Learn how to make a small toilet look greater

Most of us need to know how one can make a small toilet look greater as a result of most of us have small loos. Traditionally, the common-or-garden toilet has been one of many smallest rooms in the home – 5ft x 8ft being the widespread measurement – creating extra space for the residing areas and bedrooms. Return even additional and the toilet wasn’t even inside the home however exterior within the again yard.
These days, we would like our loos to do extra than simply present an area the place we clear. We would like an area we are able to chill out and wallow in, an area that appears as lovely as it’s sensible; a haven of indulgence, luxurious, and leisure.
Sadly, we frequently cannot magic up extra space however there are many small toilet concepts that may drastically increase your toilet house with out the necessity to knock down partitions or transfer home. So how do you make a small toilet greater? From the ground and partitions to lighting and storage, listed below are ten prime suggestions to assist create the phantasm of extra space…
10 skilled tricks to make a small toilet look greater
1. Learn how to make a small toilet look greater – tie the scheme collectively
(Picture credit score: CP Hart)
Whether or not your small toilet format is the primary household toilet, the downstairs bathe room, or the visitor toilet tucked within the loft eaves, preserving the scheme uniform will assist make it really feel greater than it truly is.
‘Opting for a similar tone of loo tiles all through the scheme is a well-liked alternative for small loos – a uniform look will give the house continuity and make it look bigger. Select polished, matt and bush hammered choices so that you’ve texture all through,’ says Yousef Mansuri, Director of Design at C.P. Hart
‘When planning a rest room, it is very important create a way of openness even when your precise house is restricted,’ he provides. ‘Revealing as a lot ground as doable gives the look of a bigger room, so think about wall-mounting your basins, WCs and radiators. This may also make cleansing hard-to-reach areas a lot simpler.’
2. Exchange your bathtub with a bathe
(Picture credit score: Crosswater/Sanctuary Bogs)
A bathtub takes up an enormous chunk of house – for smaller loos this may very well be round a 3rd of the obtainable ground house. Eradicating the tub and going for walk-in bathe concepts as an alternative can provide a sensible resolution that instantly generates extra toilet house.
You’ll have to weigh up the professionals and cons of eradicating the tub from a private perspective, as baths are nice for household households and people with canines too. The opposite consideration is that in the event you’re renovating to promote the house, a shower is a possible shopping for profit,’ explains James Roberts, Director of Sanctuary Bogs.
‘For those who’re seeking to simply have a bathe in your house, think about a walk-in design. The very fact they’re constructed for simpler accessibility makes them advantageous in terms of extending the room so it seems greater, in comparison with a regular bathe enclosure, which blocks out an space of the room,’ he provides.
‘Some individuals select to construct their walk-in bathe utilizing the identical flooring as the remainder of the toilet, which offers a steady sample or fashion. If this isn’t doable or to not your style, some bathe trays can create the phantasm of extra space with the whole toilet ground being on an analogous stage.’
3. Make the tub a function
(Picture credit score: Albion Tub Firm)
All of us aspire to have the perfect free standing bathtub in the midst of a big room with a large chandelier hanging excessive. Nonetheless, most loos, even in giant homes are fairly modest. So, with restricted ground house, plan rigorously and you’ll nonetheless create a surprising consequence.
‘With a smaller toilet, the trick is to maximise the seen space of the ground, so use a free-standing bathtub on toes or a plinth. If doable, place your bathtub so it’s the primary piece seen if you open the door. Bathtubs are actually thought-about ornamental in addition to purposeful, so use the tub as a function piece,’ explains Phil Etherden, Mangering Director at The Albion Tub Co.
‘In the case of deciding the place you’re going to place your toilet fittings, the perfect tip is to consider how they’re used and in what order. With this in thoughts, we’d usually advocate that the sink or basin is positioned closest to the door, as it’s usually the final cease in most rest room routines. The bathroom and different fittings can then be additional into the room. This not solely offers extra privateness however saves you from strolling by puddles left behind by individuals stepping out of the tub of bathe.’
4. Wall-hung or wall-mounted?
(Picture credit score: Claybrook)
The way in which we hold a basin or rest room could make a large distinction to how we understand the house. ‘Wall-mounted basins be certain that all of the pipes and fixtures are inside the wall – eradicating the cumbersome ledge in the back of the sink from the toilet house, whereas wall-hung basins don’t create house, however the free ground space beneath it creates the phantasm of a bigger room,’ says inside designer Katie Thomas, founding father of KTM Design.
‘With the intention to make a small toilet really feel greater, you want house to stroll round. Ideally, an individual wants round 1m in entrance of a shower and 0.7m in entrance of a bathroom to really feel comfy within the house,’ she provides. ‘It is best to search for furnishings that matches the house, reminiscent of brief projecting bogs, compact baths and showers, and slim sink basins.’
‘Nook basins that may slot into difficult areas are helpful for smaller areas. For instance, the nook behind the door could be a house saver and go away you with extra ground house. It’s also possible to mix the basin with a storage cabinet for a multipurpose merchandise,’ says Katie. ‘And like sinks, wall hung bogs release ground house and create the imaginative and prescient that the room is bigger.’
