A small area is the main problem for those who want to make the bathroom not only functional, but also stylish. It is not always possible to arrange even the most necessary things so that the bathroom does not seem cluttered and too cramped, and there is nothing to say about decorative accessories. Meanwhile, choosing a design for a small room is not as difficult as it seems, if you approach this issue correctly.
A bathroom is considered small if its area does not exceed 4 m2. In many urban apartments, only 2-3 m2 is allocated for a bathroom. And on this tiny area you need to place a bath, a washbasin, a toilet bowl, a washing machine and at least some shelves for storing accessories. In addition, everything should be put in such a way that there is a free passage and a little space in front of plumbing fixtures.
Planning must be carefully considered. First of all, you should draw a plan of the bathroom with the exact dimensions and indicate the communication outputs. Next, you need to determine what, in addition to plumbing, is the most important for you, and what you can do without. This applies to heated towel rails, furniture, bulky accessories. Each item must be schematically marked on the plan at the intended installation site.
There are certain placement rules, depending on the shape of the bathroom and the location of the door:
- square room, entrance from a corner or side - it is recommended to place a bathtub (shower cabin) opposite the entrance or diagonally from the doors. The washbasin is mounted on one side of the bath, the toilet on the other. If the entrance is located in the middle of the wall, the bath or cabin is installed on one side of the door, the sink and toilet on the other. Free space opposite the door visually expands the room;
- rectangular bathroom, entrance from the corner - a bath (shower) is installed along the opposite short wall or in the corner farthest from the entrance, the washbasin and toilet are placed against the long wall opposite the entrance. If the door is in the center of a long wall, the cabin or bath is installed along the side walls or in one of the corners adjacent to the wall with the door.
Choosing plumbing
Standard plumbing takes up a lot of space, and it’s not possible to conveniently arrange it in a small room. Whole lines of plumbing fixtures for small bathrooms are now being produced, combining compact dimensions with high functionality. Most of them have an angular design of a symmetrical or asymmetric shape, allowing the most efficient use of space.
shower cabin
When arranging small-sized rooms, it is worth giving preference to a shower cabin, unless, of course, none of the household members object. After all, despite all the functions that a cabin can have, it will never fully replace a bath.
For rooms with an area of 3-4 m2, full-sized shower cabins of various shapes are perfect, the main thing is to choose the right place for them. If the area is less than 3 m2, preference should be given to cabins of small sizes - from 70x70 to 90x90 cm. A popular option is to equip a shower enclosure, which requires even less space.
It is recommended to choose designs with a sliding or folding door, since a swing door requires more free space before entering. And to make the bathroom seem lighter and more spacious, it is recommended to install a shower cabin with a transparent glass body. Frameless glass models look very impressive, which are visually perceived as lighter and more compact.
Bath
If there is no desire to refuse a bath, you can easily pick up a small model. For a square room, a corner symmetrical bath with dimensions from 100x100 cm to 130x130 cm is perfect, for a narrow rectangular room - an asymmetric model with a width of 75-80 cm and a length of 110 to 150 cm. If the area is very small, there is a wide selection of sitting baths, like corner , and rectangular, which take up no more space than a compact shower.
For those who want to have both a bath and a shower, there is a combined option - a hydrobox. In terms of dimensions, it is much more compact than the cabin and bathtub standing next to each other, it is very convenient to use, and equipped with many useful functions. True, it is not suitable for the smallest bathrooms, and not everyone can afford the prices for hydroboxes. But there is an alternative option: install a shower enclosure on the sides of the bath. This will cost much less than buying a cabin, and will allow you to fully use both the shower and the bath in a limited area.
Sink and toilet
The sink itself does not take up much space, but its shape has a significant impact on the optimization of space. For example, suspended structures make it possible to rationally use the space under the bowl, while sinks with a pedestal exclude or partially limit this possibility. Vanity sinks are great for storing essentials and toiletries, but they look more bulky.
If you plan to put a washing machine in the bathroom, it is best to purchase a water lily sink, which is a bowl with a flat siphon. In this case, the washing machine is installed directly under the sink, and additional space is released in the room. For the smallest bathrooms, compact wall-mounted corner washbasins are the best solution.
Toilet bowls are also available in various modifications, among which corner products are the most compact. They are absolutely in no way inferior to standard models, but they allow you to use the usable area of the bathroom more efficiently. You can also install a hanging toilet: the dimensions of such models are standard, but due to the free space under the seat, they seem smaller and visually enlarge the bathroom.
