How to gain space in your bathroom

While the bathroom is arguably one of the most important rooms in the house - after all, everyone has one and everyone needs one - it's also traditionally one of the smallest.

Although this is probably the logical setup, given that its purpose is almost entirely functional as opposed to being recreational, it can also lead to headaches when it comes to getting the best out of the space you do have.

As a result, it's handy to be aware of any tricks and tips out there to make your bathroom seem bigger - and here are some bits of advice we've come up with to help you on your way.

Wall patterns and colour schemes

Have you ever noticed that T-shirts and jumpers with horizontal lines tend to make you appear wider? While this isn't likely to flatter a person, it can have a much more positive effect on a room.

With this in mind, you could look to incorporate horizontal lines onto your wall space to give the impression the bathroom is bigger than it is in reality.

This can easily be achieved if you are thinking of re-tiling and there are plenty of attractive borders out there for you to choose from. The narrower the band is the better - and there's no reason why you can't have more than one of these running around your room as well.

Similarly, you can redecorate using neutral colours to further enhance the effect. Using numerous shades of the same base tone can have a positive impact on the illusion of having a larger bathroom area.

However, if you're not a fan of beige, you could always dabble with lighter pastel colours for a similar result.

Planning out your bathroom

If you are starting from scratch with planning out the room or aren't afraid of getting your hands dirty by moving things around, then re-thinking where you sink, shower and toilet are could end up paying dividends.

One piece of advice is to try to ensure your sink is positioned off-centre to the rest of the room. 

Doing this makes it more difficult to get an instant perspective on the size of the space itself, as there is no mid-point to judge the area on that you may normally find in conventional bathrooms.

Depending on the shape and size of the room, this can also create more floor capacity - although it is important to ensure that you don't end up with all of your facilities cluttered in one corner for the sake of having a spot that you have no use for.

For this reason, it is important to have a play around and there are plenty of basic design programs available online. These will allow you to input the dimensions of your bathroom and everything that goes in it to help you see how they can all fit in. Alternatively, if computers aren't your thing, take some squared paper and use the measurements to draw a scale plan yourself.

Bathroom cabinets and other storage

It goes without saying that a tidy bathroom will always appear to be more spacious than one that is filled with clutter.

As a result, investing in a bathroom cabinet is a must. If you want to really take advantage of creating the illusion of space, opt for a mirrored variety. This will not only prove to be a functional addition to the room for when you're styling your hair or brushing your teeth, but it will also make it seem much larger by reflecting the space back.

There are a variety of units to choose from, with a wide range available from our website.

Equally, there are other means of storing those bathroom essentials that may otherwise take up valuable space.

One of the more obvious solutions is a shower tidy. These can be either attached to the wall via a sucker attachment or be made a more permanent fixture using screws and plugs. The latter option may be more preferable, as you don't want to chance everything falling on you as you clean yourself first thing in the morning!

Finally, installing shelving could provide you with everything you need for saving space - just be careful not go overboard as you risk transferring clutter from your bath and sink surfaces to your walls.

Remove the bath

If you don't think the above suggestions will help you achieve your ambitions of having more bathroom space, why not take out the facility that takes up the most room?

Whether or not you need a bath is something only you can decide. However, if you are open to the idea of only having a shower, then this can save you a considerable amount of floor area.

A shower cubicle can be an attractive addition to your bathroom. However, if in doubt over how it should be installed and sealed properly, then you should seek the advice of a qualified professional to help you - as the last thing you want is a leak that could cause damp.

Ultimately, creativity is key and there is a variety of means available to you to get the most out of your bathroom. Plan ahead and reap the rewards!

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