A small bathroom can offer many design ideas. There are certain things you can work with that are already done. Lighting is essential in small spaces and you want to have natural lighting in the bathroom or a way to lighten the space to make it appear larger. Bathrooms that are small and dark can feel like a box.

The first tip in designing ideas for a small bathroom should be to examine the lighting. Is there a window? What kind of light functions are installed? Does the available light shed enough light in the room? Windows can be covered with peel-and-stick plastic sheet that looks like stained glass, crushed glass, or opaque glass that will offer privacy but will let in natural light and can be found at any home improvement store. .

A center light for the bathroom is normally standard, so there are no shadows in the corners and lighting over the vanity and bathroom mirrors can be done using lighting strips or by installing lights over the mirrors. If you have children in the home, a night light can be used to complement your bathroom design, such as a palm tree, a lighthouse, a fish, and just about any other shape you can think of. If you want more natural light, you can install a small skylight that can be inserted through the ceiling and is actually small enough to be used in closets and areas for a washer and dryer set found in the hall closet.

The second tip would be to examine the walls. Are they light or dark? Can they be painted? Light colors reflect light and can make a small space appear larger. Dark colors absorb light and can make even a large space appear smaller. Poured plaster, drywall, and even paneling can be painted. Adding a border to the top of the walls that meet the ceiling can add color, direct the eye, and add charm to any bathroom.

The third tip is to add storage space. Play around with some ideas, like adding a shelf that will fit over the toilet. Install a small closet that has only 12 “deep wire shelves attached to the wall and enclosed with a folding screen with one end attached to the wall and the other with a hook and eye.