What Can I Do With a Small Apartment Bathroom?
Is the bathroom in your apartment…well…spatially challenged? If you’re suffering from tiny-bathroom-syndrome, it can be difficult to see the best way to decorate. After all, you only have so much wall and counter space in your mini-bathroom, so how are you supposed to show off your personal style and make sure there are actual necessities like soap, towels, and extra toilet paper?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled this list of ten designer-approved tips for making the most out of your small apartment bathroom. We’ll help you make your small apartment bathroom stylish, clutter-free, and still functional enough to be used by you and all your guests on a regular basis, all you need to do is follow this list of small apartment bathroom ideas!
So, without further ado, here are ten great small apartment bathroom ideas for you to try now.
How to Maximize Space in a Small Apartment Bathroom?
1. Go Easy on Accessories
At McKinley Apartments, we know everyone loves showing off their style. And usually, that comes in the form of displaying all of our favorite knick-knacks, décor, and adorable little wall ornaments. But when it comes to your tiny apartment bathroom, trying to do too much with accessories can make things claustrophobic. Lots of clutter on the walls, countertops, and shelves can make a small space look even smaller. So while that adorable little corner stool might look cute in the store, try to imagine how it will look taking up one-third of your apartment bathroom’s floor space.
The more conservative you can be with accessories in your bathroom, the more spacious and manageable it will seem. And if you have décor you’re absolutely dying to display, you’ll definitely be able to find a great spot for it somewhere else in the apartment.
2. Store Smarter
With a small apartment bathroom, packing in enough storage space for all the necessities can be a difficult task. But if you’re willing to get a little creative with your small bathroom decor, you can have all the storage you need.
Open shelving is a hot trend at the moment, and adding one or two shelves above the toilet or against a far wall can be a great (and easy) way to add some storage space without cluttering the floor. Once you have the shelving, we recommend some kind of stylish but functional way of organizing your items. Wire mesh baskets can be a stylish choice for storing extra soap or toilet paper. Just remember that the more you can move storage from the floor to the walls, the less cluttered the bathroom will feel.
3. Think Outside the Bathroom
If your bathroom is really tiny, as in, so tiny that there’s hardly room to sit down let alone add storage and décor, you’re not totally out of luck. Some small bathroom decorators think outside the box with their apartment bathroom ideas—literally. Take a look at the space just outside the bathroom to determine whether it might lend itself to a stylish little storage nook. Many bathrooms are nestled in the corners of houses and living areas, so there may be an opportunity for you to create a little storage area with toilet paper, towels, and other items if there’s no room in the bathroom itself.
4. Lighten Up the Space
The best way to make a small space seem even smaller is to coat the walls with dark, heavy paint. We recommend light, neutral colors for your apartment bathroom decor that will make the space feel more airy and open. If you do want to add a splash of contrast, choose a small wall in the bathroom as a feature color that will complement the lighter paint on the rest of the bathroom. This method can actually result in the space seeming slightly larger.
Just remember—bathrooms have to handle a lot of moisture and steam. Choose quality paint that will hold up to the abuse over time. Going with a budget paint brand might seem like it saves money, but it will only cost you more in the long run when it gets damaged quickly and requires a re-coat.
5. Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall
It’s a trick as old as decorating itself. Mirrors visually extend any space to make it seem larger, more open, and less constricted. If your tiny bathroom comes with a tiny little mirror hanging precariously above the sink, consider swapping it out for a larger one. This will make the bathroom feel more open and airy, and also serves the functional purpose of giving guests (and you) the chance to check themselves out before heading back into the world. Stylish décor that lets us see how good we’re looking? There’s really no downside here.
6. Floating Shelves & Cabinets, Oh My!
We mentioned this briefly earlier on, but we can’t stress enough how important it is to keep storage off the floor in a small apartment bathroom. Floating shelves are a stylish way to do this, and you might even consider adding a small cabinet or too for private storage that’s clutter-free and out of the way.
If you do opt for shelves or cabinets, keep them as shallow as possible. While freeing up floor space is great, it won’t count for much if your cabinets extend a foot out into the bathroom. Choose the shallowest options you can that will still have enough space to hold all of your things.
7. Don’t Be a Square
In your tiny, itty-bitty bathroom, square edges just may be your worst enemy. Square and rectangle-shaped décor and installations take up more space than is necessary. Try opting for rounded sinks, shelving or other décor. Getting rid of these corners will open up the visual look of the space and actually provide more usable area. Because there’s nothing worse than bumping your hip on a corner of the sink in a tight, tiny bathroom. You don’t want it and your guests don’t want it, so stick to circles. If your apartment rental doesn’t allow you to make these kinds of changes, counteract angular sinks or cabinets with softer décor to at least visually make the space seem less…pointy.
8. Hang Those Towels
Towels are big, bulky, and necessary in any bathroom. But even a neatly folded pile in the corner or on a small table surface can take up precious space in your bathroom. The good news? Towel racks can be ordered online for insanely cheap, and they’re relatively easy to install. They’ll also give your bathroom a finished, polished look.
9. Use Shower Power
If your little bathroom has a shower or bathtub, and you’re cutting that shower or bathtub off with an opaque curtain, you’re making your small bathroom space even smaller. If it’s an option, choose a glass shower door. If it’s not an option, give your bathtub a good solid clean and then leave that curtain wide open when not in use. This will extend the visual space of your bathroom and make it feel less claustrophobic. We also recommend choosing a shower curtain pattern that’s light and textured rather than dark and bold. Heavy colors will only make the space feel smaller and closer.
10. Combine Form and Function
Let’s face it—your lil’ bathroom doesn’t have the space to suit every decorating dream you might have for it. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style for substance, or substance for style. There are plenty of stylish, awesome-looking pieces that also serve a purpose. Unique, rustic shelving, framed mirrors with tons of personality, cabinets that have their own distinctive style. By choosing usable storage that also has its own character, you can create a bathroom space that’s not over-cluttered but still does everything you want it to in terms of style and function.
Having a tiny bathroom sucks. There’s no getting around it. But by following these apartment bathroom ideas, we believe that even the most minuscule bathroom space can be stylish, functional, and enjoyable.
And if you want to make sure bathroom space is never an issue, check out our roomy apartments.
