Small Bathrooms

A bathroom remodel is an exciting project for your home. A homeowner's bath  can be designed as the most distinctive as well as the most essential room in a home, especially when utilizing bathroom design software. It is the one room that distinguishes an American home of today from the homes of other countries. This salient characteristic of America is a symbol of a high standard of living. No room for an extra bath? Think again! Walk-in closets often can be turned into powder rooms or an extra bathroom without tearing down walls.

In the latest latest small bathroom designs you can place a full size tub with shower and shower curtain, a space saving sink and a regular size toilet. A small bath can also be put in a low-ceiling area. You can tuck one into the attic under the eaves. Just allow six feet six inches of head room for a shower; an even lower ceiling is okay for a tub.

Here are some small bath design ideas to consider

A complete full bath with all the necessary fixtures can be built into a floorplan as small as 5 x 5 square, inside. But remember, over-sized vanities can add a lot of visual weight to a small bath design.  If storage space is a necessary element in your room consider built-in units.  This can entail full height cabinets as well as open nooks or shelves.  Determine where the wall studs lay in your room and you'll find the perfect area (or areas) for adding built-in units. It is easy to choose a full line of bathroom fixtures, floor coverings, and accessories that are coordinated in design and color. Many plumbing manufacturers, such as Kohler, offer coordinated lines of fixtures, bath furniture, and accessories. Find seven places for that extra bathroom. Color can either make or break a bathroom so try to have your bathroom accessories harmonize with the rest of the room; match towels and tubs – tiles and rugs. Today’s home improvement stores, such as Lowes and Home Depot, can supply everything from the paint to the soap dish – all in one visit. Have your bathroom accessories match; holders, hooks, bars and shelves come in gleaming chrome, brushed nickel, and brass.

Small Bathroom Photos Gallery

Bathroom fixtures usually come in standard sizes but if you have a sink set in a large vanity unit or a full size bathtub, consider some alternate design solutions.  Perhaps instead of the sink and vanity combo, remove the storage unit and replace the existing sink with a freestanding fixture. Small bathroom fixtures will visually open up the space and are a popular solution being adopted by many professional designers. Another idea when remodeling a small bath is to remove the full size bathtub and replace it with a standing shower enclosure.  These small bath design ideas may not be an optimal solution if you use the bathtub regularly but in some households this may be a perfect solution to create more usable space. Don't forget mirrors! A full height mirror expanded the length of an entire wall will visually expand a small bathroom space.

Reduce Bathroom Clutter

Let your bathroom reflect your won individuality and good taste. Keep the counters clutter free by removing all unnecessary items. Go through all your personal items, such as soaps, creams, and makeup. What is expired? What have you been keeping just in case? What could be stored elsewhere?

Based on your grooming habits, determine what must stay in the small bathroom for you to remain functional and what's simply unnecessary. You can reduce a lot of bathroom clutter by refraining from using the bathroom as a storage area for items seldom used; store these miscellaneous items in a decorative basket on your closet shelf. Moreover, refrain from storing bathroom cleaning materials under your sink; these can easily be brought into the small bathroom when necessary.

Paint Colors for a Small Bath

To make a room appear larger use lighter and more subtle paint colors for small bathrooms when selecting paint. To heighten the ceiling use a white or off white paint color. If white is not ideal for your design, choose a paint color that is a few shades lighter than the color of the walls. Popular small bathroom paint colors for 2012 feature bright and cheery hues. Recently, Kohler has launched four bright new colors for optimum color vibrancy on six of its enameled cast iron sinks. Kohler colors feature Greenwich Green, Piccadilly Yellow, Palermo Blue, and Annapolis Navy. White bathrooms can be as distinctive as color – when white is used as a color and correctly combined with other colors.

Wallpaper in the bathroom is a good way to express your individuality, especially by selecting designs which are bright and colorful. A novel way of treating plain walls and ceiling would be to decorate with striped wallpaper on the ceiling and paint the walls to match. Often the bathroom that connects with a bedroom has a color scheme in harmony. To be practical for bathroom use, materials which surround the bath and shower must be waterproof, but the balance of the room can be attractively painted or decorated in beautiful non-waterproof materials.

Small Bath Space

Corner spaces are often not taken advantage of in most small bathroom designs.  These spaces are great for corner vanities and sinks as well as storage units. Keep in mind that if you are moving the location of an existing sink, relocating the plumbing can be costly. Consider the pros and cons of this solution to determine if the final result is worth the cost.

Adding sufficient lighting levels can be a simple addition to any small bathroom remodeling project. For general overall lighting consider recessed ceiling fixtures. This type of fixture is a great way to expand the height of the ceiling. Surface mounted fixtures as well as hanging pendents can make the ceiling look lower and the space feel more crowded. Consider wall sconces or a clean line track light system if you have a freestanding sink with no vanity. Avoid bulky fixtures that might seem too heavy for the small space. Vanities and storage units can be a great location for accent lights.  By keeping the small space well lit, it will automatically seem larger. Another great addition to any small bathroom is natural light.  If this is a possibility in your space, add a window or skylight.

Online Bathroom Planner

Explore your bathroom in a three-dimensional environment and use online bath design tools to create a virtual design from your own floor plan. If you are planning a new bath remodeling project, today's internet is your best resource for bathroom designs and free online bathroom planner tools. With free online tools you can change the floor plans, change the colors of the products, add a whirlpool, or paint the walls. Choose between their bathroom photography with standard bathroom fixtures or use your own photograph of your bathroom. Also featuring the ability to save and print your favorite bath design along with faucet model numbers and prices. You can even place a person in your virtual bathroom to give you an idea of how much room you have to move around in.