Defining Surfaces, Storage And Organization For A Small Bathroom Remodel
Adequate storage, organization and compatible surfaces are critical in small bathroom design because they can either make the room look spacious and comfortable or small and cluttered. Decisions about surfaces and storage will also have a significant impact on the cost of remodeling your small bathroom.
Storage is very important in any bathroom. Planning carefully for storage in a small bathroom is especially important. Not only do you need places to put things, you also need to think about avoiding clutter and providing secure places for potentially dangerous items and substances. Whether you decide to install a vanity (many people prefer a style that has cabinets on one side and drawers on the other side) or not, you will probably need to provide other storage with a medicine cabinet, closet or with shelves.
The less you have extending into the room – shelves, medicine cabinets, etc., the more spacious the room will seem. You can provide storage without protrusions by building or installing recessed storage areas, such as medicine cabinets, shelving, nooks, etc. Using either mirrors or glass on doors over these areas will reflect light and make the room seem larger.
Most homeowners tend to think of one, standard sized medicine cabinet in a bathroom. Sometimes it is helpful in designing a small bathroom remodel to think in terms of either a larger medicine cabinet with a mirrored door that covers most of the wall over the sink, or of adding more medicine cabinet-type storage areas. The mirrors will reflect other parts of the room and light, making the room look much larger. For example, placing a mirrored storage area near the tub or shower is the perfect place to store bath items – soaps, washcloths, towels, lotions, and more.
Shelves for storage are a great idea in a small bathroom, particularly if they are glass shelves. Because they reflect light they give less sense of clutter in the room. The best option, however, is to build recessed shelves if at all possible. These can be framed or left unframed. The shelves can have doors in front to keep items clean. The best material for the doors is glass, frosted glass or a mirror. Mixing storage and decorative items can create a very appealing appearance.
Organization of your storage areas is also important. Not only will you want to be able to find things quickly, but organizing storage space reduces the amount of storage needed. You can find drawer dividers and other organizational items in any home improvement or home decorating store. Using either adjustable shelves or shelving of different heights will also make the storage areas more useful.
Surfaces (ceilings, walls, floors) are also especially important in remodeling a small bathroom. The things to keep in mind when making these choices are generally matters of accessibility, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and maintaining a feeling of spaciousness. Here are a few things to consider:
1. Tile can be used on floors, walls and surrounds. It is often chosen because it is relatively easy to install, very easy to clean and durable.
2. Radiant heat must be installed before floor covering in installed.
3. Installing sound board around the bathroom can be a very nice addition for privacy.
4. You will need to use cement backer board around tubs and showers and either green board or blue board on the rest of the walls and the ceiling. These materials absorb less moisture than standard drywall and are less susceptible to mold and mildew.
5. If you plan to use wallpaper, never use fabric because it absorbs too much moisture. Vinyl wallpaper is more resistant of moisture and easier to clean.
6. Whether you are wallpapering or painting walls, vertical stripes or borders at the top of the wall will draw the eye upward and make the room seem larger.
7. Use no more than two colors to keep the room more peaceful and appearing larger.
8. Using either semi-gloss or gloss enamel paint in bathrooms is a good idea because it is less likely to be affected by moisture and it stands up better to steam and frequent cleaning.
A little bit of intentionality and creativity when planning the surfaces, storage and organization of your small bathroom will produce a room that is peaceful, functional and comfortable. With thought and a little effort you can make a small bathroom look and feel much larger than it is.
Copyright 2010 by Dan Fritschen
Questions and Answers
Article Tags:
small bathroom remodel
,small bath storage
,small bathroom surfaces
,design small bathroom remodel
,remodeling bathrooms
,design small bath
,bathroom storage
,bathroom organization
,bathroom walls
,bathroom ceilings
,bathroom floors
,small bathroom decor
In the past 10 years the modern bathroom industry has become one of the most dynamic industries in the home and garden niche. Other than the home automation circuit some of biggest advances have been in the bathroom remodeling industry.
Consumers are always looking for ways of saving money on standard household repairs. This being the case, if you are planning to hire a plumber, you will be glad to know that there are a number of things you can do to get quality plumbing services at affordable rates.
Keeping shower in the bathrooms is an excellent and healthy idea. But keeping only shower without attractive shower curtains is of no use. Once the plan arrived to place Shower then along with that order for shower curtains also and organize together.
An average house has several rooms. Each of these rooms is usually meant for certain functions. Some of the common rooms in most houses are the sitting rooms, bedrooms, dining area and the bathrooms
Hence the bathroom vanities ate the items in the bathroom, or in other terms we can say that bathroom vanity is the place where you put anything you need to use when you are in bathroom: tooth brush, toothpaste, towels, toilet paper, bottle of perfumes and also the cleaning solutions, but a bathroom vanity is also the best furniture piece for a good looking bathroom.
Among the challenges presented by small bathrooms when you remodel is the need to conserve space and choose fixtures and colors that make the room feel larger. The bathroom sink is one of the fixtures that needs special attention. This brief overview summarizes everything you need to know to find the perfect sink when you remodel a small bathroom.
If you think it is impossible to have a spa shower in a small bathroom, prepare to be very pleasantly surprised. In fact there are several ways to get the shower you want with all the features you want, even in a very small space. Whether adding a bathroom or remodeling, you can have a spa shower in your small bathroom.
Whether remodeling or building an addition, small bathrooms present special challenges. Even choosing a toilet has become a complex process with a staggering number of decisions to be made. Here is a complete guide to the options and challenges.
There are many bathtub choices today for remodelers. How do you know which tub is right for remodeling or adding a small bathroom where size is so critical? Learn the most important things about choosing a bathtub from internationally respected remodeling expert in this brief summary.
Discuss this Article