5. Keep away from a bathe curtain
(Picture credit score: Matthew Williams)
In the case of small toilet bathe concepts, an enormous tip is to ditch the bathe curtain. They may be extra inexpensive, however they may very well be making your toilet look smaller than you may want it to.
‘Bathe curtains could seem to be a less expensive and extra sensible resolution to including additional house in your toilet. Nonetheless, they will impression house greater than you’d suppose,’ says James Roberts, Director of Sanctuary Bogs. ‘The principle functions of bathe curtains are to assist hold moisture and steam within the space and to keep up privateness. It may very well be argued that the curtain will solely be shut when in use however in actuality, even when open if they’re coloured or darker, they could be a distraction.’
‘For those who hold it shut when not in use, then it turns into one other barrier, rising the sense of claustrophobia,’ he says. ‘You may ditch the bathe curtain, set up a door lock and open the window to let air in for moisture to flee and preserve visibility to all partitions of the toilet. For those who’re sure on having some safety towards spillages whereas the bathe is in use, then putting in a transparent, see-through bathe display screen is a sturdier compromise with out closing off the whole bathtub space.’
Jo Oliver, Director, Stone & Ceramic Warehouse agrees that ‘an effective way of including to the sensation of house in a rest room is to make use of a glass panel. A transparent glass bathe display screen or panel will mirror gentle successfully and can open up the house permitting you to see the entire toilet with none barrier, immediately making it really feel bigger.’
6. Use giant format tiles
(Picture credit score: Stone and Ceramics Warehouse)
When contemplating tiles in your new toilet, there are many small toilet tile concepts on the market to assist create the phantasm of house. ‘Pale coloured tiles could make a small toilet look greater as they mirror extra gentle than darker colours, giving an ethereal and spacious really feel,’ says Jo Oliver, Director, Stone & Ceramic Warehouse. ‘Utilizing the similar tiles on the partitions and the ground will improve the sensation of house by making a steady look. We’ve seen an enormous improve within the reputation of slab or ‘giant format’ porcelain tiles lately. These large-format designs imply fewer grout traces, and due to this fact much less upkeep and cleansing. Slab tiles are perfect for making a putting, high-end look, and may usually make smaller rooms seem bigger because of their seamless look.
Laura Davie, Advertising and marketing Supervisor at Cosentino UK provides that ‘extra-large tiling is an effective way to play with proportions in a smaller toilet and this may be taken one step additional by utilizing surfacing coverings to clad total partitions. Predominantly a design possibility seen in high-end motels, this fashion affords loads of sensible advantages – for a begin, outsized tiling means much less awkward grouting to maintain clear! Pair with an outsized bathe head and a generously sized bathe display screen – the consequence will likely be a luxe, wow-factor look even in a smaller house.’
7. Be daring with coloration
(Picture credit score: Crown)
White tends to be the primary go-to coloration for the toilet, however there are such a lot of implausible small toilet coloration concepts on the market to select from.
‘Typically the smallest room within the house, the toilet has for too lengthy turn into the sufferer of the ‘all white makes it look greater’ design philosophy. Fortunately upcoming tendencies embrace a extra inventive and daring method to what could be probably the most thrilling areas within the house,’ says Justyna Korczynska, Coloration Guide at Crown.
‘Coloration drenching, particularly when utilizing darker courageous colours, works greatest in small areas like a hallway, a hall, or small toilet. By enveloping a small house in a coloration, the main target shifts from noticing the scale of that house to only appreciation of the shades that encompass us,’ she says.
‘If white toilet concepts appear too sterile on your style, greys are extraordinarily versatile and can work completely in your toilet. Crown’s Tender Metal is a lightweight gray hue and can give the room extra texture than a white,’ says Justyna. ‘Crown affords a variety of white and gray shades of their toilet vary, in addition to bolder and brighter colours if you’re feeling courageous. Every paint is specifically formulated with built-in anti-mold expertise to maintain toilet partitions trying recent and cleaner for longer.’
8. Get organized and clear the muddle
(Picture credit score: String Furnishings)
Storage is vital in terms of preserving a rest room house feeling calm, clutter-free and really feel greater than it truly is. Small toilet storage concepts will show you how to rethink the way in which you arrange your toilet bits – inside designer Katie Thomas suggests utilizing nook storage held on the partitions will save house, use mirrored doorways to create the phantasm of an even bigger room. A big wall hung mirror over the sink will make the room really feel greater and eventually, set up towel rails on the again of doorways to release wall house and as soon as once more, make the house really feel bigger.’
If it is open shelving you are after, then ensuring they’re styled fantastically is not going to solely add character however will present purposeful additional storage in your toilet. ‘At String Furnishings, we have a good time particular person journeys and we imagine that our cabinets needs to be a mirrored image of our personalities and exhibit the objects that we’ve got collected all through our lives,’ says Peter Erlandsson, Co-Proprietor, and Director of String Furnishings.
