Compact bathrooms: small bathroom designs

Having a small bathroom is one of the great challenges for interior design. However, there are ways to make it look much more spacious than it really is.

Choosing compact fittings, the right layout and good design are essential in fully meeting your needs and making the room visually attractive. isita. 

Layout in small bathrooms

Even if it is only a few square metres in size, a small bathroom can be stylish, practical and, above all, make efficient use of space. The first step is a good layout. As we explain in this article about bathroom layout, there are minimum measurements for creating a usable space, both for the fittings and for the spaces between them, and it is important to ensure we make the best use of each centimetre.

The article gives more details, but the minimum size for a small bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink, provided that a sliding door is used, will be 135 x 150 cm.

Choose the right compact fittings

As well as small fittings, a way of making the bathroom look bigger is to use wall-mounted and recessed items. The keys to choosing each of the items needed are outlined below.

Compact toilets

To save as much space as possible, the best option is to use solutions like built-in cisterns and wall-mounted toilets, which save space and are easier to clean. There are compact models that only protrude around 50 cm from the wall. In this article, we tell you how to choose a small toilet, and which are the best options available in our catalogue.

Acro Compact, which is 49 cm long, and Essence C Compact, only 51 cm deep, are two good choices for compact bathrooms. Both models are also equipped with Rimless technology, as well as an ecological 4.5/3-litre flush system for greater water savings.

Acro Compact

Washbasins for small bathrooms

Wall-mounted washbasins not only make cleaning the bathroom easier, but reduce the visual elements in the bathroom, in line with a minimalist approach to décor.

In order to make the best use of space, shelves or a bathroom unit can be fitted under a wall-mounted washbasin, providing useful storage space for our personal effects, so that the rest of the bathroom is clear and uncluttered.

Wall-mounted washbasins like the Architect model, available from 42 cm wide and in black, Tone, which also includes corner models, from 40 cm, and the Forma 40 cm table-top washbasin are among the compact designs that you will find in our catalogue.

Small bathroom furniture

We recommend the use of large-capacity but compact furniture, or multi-purpose items such as cabinets with concealed storage behind a mirror.

Wall-hung units are a very advantageous option if we have deep units and table-top washbasins that do not reduce their capacity. We can thus use all the storage space available and, by leaving a free space under the unit, we can make the room look bigger.

Smart cabinets are a smart option. These wall-mounted bathroom cabinets perform two functions at once, as they comprise a mirror with a concealed storage space. The Nature collection incorporates a concealed cabinet at the side of the mirror, which increases the storage capacity of the unit, its clean lines contributing to a sense of spaciousness.

Nature

Recessed taps

In a compact bathroom it is essential to create a unified setting and reduce fittings and other items to the minimum. Recessed washbasin taps will leave more space free around the washbasin; built-in toilet cisterns help to create a sensation of space; for exquisite elegance choose a floor-level shower tray; while recessed sprinklers and taps in showers can provide uniquely relaxing experiences and eliminate visual noise in the bathroom.

When designing a smaller bathroom, opting for an electric heated towel rail will maximise user comfort. They take up less space in a room with limited dimensions (making them incredibly practical) and simple, flat designs give you all the functionality of a towel rail and radiator at the same time.

There are a number of options available: as well as water-fed and mixed heated towel rails, Noken also offers electric heated towel rails. These are simple to fix to the wall and connect to your mains electricity without having to do any major works.

Tips for renovating smaller bathrooms

When you're renovating a smaller bathroom it should be functional - without sacrificing aesthetics. Having said that, there are certain standard measurements you need to take into account when working on your layout to make it 100% practical:

• Your washbasin should be at a height of at least 85 to 95 cm above floor level.
• You should leave a minimum of 30 cm free on each side of the toilet to make sure there's space to move around if it's near a wall.
• Mirrors should be at around 1.60 metres high on average, but for a tailor-made installation you should think about the height of users and the mirror itself.
• If you're installing a bidet, make sure it's at least 20 cm from the toilet.
• Always leave at least 70 cm around the bath or shower.

Ideas for optimising space in the bathroom

By following a series of guidelines for bathroom decoration, you can have a compact bathroom that looks larger and more welcoming.

• Lighting a small bathroom

Light is particularly important in a compact bathroom and if you know how to play with it you can create the maximum visual space. Having a lot of natural light is important, and the source of the light should be at the far end of the room. This will increase the depth of the field and give a sensation of spaciousness.

• Light colours: a must for designing smaller bathrooms

  More light, more space. When you're designing a small bathroom you need to make it as bright as possible and get as much natural light into it as you can. If you can't, use light colours to make the most of artificial light.

  You'll create a sense of relaxation and calm as well as visual lightness. Adding wood accents to white will give you a warm feel - it's a winning combination.

• Play with mirrors

The space can be made to look larger by the skilful use of mirrors in the bathroom. The reflection, coupled with the presence of natural light, will create a sensational and practical optical effect.

• Combine materials

Combining tiling with special wallpaper for wet areas, in different finishes, will give the room a distinctive aesthetic touch.

• Create comfortable areas
• Take advantage of every corner to create storage space

In this episode of nkStudio, which you will find on our Instagram IGTV channel, Mónica Diago tells us how to design small bathrooms. Learn bathroom design from the experts with our nkStudio project!