Small Bathroom Remodeling: Surfaces, Storage and Organization One of the biggest challenges in designing a small bathroom remodel is storage. Good organization of storage space and of other items in your remodeled bathroom will also save money because you will need a smaller number of storage areas. The way you decide to handle storage will have implications for the way you handle surfaces. The storage areas you choose will either enhance the appearance of the room and the feeling of greater space or it will detract from that sense of openness. The way you handle surfaces will also determine how easy it is to keep your new bathroom clean.
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Storage is critical in a small bathroom. Clutter makes small rooms look even smaller. There are several goals in choosing storage options in a small bathroom: (1) to put things out of sight, (2) to organize them so you can find them later and (3) to secure potentially dangerous items. The most common storage areas in bathrooms are: vanity, where you might have some combination of cabinets and drawers, a medicine cabinet, a closet (which can be very difficult in a small bathroom, and shelves.
Because a vanity ordinarily takes so much space and uses so much floor space, they are often not used in small bathroom remodeling. If you need the storage space, it will be important to choose the smallest unit you can find. Some homeowners like vanities divided with a cabinet on one side and drawers on the other. This provides the cabinet for large items and drawers for smaller items. If you have small children or teens, you might place locks on selected drawers that will be used to store medicines or potentially dangerous cleaning substances and other items.
The medicine cabinet is a wonderful storage space in a small bathroom. The best medicine cabinet in a small bathroom is a recessed cabinet with an unframed mirror. Most remodelers tend to think of a single standard sized medicine cabinet. When working with a small bathroom, keep in mind that the reflective mirrors on the front of the cabinets can help you make the room appear larger than it is. You might consider either a larger medicine cabinet that places a large mirror on the wall over the sink or some combination of medicine cabinets in other walls for storage and reflectivity. For example, a medicine cabinet in the wall over a tub is a perfect place to keep bath items, wash cloths and towels.
Shelving can either make the room look bigger or smaller. Shelves that are recessed into the wall can either be framed with trim or left unframed. You can also add glass doors to keep items clean. In small bathroom remodeling, doors with glass, a mirror or frosted glass will make the room feel larger than dark solid wood doors. These shelves can be used for storage or for decorative items, or they can combine the two. If building recessed shelves is not an option, glass shelves are the least intrusive. Because they are clear and reflective, they do not make the room seem smaller.
Organization is the key to an uncluttered appearance in a small bathroom. Try to use nooks and crannies creatively, install organizer units in drawers and cabinets, create appropriately sized storage for items to be stored near where they will be used and try to plan for shelves of different sizes in medicine cabinets and other storage areas.
The way you handle surfaces in a small bathroom remodel is very important. Tub and shower surrounds, floor covering, walls, ceilings and even light fixtures are important in designing you bath so it feels spacious and are easy to keep clean. Here are some things to consider as you plan wall and floor coverings, ceilings and surrounds.
>> Tile is popular because it is easy to clean and maintain. It can be used on floors, walls and surrounds.
>> If you want radiant floor or wall heat in your bathroom, it needs to be installed before floor covering. This can be a wonderful luxury in a small bath.
>> Mirrors and glass make a room look and feel larger because they reflect light.
>> If you are a do-it-yourselfer, be sure to use cement backer board around the tub or shower and either green board or blue board for all other walls and ceiling. These materials do not absorb moisture as easily.
>> If you plan to use wallpaper, keep in mind that vinyl paper is easier to clean and will absorb less moisture; fabric wall coverings are an invitation to trouble; vertical stripes will make the room look larger, as will a border at the top of the walls.
>> Keeping color choices to no more than two different colors will also make the room look both larger and more peaceful.
>> Semi-gloss or enamel paint is good in bathrooms because it stands up to moisture and cleaning better.
Use your imagination and some creativity when planning and organizing your storage space in a small bathroom remodel. Keep surfaces simple, easy to clean and moisture resistant. Your choices about surfaces and storage areas will either enhance a feeling of spaciousness or will make the bathroom look smaller.
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