Creating More Bathroom Space
For more good reading, check out our complete articles index.
Abundant natural light and a unified color palette make this small bath seem more spacious.
If it looks at though the builder who constructed your home did everything in his power to make the bathroom as small and featureless as possible, that's probably exactly what happened.
When your house was built, a grand bathroom was probably not a big selling point. Buyers wanted spacious living areas and large bedrooms, breezy porches. The bathroom was one of those functional areas like the laundry room and furnace room that got tucked in wherever it would fit in the smallest size that would accommodate the functions it needed to perform. If the builder had provided a grand bath, buyers would have wondered why he was wasting all that perfectly good space.
Now that the bathroom concept has changed into a spacious room for relaxation and repose, its hard to find the roominess you need in the standard functional 5" by 9" bathroom. But, if you want more features in your bathroom than the standard sink/tub/toilet, then more room is going to be required from somewhere.
You have three options: Actually find more space from outside the existing bath that can be added to make the room physically larger; reconfigure the items in the bath to release space, or trick the eye into thinking the existing space is larger and airier than it actually is.
Stealing Space from Other Rooms
Annexing an entire room to enlarge a bath can produce dramatic results, but not everyone can grab that much real estate from an existing floor plan. If you can't confiscate an adjacent room to create your ideal bath, consider a less ambitious acquisition. Does a closet adjoin the bath? Perhaps utility space harbors idle square footage next to its lone water heater. Even small gains can transform an ordinary bath into a more inviting and functional space.
Look in the Closet
OK, no one actually has enough closet space. But if it comes down to sacrificing a little closet space for a spacious new bath, can't you do without those kayak paddles from your senior class rowing trip? Snatching an adjacent closet (or one already in the room) to enlarge an existing bath is a time-honored space-getting trick. Even part of a closet might do. A guest room with a large closet probably does not need all that much space. Leave some of it for the kids when they visit, and donate the rest to the bathroom.
A large closet can even be converted into a small powder room. We have seen perfectly functional 1/2 baths in a 3' x 5' space. Small, yes, but it works.
Converting the Spare Bedroom
How many times a year do you use your guest bedroom? Three, four times? The rest of the time it accumulates clutter and serves merely as a place for you to perfect your dusting skills. Who needs that spare bedroom more — an occasional guest or your busy household? Commandeer the whole bedroom for a spacious bath, or steal part of it to expand a nearby bath. You can considerably reduce the size of all but the smallest guest rooms by replacing the bed with a futon or hide-away bed, or even by bolting a Murphy bed to the wall. Stealing just two feet along a 10-foot common wall would increase the size of a small bathroom by 50%. Definitely worth doing.
Don't Spare the Stair
If there is space under your staircase, you can put it to work as a powder room. Or, turn it into storage and convert another closet elsewhere in the house.
Bump-Out a Wall
If there's nowhere to go but out, a bump-out or cantilevered wall projection can provide extra square feet for a tub or shower without the need for a full addition. You can gain as much as 2 feet of additional space. Not all houses suit this option - for one thing all the floor joists must run the right way, but if it works, it's a relatively inexpensive way of gaining space for the bathroom.
Add On Some Space
Often by far the most expensive option, sometimes an addition is the only one. We can build an addition for you, and design the bathroom into it, all at the same time. An addition does not have to compromise the bathroom to fit the available space. We build the space to suit the bathroom. The only restrictions are lot size and set-back requirements, and, of course, your budget.
For an experienced designer's thoughtful insights on bathroom design, take a look at David Edrington's
Ten Important Elements of a Good Bathroom. For the views of Better Homes and Garden magazine experts on the elements of a good bathroom design, see Planning Your Dream Bath.
For even more good reading, check out our complete articles index.