Small Bathroom, Big Impact: 5 Designer Secrets for Maximizing Space
When it comes to small bathrooms, most people think they have to choose between storage and style. But as an interior designer, I see a small footprint as an invitation to get creative. By utilizing "hidden" space and smart visual tricks, you can make even the most compact bathroom feel airy and organized.
When approaching a full-scale bathroom remodel, here are five strategies we use to make small bathrooms feel large.
1. Look Between the Studs
In a small bathroom, you have to find depth where you can. One of our favorite "hacks" is creating a recessed, built-in cabinet within the wall studs.
By carving into the wall rather than hanging a cabinet on the wall, you gain about 4 to 5 inches of depth—perfect for skincare, extra shampoo bottles, and daily essentials—without encroaching on your floor space. It’s a clean, architectural look that feels like it was always meant to be there.
2. Reimagining the Vanity: Drawers Over Doors
Standard bathroom vanities with two swinging doors often lead to a "black hole" of clutter under the sink. We almost always recommend vanities with deep drawers instead.
Drawers make every inch reachable. You no longer have to crawl on the floor to find what’s hiding in the back of a dark cabinet. We can even customize the top drawer with a "U-shape" cutout to wrap around the plumbing, giving you functional, organized storage in a spot that is usually wasted.
3. The "Hidden" Medicine Cabinet
We love medicine cabinets, but you don't have to limit them to the sink area. Try expanding the medicine cabinet above the toilet—a space that is usually under-looked.
In our Maple Grove Basement Remodel, we used this placement to maximize utility in a tight footprint. It’s the perfect spot for backup toiletries or guest supplies, keeping your main vanity clear and clutter-free.
4. Visual Tricks: Use Large Scale Tiles
A common mistake in small bathrooms is using tiny mosaic tiles on every surface. While mosaics are beautiful, the high volume of grout lines can make a small room feel busy and "closed in."
To make a bathroom feel expansive, go for large-format tiles. In our Maple Grove Basement Remodel, we used large-scale tile on both the floor and the shower walls to create a seamless, continuous look. Fewer grout lines mean fewer visual breaks, which tricks the eye into seeing a much larger surface area.
Pro Tip: If you want to add height, try laying rectangular tiles vertically to draw the eye upward toward the ceiling!
In this bathroom remodel, we used large-format tiles to eliminate the "grid" feel of traditional small tiles. By reducing the number of grout lines, the walls and floors appear as one continuous surface, instantly making this compact shower feel double its actual size.
5. The Niche is the Rich
In every bathroom remodel, we ditch the hanging shower caddy in lieu of recessed niches. We believe you can never have too much niche space! In our Maple Grove Triplex remodel, we designed a wall-to-wall niche that provides ample space for everyone’s products while maintaining the clean, horizontal lines that make a room feel wider. It turns a utility need into a high-end design feature.
Ready to Transform Your Small Space?
Designing a small bathroom is all about the details. From the depth of your drawers to the scale of your tile, every choice matters when you are gut-remodeling a compact space.
View our full Portfolio here to see more examples of how we’ve helped homeowners in Minneapolis and beyond find more space in the homes they love.