Still have that 2nd half bathroom that you use everyday and hate because it looks like a prop from the set of The Brady Bunch? We have them, we have seen them. Most people do not know what to do with them partly due to size. Like everything else in life, if you want to be inspired, you need a vision and small half bathrooms do not give much to wonder about. Most half bathrooms you will find are the size of a small coat closet. We treat them like one.
The basic anatomy of a small half bathroom: toilet, small sink, vanity mirror/medicine cabinet and lighting. It is basic, cut and dry. So why do we have a hard time working with this? Well, it is not about the room itself, but about the actual fixtures themselves and how you pair them all together. When working with a small bathroom, size does matter. Believe it or not, you have room to play within a small room, and the trick is to go small. Using the above illustration as an example we can go step by step.
- Sink - replace the dated vanity and sink combo with a crisp and clean white pedestal sink. For starters, it takes up less room, and it immediately gives the illusion of open space. The average cost is higher in comparison to traditional sinks. Elegance has a price. A vanity tends to eat space and always becomes a hidden storage unit. Want the proof? Open yours and take an inventory of everything in there. Then ask yourself....When was the last time you used half of what you stored?
- Faucet - go small, there are many styles to choose from.
- Walls - small bathroom walls should not have a busy print or even stripes. If you are looking for a cleaner open look, choose light, paint colors. Not sure on color? Go to any top brand paint site like Benjamin Moore and check out their color chart. Darker colors make rooms smaller. If you want large in a small space...go light and bright. The color white works miracles.
- Toilet - consider replacing your old toilet with a compact elongated model. These toilets are not only space savers, but newer models are fabricated to save water.
- Vanity mirror/medicine cabinet - bulky medicine cabinets devour space on your walls. If you truly can do without, a wall to wall mirror can immediately give an illusion of a larger space.
- Lighting - wall sconces, like the one in this illustration come in many styles. Consider a clear glass enclosure rather a frosted one and be mindful of the hardware. Brushed nickel looks stunning, be concise with the theme and keep all the same. A copper or bronze wall sconce will clash with a brushed nickel faucet. Also consider a dimmer so that you can regulate the amount of light in a natural light challenged room.
- Over the Toilet Cabinet/Storage - if you can part with this, just remove it for starters and see the immediate space you will have before doing anything in your bathroom. You can get the same results with decorative shelving. Rule of thumb, corner shelves take less room when you have limited wall space. Less is best on walls. If you can store your personals elsewhere, consider it.
