The bathroom is not a place in which we like to feel cramped. And a bigger bathroom, or at least a bigger feeling bathroom is something a lot of us find ourselves pining over at some point in time. Unfortunately not all of us can have the square meterage we desire for our bathroom, and many Sydney homes have small bathrooms. But at Brindabella (where we believe the bathroom is the most important and often the most hard working room in the house), we have some pretty clever tricks to maximise the space in your new bathroom.
Maximising Bathroom Space #1: Consider what amenities you really need
While a typical family-style Sydney bathroom consists of a vanity, bath, shower and perhaps a toilet – do you really need all them? Removing the bath for a large, frameless shower can make a room appear significantly larger and gives the room an instantly-modern feel. Showers have come a long way in recent times and are available in a variety of modern and visually appealing options such as frameless (no frame around the shower at all and made of thicker glass than a framed shower), semi-frameless (metal around the structure but not the door), or completely open with no walls at all. Perhaps there is a spa bath in your existing bathroom taking up room? Although it might look impressive, if you find it fills up with dust more than it does water, it might be time to remove it to free up some space.
Maximising Bathroom Space #2: Expand your vanity
If you have the room for a larger vanity, go for it! A large vanity will give you more bench space and, although it may seem inviting to use that new bench space to store lots of items, keep in mind that a clutter-free bench with just a few strategically placed items will make the eyes run down the length of the bench and make the room feel airy and large. A large vanity also allows the possibility to include two sinks (a bonus if you often find yourself fighting over brushing your teeth in the mornings with another household member) and also more room for drawers and cupboards underneath. Tip: a floating vanity gives the illusion of a larger area however it does allow less storage space than those that are floor-mounted so consider your bathroom storage needs before choosing. A larger vanity also provides the capability for an extra-large mirror which will bounce light around the room.
Maximising Bathroom Space #3: Go inside the walls
Install niche shelving into the shower to store items such as shampoos and body wash to give the room a sleek and flush look. This will prevent the need for a shower caddy or having to place the items on the shower tray or on top of the frame, both adding bulk. Niches can also be utilised near the bath tub, toilet area (to the side or above) and even above the vanity. Niche shelving looks impressive and, to go one step further, consider installing some bathroom-safe lighting to really make them a feature of the room!
Other areas of the bathroom where you can reduce the appearance of bulky (but necessary) items is utilising wall mounted mixers on the vanity to provide more bench space or installing an in-wall toilet cistern. Like the niche shelving, these options not only give that extra little bit of space, they give a flushed and modern look to the room.
Maximising Bathroom Space #4: Light colour schemes
Make sure to choose a bright and light colour scheme when you want to give the illusion of a bigger room. Lighter shades are more reflective and will bounce light around the room as opposed to darker colours which will absorb the light and will make the room appear smaller. Keep the trims and walls in the same colour family and paint the trims a lighter colour than the walls which will make the walls appear farther back than they really are.
The same rule of selecting lighter colours also applies when selecting your décor such as the soap dispenser, toothbrush holder and towels. They do not have to be the same colour as your paints but keep in mind that darker colours do absorb the light.
Maximising Bathroom Space #5: Allow plenty of natural light
It goes without saying that privacy is a must in the bathroom but windows let natural light shine in and bounce of the walls and the bathroom mirror. To open up the room and really maximise the space, choose the biggest size window the space will allow. There are plenty of privacy glass options on the market or choose some blinds that you can draw shut while using the bathroom or during the night. Think about opening options that allow the natural sunlight and air in for the remainder of the day. If there is little room for a window, or if you want even more light, a skylight makes a fabulous addition to bathrooms, allowing the sun and moon light to come flooding into the room. Bathrooms can benefit from a vented skylight which will transfer air, removing moisture and adding fresh air to the room.
At Brindabella, our bathroom renovation process starts with an initial appointment to assess the space and talk about your requirements and lifestyle. This is where we will begin brainstorming with you on ways that we can maximise your bathroom space for your ultimate comfort.
Right now, we’re offering a special “Design Now, Renovate Later” concept where we can use today’s fantastic technology to go through the design process online so you can jump straight in and renovate when you are ready.
So if you feel that the space in your bathroom could be better utilised, why not call us for a chat to see how we can best maximise the space in your bathroom.
