Does your bathroom feel a little cramped? You’re not alone! It’s actually a common challenge for many homeowners.
This article will provide expert advice and creative solutions to turn your tight quarters into a spacious haven.
Read on to learn about the best small bathroom design tips to make your tight space look bigger than it actually is!

Key Takeaways
- Light colors and reflective surfaces, such as glossy tiles and metallic fixtures, can visually expand a small bathroom by bouncing light around the room.
- Optimize storage and maintain a clutter - free design with features like vanities with ample storage options, recessed shelves, and organizers to make your small bathroom feel larger and more organized.
- Consider replacing a traditional tub with a glass walk - in shower to create a more open atmosphere in your bathroom while maximizing natural light.
- Using repeat tiles on both floors and walls creates a sense of continuity and openness in a small bathroom. Choose lighter colors, simple designs or subtle textures for an added.
1. Use Light Colors and Reflective Surfaces
Light colors and reflective surfaces are essential in bathroom design to visually expand a small space. Consider painting your walls with paler tones like off-white, pastels, or light gray. These shades help bounce the light around the room, creating a brighter atmosphere and the illusion of spaciousness.
Simultaneously optimize the benefits of natural light by installing glossy tiles or metallic fixtures that reflect this brightness throughout your bathroom. This ingenious layout strategy not only adds an extra aesthetic touch but also reduces visual weight making your small bathroom seem larger than it is.
Strategically positioning a large mirror, another effective designer trick, can further amplify these effects while providing practical functionality for everyday use.

2. Maximize Storage and Clutter-Free Design
- Invest in a vanity with ample storage options. A vanity can offer spaces for all your toiletries and reduce the visual mess that so often hampers a small bathroom's potential.
- Consider recessed shelves or cabinets into the wall. It will not only provide additional space but also maintain clear traffic areas.
- Use baskets and organizers to compartmentalize your items, thus reducing clutter and enabling more efficient use of space.
- Install a medicine cabinet over the sink instead of a regular mirror; it provides extra storage without taking up any additional space.
- Opt for multi - purpose furniture like stool or ladder towel racks where you can sit, hang towels and store items at the same time.

3. Optimize Layout and Space-Enhancing Features
Sink Placement
Consider installing a corner sink or a floating vanity to ensure the pathway isn't obstructed.
Shower Area
Swap out your shower curtain for glass shower doors. Their transparency creates an illusion of extra space, making your small bathroom feel visually larger.
Storage Solutions
Choose a vanity that comes with built-in storage options for a clutter-free setting.
Floor-to-Ceiling Tiles
These draw the eye upward, creating an impression of height and space according to expert tips shared under bathroom design ideas.
Pocket Doors
Replace traditional swing doors with pocket doors to save valuable floor space.
Large-Scale Wall Coverings
A tried-and-tested designer trick to expand space visually without moving any walls.
Ingenious Layouts for Small Bathrooms
Explore unique configurations like T-shaped or L-shaped layouts that minimize wasted space.

4. Get a Glass Walk-in Shower Instead Of A Tub
In your quest to create a more spacious bathroom, consider replacing your traditional tub with a glass walk-in shower. This simple switch can have a significant impact on the overall visual appeal of your space, making it feel larger and more open.
Glass shower doors allow for unobstructed views and bring in natural light, enhancing the sense of space even further. Additionally, they eliminate the need for heavy curtains or bulky shower enclosures that can visually weigh down a small bathroom.
With a glass walk-in shower, you’ll experience an immediate transformation in both aesthetics and functionality as you effortlessly elevate the look and feel of your bathroom.

5. Choose Repeat Tiles On The Floors And Walls
To create the illusion of a larger space in your bathroom, consider choosing repeat tiles for both the floors and walls. By using the same tile design throughout, you eliminate visual breaks that can make a room feel smaller. This cohesive look creates a sense of continuity and openness.
When selecting your tiles, opt for lighter colors to reflect more light and give the appearance of expansiveness. Avoid busy or intricate patterns that can overwhelm small spaces – instead, go for simple designs or subtle textures that add depth without overwhelming the eye.
Another tip is to use larger format tiles – large-scale tiles have fewer grout lines which creates an uninterrupted surface visually expanding your bathroom. Additionally, diagonal installation can also trick the eyes into perceiving more space by elongating the room’s dimensions.
Remember, consistency is key when it comes to repeat tiling in a small bathroom. Stick with one type of tile for both floors and walls to maintain continuity and maximize the feeling of spaciousness.

6. small bathroom design tips - Get Larger Mirrors
One effective way to make a small bathroom feel more spacious is by installing larger mirrors. Mirrors have the incredible ability to reflect light and create the illusion of depth, which can instantly open up a space.
By opting for an oversized mirror or even multiple smaller mirrors arranged strategically, you can visually expand your bathroom.
Not only do large mirrors help in making your bathroom appear bigger, but they also serve a practical purpose. They allow you to check yourself out from different angles while getting ready and provide the illusion of additional square footage.

7. Install A Large Bathroom Window
Installing a large bathroom window can do wonders in making your space feel bigger and brighter. Natural light has the amazing ability to open up any room, and the bathroom is no exception. With more sunlight streaming in, your bathroom will instantly appear more spacious and inviting.
Not only does a large window provide ample natural light, but it also gives you the opportunity to enjoy beautiful outdoor views while soaking in the tub or getting ready for the day. It creates a connection between nature and your personal sanctuary, making your bathroom feel like an oasis.
In addition to aesthetics, installing a large bathroom window offers practical benefits as well. Proper ventilation is important in maintaining good air quality within your bathroom, reducing humidity levels, and preventing mold growth.

8. Get Recessed Shelves Or Open Shelves On Walls
One effective way to maximize storage and create the illusion of a larger bathroom is by incorporating recessed shelves or open shelves on the walls. These clever design elements not only provide additional space for storing toiletries, towels, and other essentials but also help to declutter the countertops, making your bathroom feel more spacious.
Alternatively, open shelves mounted on the walls serve both functional and aesthetic purposes.
Whether you choose recessed or open shelves on your walls, remember that proper organization is key to maintaining a clutter-free environment. Use baskets or bins to group similar items together and consider utilizing vertical space as well by installing higher shelving units above eye level.

9. Use Neutral Colors For Every Item In Your Bath
To create a spacious and cohesive look in your bathroom, consider using neutral colors for every item. Neutral colors such as white, beige, and light gray can help open up the space and make it appear larger.
When everything in your bathroom is in harmony with these soft tones, it eliminates visual distractions that can make a small space feel cluttered. Opt for neutral-colored tiles on the floor and walls to create a seamless flow throughout the room.
Additionally, choose a vanity, bathtub, sink, and toilet in matching neutrals to maintain a consistent color palette. By utilizing neutral colors for every item in your bath, you’ll achieve an airy and expansive atmosphere that homeowners will love.

FAQs on small bathroom design tips
Conclusion
To make a small bathroom feel bigger, focus on using light colors, reflective surfaces, and maximizing storage.
Consider replacing a tub with a glass walk-in shower, choose repeat tiles for continuity, and install larger mirrors. Incorporate a large window for natural light and optimize the layout for space-enhancing features.
By implementing these small bathroom design tips, you should be able to create a visually spacious and inviting small bathroom.
At Mortise & Miter, we’re offering complete bathroom remodeling services in Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, and the surrounding areas. We’re caring for everything, so you won’t have to move a finger.
If you want to learn more about the bathroom remodel costs, call us at (913) 214-6211, or request a quote on our website, and we’ll reach back to you as soon as possible!