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Start With the Small Bathroom Layout

Before you fall in love with tile, get the small bathroom layout right. A room can be tiny and still feel easy to use if nothing bumps into anything else. The National Kitchen & Bath Association recommends a clear floor space of at least 30 inches in front of every fixture (the sink, toilet, tub and shower) to the opposite fixture, wall or obstacle, and notes that code calls for a minimum of 21 inches. It also notes the code minimum from the centerline of a sink to a wall is 15 inches, and a toilet shall not be set closer than 15 inches from its center to a side wall (Bathroom Planning Guidelines, NKBA).

The NKBA guidelines also point to the code rule that no entry or fixture doors should interfere with one another. In a small bath, that door swing is often the biggest space thief. If your door hits the vanity or traps you against the toilet, look at a pocket door or a door that swings out, and choose a glass shower panel or a sliding shower door instead of one that swings into the room.

Choose a Floating Vanity, or One on Legs

A floating vanity is one of my favorite small bathroom ideas because it shows more floor. When your eye can travel all the way to the wall under the sink, the room reads as larger. A vanity on slim legs does the same thing with a more furniture-like feel. Elle Decor singles out a walnut vanity with long legs and a gracious amount of space beneath it in one of its featured small baths (Small Bathroom Ideas, Elle Decor).

Watch the depth, too. A slightly shallower vanity can buy you the walkway you need in front of it, and a wall-mounted faucet frees up more counter on a narrow top.

Small Bathroom Tile: Go Bigger and Keep It Consistent

People often assume a small room needs small tile. I usually go the other way. Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines, so the floor reads as one calm surface instead of a busy grid. On walls, I like to carry the same tile, or the same color family, from the floor up into the shower so the room isn't chopped into pieces.

Want pattern? Use it in one place with intention: a patterned floor with quiet walls, or a single feature wall behind the vanity. My guide to cheap bathroom upgrades that don't need a big renovation has a few more ways to get impact without a full gut.

Use Mirrors and Light to Open It Up

Mirrors are the oldest trick in the book because they work. Go as wide as the vanity allows, or run a mirror wall to wall. Elle Decor describes one bathroom that is all reflective surfaces and mirrors, appearing double its size (Small Bathroom Ideas, Elle Decor). If a full mirror wall isn't your style, a generous round mirror softens all the hard lines in a bathroom. I like this 24-inch round mirror with a matte black metal frame over a narrow vanity.

Then layer the light. The NKBA recommends task lighting for each functional area in addition to general lighting, and suggests task lighting at the vanity beside the mirror and at eye level (Bathroom Planning Guidelines, NKBA). Sconces on either side of the mirror light your face evenly and take up no counter space.

Pick Paint With Light in Mind (or Go Bold on Purpose)

When you're choosing paint for a small bath, flip the color chip over. Sherwin-Williams prints each color's light reflectance value (LRV) on the back of its chips, on a scale from 0 (absorbs all light) to 100 (reflects all light) (Worthy of Reflection, Sherwin-Williams). A higher LRV bounces more light around a room with a small window, or none.

That said, light and white is not the only answer. New York designer Kati Curtis told Elle Decor that dark colors can actually make a small room feel more expansive and dimensional, and that small, dark spaces give her the freedom to be bold with color and pattern (Small Bathroom Ideas, Elle Decor). I love a moody powder room; in a bath you use every morning, I lean lighter and bring the drama in with tile.

Store Up, Not Out

Clutter shrinks a small bathroom faster than anything. Use the wall space you already have: a recessed medicine cabinet, a niche in the shower wall instead of a caddy, a few hooks behind the door. The space above the toilet is the most overlooked spot in most bathrooms. A slim over-the-toilet storage cabinet with doors keeps towels and extras out of sight without taking any floor space.

My post with 8 tips to redesign a small bathroom on a budget has more storage ideas that don't require a contractor.

Don't Forget the Fan

Small bathrooms steam up fast, and moisture is hard on paint, grout and wallpaper. The Home Ventilating Institute says that for most bathrooms the ventilation rate works out to one CFM per square foot of bathroom area, so a 7 by 10 foot bathroom would need a 70 CFM fan, and it recommends a 50 CFM rating as a minimum for bathrooms 50 square feet and smaller (Bathroom Exhaust Fans, Home Ventilating Institute). The NKBA guidelines add that the air should be discharged to the outdoors, not into an attic (Bathroom Planning Guidelines, NKBA).

My Small Bathroom Checklist

• Measure the room and check the clearances in front of each fixture before you buy anything.
• Choose a floating vanity or one on legs, and keep the depth in check.
• Go larger on floor tile and keep the tile story consistent.
• Make the mirror as big as the wall allows, with sconces beside it.
• Pick paint by LRV, store up the walls and size the fan to the room.

If you're planning a bigger project, read my list of bathroom remodel mistakes homeowners regret before you sign off on a plan, and see how a simple bathroom refresh can change the whole feel of the room.

Small Bathroom Ideas FAQ

What color makes a small bathroom look bigger?

Colors with a higher light reflectance value (LRV) bounce more light around the room, which helps a small bath feel brighter and more open.

Is a floating vanity good for a small bathroom?

Yes. A floating vanity shows more floor, which makes the room read as larger. Choose one with drawers so you don't give up storage.

Should I use large or small tile in a small bathroom?

I usually choose larger tile for the floor. Fewer grout lines make the floor look like one continuous surface. Save small mosaics for a shower floor or one feature area.