Small bathroom remodel ideas that actually work
A small bathroom is a puzzle: every inch has a job. These are the moves that make the biggest difference in a hall bath or powder room, ranked by how often we’d recommend them.
1. Float the vanity
A wall-mounted vanity shows more floor, and more visible floor reads as more space. Pick one with drawers, which hold more usable stuff than a cabinet with one shelf.
2. Go big on tile, not busy
Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines and a calmer look. Running the same tile from floor up the shower wall blurs the edges of the room. Save the bold pattern for one spot, like a shower niche or the floor of a powder room.
3. Swap the tub for a glass-enclosed shower
If it’s not the only tub in the house, a shower with a clear glass panel instead of a curtain makes the room feel twice as deep. See tub-to-shower conversions.
4. Recess everything you can
A recessed medicine cabinet, a shower niche instead of a caddy, a toilet paper holder set into the wall. Each one returns a few inches of elbow room.
5. Fix the lighting
One ceiling fixture casts shadows and makes a small room feel like a closet. Add light at the mirror and a recessed light in the shower.
6. Rethink the door
A door that swings into a tiny bathroom eats the room. A pocket door or an outswing door can free up the space you need for a bigger vanity or easier toilet access.
7. Pick a compact toilet
Round-front or compact elongated toilets save a few inches of knee room. Wall-hung toilets save more, but need a deeper wall for the tank, so they’re best in full remodels.
8. Keep the palette light, then add one bit of character
Light walls and tile bounce light around. Then add a little personality with hardware, a mirror shape or a wallpapered powder room ceiling.
What a small bathroom remodel costs
Small bathrooms cost less in total, but more per square foot, because you still pay for the same trades and fixtures in less space. Our bathroom remodel cost guide has ranges by size, and the project builder prices a half bath or hall bath in a few clicks.
Keep reading
Bathroom Remodeling
Refreshes, partial remodels and full guts for hall baths, primary suites and powder rooms.
Read more →Choosing tile that's easy to clean
Materials, sizes, grout and colors that make cleaning day shorter.
Read more →Bathroom remodel cost
Planning ranges by size and scope, with sources, and what moves the number.
Read more →Small bathroom, big plans?
We'll measure every inch and send a written price.