Ways to Make Small Bathrooms Feel Larger

Small bathrooms tend to feel restrictive, but there's no need to break the bank to fix that. A few simple tweaks to lighting, color, and storage can make a real difference in how big a bathroom feels, and none of it requires a major renovation.

Let Light In (And Out!)

Bathrooms that are underlit tend to feel smaller than they actually are, so if possible, let in as much natural light as you comfortably can. Leave the blinds or shades open to whatever degree your privacy allows, and use a sheer fabric or frosted film for any window you can't leave uncovered entirely.

If you need more light at night, try using multiple sources instead of one bright overhead fixture. Lights mounted on either side of the mirror, or properly rated lighting near the tub or shower, can add brightness without making the room feel like a cave. Warm light tends to work best in bathrooms, since cooler, bluer light can make a space feel a little impersonal.

Add a Big Mirror

Mirrors are arguably the single most useful addition you can make to a small bathroom. They reflect light, which makes the room feel brighter, and they give the eye something to land on besides bare wall. Hang one that spans most of the wall space above your vanity instead of a small framed mirror centered over the sink. Just make sure it's still positioned so you can see yourself clearly if you're using it for everyday grooming.

Light Colors Rule, But Don't Be Afraid of Subtly Darker Ones

Most people already know that light colors tend to make a room feel bigger. What fewer people realize is that an all-white or off-white bathroom with no contrast at all can actually start to feel smaller and a little flat. A touch of a deeper tone, whether it's a single accent wall or a darker tile border, gives the eye something to register and keeps the room from washing out.

Use Space Wisely

Fixtures matter just as much as color and light when it comes to making a small bathroom feel bigger. A pedestal sink or wall-mounted vanity takes up less visual space than a traditional cabinet-style sink, and a glass shower door will almost always make a room feel less cramped than a shower curtain does. Even swapping a swinging door for a sliding one can free up enough floor space to make a real difference in how the room feels day to day.

Hide Clutter

Clutter tends to make a small room feel even smaller, so anything that doesn't need to be out in the open should be stowed away or moved somewhere else. Medicine cabinets recessed into the wall free up far more space than ones mounted on the surface, and open shelving only really works if it's holding things you're fine with people seeing, since anything crammed onto a shelf can just as easily read as clutter itself.

None of this needs to happen all at once. Most homeowners find that a couple of these changes, chosen well, go further than a full renovation would, and most of them don't require removing a single sheet of drywall.

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