Advice. When choosing suspended plumbing, consider the strength of the base to which it will be attached. Both the sink and the toilet weigh a lot, moreover, the load increases during use, so it is impossible to install on plasterboard partitions or walls made of light blocks without first strengthening the frame.
Small bathroom furniture
In cramped conditions, finding a place in the bathroom for furniture is difficult, so you need to limit yourself to only the most necessary. The most appropriate choice is a pencil case and a compact hanging shelf. A narrow cabinet can be placed in any free corner, close to doors or between plumbing fixtures. Due to its vertical arrangement, it takes up little space and has a good capacity.
As for the shelves, there are many more options. Suspended structures do not block the passage, do not interfere with the use of plumbing, so they can be mounted in any convenient place. But here it is important not to overdo it: the more shelves, the more cramped the bathroom seems, especially if the shelves are wide and located on both sides of the entrance. An excellent solution is a shelf above the doorway, as it allows you to conveniently place a lot of necessary little things, and at the same time it is not striking.
Tile selection
Wall and floor decoration for the interior is no less important than furnishings. Incorrectly selected tiles can visually reduce the bathroom, make it gloomy or dull, inexpressive, or too bright and defiant. Here you need to consider not only the color and texture, but also the size of the tile, as well as the way it is laid.
The color combination of the cladding should be restrained, with a predominance of light colors:
- warm range - sand, beige, pastel shades of coral and orange;
- cold gamma - all shades of blue, lilac, lemon, light turquoise;
- neutral colors - pearl gray, white, pale pink.
In a small bathroom, it is not necessary to make horizontal divisions with tiles of different colors, but this does not mean that the finish should be solid. To visually expand the room, you can lay out a colored border at the top and bottom of the walls, and vertical inserts will help increase the height of the ceiling. If you need to highlight certain areas, use a tile of a darker color than the main background. The combination of shades of the same gamut looks best, but it is undesirable to combine too contrasting colors.
Also, do not choose a tile with a large pattern. This also applies to geometric patterns, and various ornaments, and panels. The larger the image, the smaller the room itself appears. If you want to make the lining more decorative, you can add inserts from individual tiles with a small pattern or just a different shade. Mosaic inserts also look very impressive.
As for the size of the tiles, there are no strict requirements, although it is not recommended to use elements that are too large. The best choice is a rectangular tile 75x150 mm and a square 200x200 mm. The use of rectangular tiles allows you to visually expand the bathroom, and the combination of square and rectangular elements increases the decorative finish. But tiles of non-standard shape, for example, in the form of honeycombs, give the greatest effect.
Laying tiles in a small-sized bathroom is most often done in the classic way - seam to seam, the way is also popular, especially if the tile is rectangular. For rooms with low ceilings, the best option is diagonal laying.
Popular tile collections for small bathrooms
| Name, manufacturer | Short description |
|---|---|
| Universal type tile made of porcelain stoneware. The size of the elements is 180x210 mm, the thickness is 9.5 mm. The tile has a hexagonal shape, externally decorated in a patchwork style, the surface is matte. The color scheme is very discreet, in gray-brown tones, ideal for a high-tech bathroom. | |
| The collection includes floor and wall tiles, as well as 2 decorative borders. The tile is made of ceramics, available with a glossy and matte surface. The color scheme consists of cold and neutral light shades - blue, purple, white, gray, green. | |
| The collection includes floor and wall tiles, 3 types of borders and panels. Production material - ceramics, the surface is matte and glossy, the color scheme includes white, beige, burgundy and brown shades | |
| The collection includes wall tiles, a decorative border and a plinth. Elements of a rectangular shape, with a glossy surface, are made of ceramics. The color scheme includes white, beige and several shades of blue. | |
| The collection includes wall and floor tiles, decorative inserts, borders and panels. The shape of the elements is rectangular, the surface is glossy, the material of manufacture is ceramics. The color scheme consists of white, blue, light shades of green and blue. |
Ceiling and lighting
Having chosen the cladding option, it is worth paying attention to the decoration of the ceiling. Complex multi-level structures are inappropriate here, so something more restrained should be chosen. An excellent solution is a glossy stretch ceiling or a mirror suspended ceiling: thanks to the reflection, the room seems twice as large.
But options with photo printing should be chosen very deliberately, since an overly bright image will “press” and focus on itself.
If the interior is decorated simply, without any frills, the ceiling can be covered with plastic panels or painted.
