Still
have
that
2nd half
bathroom
that
you
use
everyday and
hate
because
it
looks
like a prop
from the
set
of The
Brady Bunch?
We have them, we have seen them. Most
people
do
not know
what
to do
with them partly
due
to size.
Like everything else
in life,
if
you
want
to be inspired,
you
need
a vision and
small
half
bathrooms
do
not give much
to wonder
about.
Most
half
bathrooms
you
will find
are the
size
of a small
coat
closet.
We treat them like one.
The
basic
anatomy
of a small
half
bathroom:
toilet,
small
sink,
vanity
mirror/medicine cabinet
and
lighting.
It is basic,
cut and dry. So why do we have a hard time working with
this? Well,
it
is not about the
room
itself, but
about the
actual fixtures
themselves and
how
you
pair them all
together.
When
working
with a small
bathroom,
size
does
matter.
Believe
it
or
not, you
have
room
to play
within a small
room,
and
the
trick
is to go small.
Using
the
above
illustration
as an example
we
can go
step
by step.
- Sink - replace the dated vanity and sink combo with a crisp and clean white pedestal sink. For starters, it takes up less room, and it immediately gives the illusion of open space. The average cost is higher in comparison to traditional sinks. Elegance has a price. A vanity tends to eat space and always becomes a hidden storage unit. Want the proof? Open yours and take an inventory of everything in there. Then ask yourself....When was the last time you used half of what you stored?
- Faucet - go small, there are many styles to choose from.
- Walls - small bathroom walls should not have a busy print or even stripes. If you are looking for a cleaner open look, choose light, paint colors. Not sure on color? Go to any top brand paint site like Benjamin Moore and check out their color chart. Darker colors make rooms smaller. If you want large in a small space...go light and bright. The color white works miracles.
- Toilet - consider replacing your old toilet with a compact elongated model. These toilets are not only space savers, but newer models are fabricated to save water.
- Vanity mirror/medicine cabinet - bulky medicine cabinets devour space on your walls. If you truly can do without, a wall to wall mirror can immediately give an illusion of a larger space.
- Lighting - wall sconces, like the one in this illustration come in many styles. Consider a clear glass enclosure rather a frosted one and be mindful of the hardware. Brushed nickel looks stunning, be concise with the theme and keep all the same. A copper or bronze wall sconce will clash with a brushed nickel faucet. Also consider a dimmer so that you can regulate the amount of light in a natural light challenged room.
- Over the Toilet Cabinet/Storage - if you can part with this, just remove it for starters and see the immediate space you will have before doing anything in your bathroom. You can get the same results with decorative shelving. Rule of thumb, corner shelves take less room when you have limited wall space. Less is best on walls. If you can store your personals elsewhere, consider it.
