A guide to small bathroom designs

Since the bathroom began to be a regular part of the house in the late 1899s, it has undergone a change from a sterile, hygienic room to one of colour and, perhaps even, comfort. When you have a small space, you can indeed create a bathroom that is still usable, and making the most of the floor space is the key. Here are a few tips.

Space

The best way for the placement of all fixtures is to draw a floor plan on graph paper of your bathroom with every square equalling an inch. Make cut-outs of the fixtures and arrange them in the plan to optimise the space. You must consider the local building requirements regarding the placement for each fixture in your community. For example, there needs to be a certain amount of space on either side of the toilet and at the front of the sink as per these regulations. This information still helps in the planning of your bathroom.

The fixtures

The toilet is an important part of the room. It does take up space thanks to its tank and bowl as well as the prerequisite number of inches from the wall which allows for the necessary plumbing. Fortunately, there are space-saver toilets which give back some of the floor space of small bathrooms. These toilets feature smaller tanks and bowls that take up less room. These toilets are also low flush, which means that they operate effectively with less water. The smaller toilets are available at stores like B&Q and other building supply stores. The sink is also a consideration. Sinks with vanities will take up too much valuable room. Try something else like a small pedestal sink which, due to its low profile and minimal requirement for floor space, will not take up too much room. These sinks are also less expensive than the larger pedestal sinks. Small pedestal sinks are also available at stores like B&Q and at other building supply stores.

A tub or not

In a small bathroom, the bath is a consideration. If the small bathroom is intended as a half bath, then you are done. If, however, you need to make it as a full bath, then the remaining floor space in conjunction with the installation of the sink and toilet must be considered. Even a small bathtub may require too much floor space. Look at shower stalls instead. A walk in shower enclosure with glass walls would work as they do not require a lot of floor space and they give the impression of openness with its glass walls. There are even units that tuck into corners. B&Q and other stores carry these as well.