers
• Large mirrors not only reflect light but also make a room feel taller, longer,      and wider. Don`t go overboard though, once is enough in a small room.

Great care must be taken when selecting a bathroom light as all bathroom lighting must conform to the current regulations which are designed with safety in mind - where you have electricity and water there is an increased risk and this is why the regulations are quite specific.

Bathroom mirror - Mirrors can transform any room and make it appear spacious, and the bathroom is no exception. The vanity is used for tasks such as grooming and makeup application so vanity lights require bright and color-accurate task lighting. It is best to choose a light bulb or light source that provides light with a high lumen output to eliminate shadows around the mirror.

 Mirrors can effortlessly reflect light, and using them prudently will help maximize available space. You can consider adding mirrors to your bathroom space, and here are some ways to do it:

• Add a large mirror above the vanity.
• Add a sizeable mirror above your bathtub.
• Add mirrors to your cabinet doors.

NOTE: Warm white is great for bigger living spaces where you would like to give the room the ambiance of warmth, and an inviting sense. However, for bathrooms where you want the space to look and feel clean, there has been lengthy research conducted that says 'daylight' LED lighting is preferable.

Your Bathroom Door - The best door for your bathroom will be one made of solid wood, as it is the least likely of the three to warp from exposure to moisture. Solid wood doors use an engineered construction for stile, rails, and panels. They maintain the look and feel of one solid piece of wood, especially when painted. Beware of using busy or bold patterns in a small space — it could be overpowering and make the room feeler smaller

Similarly, choose large tiles for small spaces — it will mean less grouting to break things up visually.

Choose light tones for small spaces: white, cream, or pastel tones are advisable. If you want to add a little character, think about doing it with brightly colored accessories, bathmats, or one accent wall.

Reduce Clutter - Clutter can also make it difficult to keep your home clean and it tends to snowball as piles of paperwork and other ongoing projects are moved from room to room to make space for, well, more clutter. Reducing clutter is a way for your home and life to feel cleaner, better organized, and more manageable. Nothing makes a small space feel smaller than clutter. Keep the tide of toiletries and towels in check with well-planned storage: sinks with built-in vanities, exposed shelves, and floating cabinets are all good options.

A heated towel rail is a great way to both warm the room, and dry your towels nice and neatly, rather than having them hanging messily from hooks.

Sliding doors that disappear into a cavity in the wall will save lots of space. Failing that, make sure the door opens outwards, not inwards.

Another common source of too much clutter comes from overbuying or buying things you didn't use or need. Sometimes overbuying happens when you see a good deal and want to stock up. But the problem arises when you overbuy often and end up with more than you will realistically use or need.

Bacteria and viruses can survive on bathroom surfaces for up to a week. Cleaning your bathroom is the best way to reduce the risk of infection and illness. Be sure to use products that disinfect as well as clean. 

In addition to an effective cleaning strategy, schools can fight the dissemination of germs by selecting the right fixtures and equipment.

If you happen to “abandon” your toilet's hygiene, then it will lead to some more significant problems down the road — such as the buildup of harmful bacteria. Additionally, your toilet may even have the potential to foster mold growth in some areas, if it's neglected for too long. So check and plan to save up your bathroom space to easily clean and improve its appearance!