Contemporary bathrooms are almost always small, so don’t worry: you can still create an attractive, well organised bathroom in very little space. Designing small interiors is a major challenge, but nowadays we have a lot of tools at our disposal: high-performance materials, versatile furnishings, and tricks and strategies for changing our perception of spaces.

Bathroom tile ideas: covering very small interiors

We discussed how to tile a small bathroom here: our post offered 5 tips for the original design of a small space with the aid of originality and surface effects. You don’t necessarily have to opt for neutral walls and pale colours: strong contrasts and decors can also give a bathroom character and divert attention from its dimensions.

Focusing on original compositions of the many sizes and effects available can also be an excellent idea for beautifying a long, narrow bathroom with shower, by tiling various zones in different ways, to highlight every part of the bathroom.

Space-saving furnishings: small bathroom ideas

When it comes to furnishings, there are a variety of solutions for small cabinets, sanitary fixtures, showers and bathtubs. In fact, to make use of every centimetre of room, you can use a shallower cabinet, toilet or bidet, choose a shower enclosure door that does not occupy any space on the inside or outside, or include a mini bathtub, which still provides comfort and relaxation. If you are giving your bathroom a major makeover, one useful trick is to set alcoves or wall or tall units into the wall, so that the doors are flush with the wall and the field of vision is left clear. It is always best to call in an interior designer, who will offer you various small bathroom ideas.

Lighting a small (and maybe windowless) bathroom

Light is an important interior design feature. It completes every room, emphasising the design choices, modifying the perception of spaces, highlighting the surface textures of furniture and coverings, and adding decoration with visually striking light fittings. Even a small bathroom needs lighting in multiple points, not necessarily only on the ceiling and over the washbasin. Depending on the chosen interior design, lighting can be focused on walls themselves to emphasise 3D tiles, for example, or an unusual metallic or iridescent texture, to reveal all their distinctive character. Dimmer switches are another useful option, to modify the level of lighting depending on the time of day and what you are doing (dim lighting helps to create the right mood during a relaxing bath, for example).

A trick that always works: doubling space with mirrors

Yes, the bathroom mirror is not just a necessary, practical item: it can also be the key feature in changing our entire perception of a small room. You can also include an (intentionally) oversize one in a small bathroom to double its dimensions, or place it in an original position to reflect light and the wall covering decors.