Lighting in a small bathroom should be soft and even. This is best done with spotlights located on the ceiling. It is better not to use massive sconces, as well as bright lamps, otherwise it will not be very comfortable in the room, but dark corners should not be left either.
Choosing an interior style
There are many options for decorating a bathroom, but not all of them are suitable for small spaces. The interior of a small bathroom should be concise, not overloaded with decorative details, otherwise it will not look the best.
Hi-tech style
Characteristic features of this style:
- a minimum of decorative elements;
- monochrome colors;
- direct simple forms;
- maximum use of artificial materials.
When decorating a high-tech interior, it is recommended to use hanging plumbing and built-in furniture to increase the usable area. The presence of glass, plastic and metal surfaces, chrome plating is welcome. A transparent shower cabin and a glass sink will perfectly fit into such an interior. It is better to make the ceiling stretch, with built-in spotlights. In the decoration, preference should be given to a combination of white, black and gray colors, which can be diluted with splashes of green, blue or red.
Sea style
A nautical-style bathroom always looks very cozy and fresh. Manufacturers offer entire collections of nautical-themed tiles that completely transform a room. To complete the look, you can decorate a shelf or mirror with a few seashells or hang a life buoy on the wall. If it is not possible to change the lining, hang a curtain in blue or turquoise with a marine pattern on the bathtub. In combination with shells and other accessories, it will create a complete look and make your bathroom irresistible.
Freedom felt in space is the highlight of minimalist bathrooms
Suitable for a small bathroom and styles such as oriental, loft, country, retro, in the design of which the focus is on accessories. But the interiors in the Art Nouveau, Provence or classical style, on the contrary, require more space and light, so it is not advisable to use them in a limited area. But, whatever style you choose, remember that the main thing in the interior is convenience and functionality.
Provence style bathroom
Video - Interior of a small bathroom
When preparing for a renovation, most people look at photos of designer interiors to get interesting ideas and inspiration for new achievements. However, the problem is that most of the proposed design options are designed with large rooms in mind. But what if you have a small bathroom?
Fortunately, modern compact plumbing and furniture make it possible to equip a functional, comfortable, beautiful bathroom even on an area of 3 square meters. In this article, we will tell you what the layout of a small bathroom should be like so that everything you need fits in it.
Features of the interior in tight spaces
Unfortunately, most of the urban residents of Russia have small-sized bathrooms, in which, after installing all the necessary plumbing, furniture and appliances, there is very little space left. However, if you correctly organize the space, choose the right finish, the room will look bright, free, spacious. When designing very small bathrooms, the following features must be considered:
Important! It is quite difficult to develop an aesthetic, functional design if the bathroom is small. When every free centimeter of space counts, it is very easy to overdo it in an attempt to place all the necessary equipment and end up with a cluttered, cramped and uncomfortable room. Properly organized lighting, the right color finish and the shape of plumbing will allow you to avoid this unpleasant effect.
Equipment selection
The main equipment in the bathroom are plumbing fixtures necessary for sanitary and hygienic procedures. A small bathroom should be equipped with a minimum set of plumbing fixtures - a shower or a bathtub, a toilet bowl and a washbasin. If necessary, a washing machine and furniture for storing household chemicals can be placed in the bathroom. When renovating a small bathroom, you can use the following options:
Please note that the most ergonomic form of furniture or plumbing that allows you to more rationally use every centimeter of free space is the corner. Corner sinks, pencil cases, bathtubs and even toilets help to significantly unload the room and make it more comfortable to use.
Choice of color and finish
The design of a small bathroom is very demanding on the color scheme of the walls, floor and ceiling of the room. Not all colors have a beneficial effect on visual perception with a small area, so you need to carefully choose the shade, texture, pattern of finishing materials. Most often, when designing a small or dark bathroom on their own, homeowners make the following mistakes:
Note! the room is small in size, should be minimalistic and calm. A tile of pastel shades with a smooth surface will not only create a feeling of cleanliness and freshness in the bathroom, but also visually expand the space by reflecting light.
Organization of lighting
The interior of a small bathroom will sparkle with new colors if the lighting is properly organized in the room. Chrome-plated plumbing elements, glass, smooth ceramic tiles and mirror surfaces reflect light well, due to which the bathroom becomes visually more spacious, lighter and freer. For some reason, in most homes, the darkest room is the bathroom, although the design for a small bath should include several lighting scenarios:
Remember that all types of lighting that the design intent provides for should be as close as possible in hue, intensity and color temperature to natural light so that the eyes rest during hygiene procedures.
Video instruction
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