‘In the case of styling my very own cabinets, I’ve discovered that deciding on only a few lovely items to show can take advantage of ornamental impression and be probably the most sentimental. Coordinating totally different colours in your cabinets is one other easy and easy means of constructing these items stand out and decoratively tie a room collectively. Many neglect that storage could be a part of the inside design scheme and by displaying and styling our objects, we are able to merge operate with ornament.’
9. Decide a transparent display screen and steady ground
(Picture credit score: Decus Interiors)
A compact house doesn’t need to look cluttered or cramped if a couple of intelligent design methods are employed. ‘A low-level bathe tray is only one instance of the kind of product that enhances a smaller toilet, particularly when mixed with a frameless glass display screen to create a walk-in, moist room fashion bathe space,’ says Ben Bryden, Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Director at RAK Ceramics UK
‘Massive format tiles that reduce grout traces and make small areas seem greater than they’re, sanitaryware with curves and, after all, furnishings with loads of cupboard space, are all options that may create a glossy, subtle look that truly makes the toilet appear and feel greater than it truly is.’
10. At all times embody a mirror
(Picture credit score: Mary Wadsworth)
Mirror mirror on the wall… will make an enormous distinction to how massive or small your toilet feels.
‘When adorning a small toilet, fastened mirrors on an extended wall will double the phantasm of house. A ground standing mirror could be moved round to create totally different moods inside the room which is nice when gentle isn’t so key and also you need to create atmosphere with candles,’ says Juliette Thomas, Founder & Director, Juliettes Interiors.
‘The larger the mirror the higher. A small mirror in a big house will look skimpy, upsetting the steadiness of the entire room. Nonetheless, wall mirrors ought to by no means be wider than the piece of loo furnishings beneath.’
What coloration makes a small toilet look greater?
(Picture credit score: Habitat)
So what colours make a rest room look greater? Gentle colours reminiscent of white, cream pastels and grey are usually the favored picks for creating the phantasm of extra space, whereas yellow will visually broaden a room and darkish colours could make a room really feel smaller.
‘White tends to be the primary go-to coloration for the toilet. Some suppose that all-white could be too scientific however having a lighter tone will open up the house and make it really feel brighter,’ says Justyna Korczynska, Coloration Guide at Crown. ‘Bogs are sometimes the smallest room in the home and a darkish coloration could make it really feel too closed until you’re fortunate sufficient to have a big house with a lot of pure gentle.’
‘Milk White from Crown is an ideal coloration on your moist room, it has a creamy high quality to it which is able to create soothing tones and keep away from trying too harsh. White additionally works effectively with brass accents as it should enable them to face out towards the background. That is additionally true for coloured toilet ceramics or equipment, portray the wall a lightweight coloration will assist them stand out and be the focus of the room.
How do you brighten up a small toilet?
(Picture credit score: Yard Architects)
Inside designer Katie Thomas, founding father of KTM Design shares her tips about how one can brighten up a small toilet. ‘Firstly, light-colored tiles or paint offers the phantasm of a bigger house as gentle bounces off it. Moreover, paint the ceiling the identical or a barely lighter coloration than the partitions and tiles to offer the sensation that the room is taller and total, bigger.
‘Additionally, search for bathe baths – this manner, you may have the luxurious of getting each with out utilizing further house. ‘In case your bathe will not be mixed along with your bathtub, sliding or bi-folding doorways that open inwards can create extra space. Nook showers can even save house, with a curved door that has a shorter projection than an oblong bathe. Use a transparent display screen to create the phantasm of extra space, versus a curtain or Crittall glass,’ she says.
How can I make my small toilet luxurious?
(Picture credit score: James Merrell)
Bogs are the last word place to unwind and revel in some self-care, so making them really feel luxurious is a well-liked want. Marble toilet concepts as a place to begin by no means fail to show a primary toilet into one thing ten occasions fancier.
Inside designer Katie Thomas, founding father of KTM Design explains that the scale of tile used could make or break a rest room; ‘guarantee your tiles match the scale of the room. Though it could appear logical that smaller tiles will match the room higher, it truly creates a busy and chaotic look because of the variety of grout traces. Massive ground and wall tiles are literally nice for a small house. It’s best to go together with one constant gentle tile that’s pretty plain to open up the house.’
‘You may additionally use the identical tile on the partitions and flooring to create calmness and consistency whereas creating a sense of a bigger room – many luxurious spas do that. It creates a crisp look and leads the attention throughout the entire room, opening it up,’ she says. Plus, ‘pure lighting all the time offers the impact of opening up an area. Lights which can be flush to the ceiling or brief hanging pendants are nice for maximizing the sense of house as a result of they’re easy and don’t hold down into the small house.’
Phil Etherden, MD at The Albion Tub Co Ltd finishes ‘do not be tempted into cramming giant objects right into a small room. The impact will likely be to lose all aesthetic worth whereas making the room look small and cluttered.’ So for an expensive look, hold tiles giant, add marble and hold the house clutter-free!