If your bathroom is small and you've always assumed you lack the space for stylish, coordinated bathroom furniture, it could be time to think again. Not only are there a number of products out there that are specifically designed for small spaces, you could find that regular sized bathroom cabinets steal less space than you might think - and for really tricky spaces, there's always bespoke bathroom furniture.
1. Get around your small space difficulties at the design stage
I don't mean 'get around' your difficulties by knocking through walls or extending your home. Often you'll find that thinking properly about an issue from the outset, rather than making assumptions or jumping to conclusions, will help you find a way to make your bathroom furniture layout work harder. This is the case in many rooms in the home, but nowhere is it more important than in the bathroom, a room that's just getting smaller and smaller in some modern homes.
Think about the products you'd love to include if you had the space - allow your imagination free rein and make a note of everything you like, in order of preference. Then do some research: you'll find that many items are available in smaller sizes or space saving shapes- tiny vanity units, slimline WC units, quadrant showers, and corner cabinets, for example.
Take detailed measurements of your bathroom and draw out a floor plan, marking fixed points such as windows and doorways. Ensure you make a note of the depth below your bathroom window (and similar measurements): some products will fit, height wise, while others may not. Measure and cut out scale drawings of your preferred sanitaryware and bathroom furniture and move them around to find the best layout possible. If you prefer a hi-tech approach, you'll find that applications to help you can be found on a number of websites (such as bathroom-design-guide.com).
2. Be flexible
If you're willing to be adaptable as regards style, you're more likely to find items that are a perfect fit for your bathroom. Everything in life involves compromise, and if you establish early on that you're willing to compromise on the exact finish you'd like, or on details of the design, then you're more likely not to need to compromise on space.
3. Shop around
There are many different ranges available from a huge number of manufacturers, so don't limit yourself to shopping in your local retail park - travel about, and look at pieces on the internet too. If your bathroom is particularly small, try shopping from specific 'cloakroom' ranges. Bathroom furniture designed for a small downstairs cloakroom includes tiny vanity units and petite cabinets that should leave you with plenty of room for a bath or reasonably spacious shower.
4. Go bespoke
If you can't find what you want, try going bespoke. There are a number of companies which offer a made-to-measure design service, and they will offer you the benefit of their experience in terms of style and layout, too. If you're clear on what you want and would like to save a little cash, you could engage the services of a local carpenter, who will construct whatever you design. You'll be hiring this person for their construction skills though - any errors in design will be directly attributable to you!
5. Employ some visual trickery
If you've found bathroom furniture that will fit in your space, but you're worried about the bathroom looking or feeling too small, try wall hung furniture. This design means that your floor space is kept clear - you can see a greater amount of floor space, which tricks you into thinking that the room is more spacious.
When it comes to decor, keep colours light and add reflective surfaces (reflective tile and mirrors) to enhance the light and space in the bathroom.
