7 Ideas To Make Your Small Bathroom Look Bigger

Living with a small bathroom can feel overwhelming, especially if your whole family is relegated to sharing one tiny space. But with a few intentional design choices, you can make your bathroom appear larger — and, when truly well done, some of these choices can even help your space function like a bigger bathroom.

The general advice, no matter the size, is to create a bathroom that feels streamlined and calm, whatever that means for you and your family. That's why it's common to draw bathroom design inspiration from neutral spa spaces planned with inner well-being in mind. But while that sounds great in theory, it's harder to know how to implement it in practice, especially if your bathroom is small and kid clutter abounds.

Even so, prioritizing this space is a worthy endeavor because the benefits of a well-designed bathroom go beyond aesthetics. Well-organized bath spaces can make the room feel less cramped and can help lower anxiety as you indulge in self-care, all while boosting your mood in the process. These are just a few reasons why it's a great idea to aim to make your bathroom feel like an oasis of calm in an otherwise hectic home — and yes, this is even true if the space itself is small. Here are a few ways to make your bathroom look and feel bigger so morning and evening routines don't feel daunting.

All-white bathrooms were the general preference for years, but anyone with kids knows that all-white anything is hard to pull off. Fortunately, this style is slipping out of fashion, so warm things up with a new neutral palette. Aim for light and bright so the space still feels open, but warmer shades like beige and blush will make the room feel both large and calm. 

Using mirrors to trick the eye into feeling like a space is larger is a common design tip, but it's one that works especially well in the bathroom. Bigger is often better when it comes to the vanity mirror in a small bathroom, especially if you want to bring more light into the space. Large mirrors can also broaden the functionality of your vanity space, which is helpful if you're sharing the sink area while prepping each day.

While your mirror should be large, you can opt for a slimmer vanity style in smaller bathrooms. This allows you to have more floor space, which can be a helpful visual effect. Maximizing your bathroom's floor area is also useful if multiple family members are moving in and out of the room, or if your little one is still of an age where you need to stick around during bath time.

The biggest way to keep a tiny bathroom feeling small is to let general clutter overwhelm the space. This can be especially tricky to manage with all the bath time accessories of small children, but corral what you can to keep countertops and open shelving clutter-free. It's also a good idea to come up with helpful systems that work for your family — even if it means dedicating a closet elsewhere to caddies full of products and supplies you might normally keep in a larger bathroom. 

Neutral doesn't have to mean boring, especially in a shared family space. While it's best to keep your tones streamlined and simple, you can still play with pattern in a small bathroom — and in fact, this can be a great way to pull focus and distract the eye. Opt for anything that can elongate the room either vertically or horizontally, such as a striped shower curtain or herringbone floor tiles. 

Great lighting is important in any space, small or large, but it's an absolute must in a tiny bathroom. Combine overhead lighting, wall sconces, and recessed lighting to create a well-lit and inviting room, and don't forget night lights to ensure your bathroom is safe and bright enough for everyone to use at any time of day.

This tip comes from experience. My family and I recently renovated a 17th-century cottage in the English countryside where we have one tiny little bathroom and a comically small washroom for four people. In both spaces, we did our best to emphasize character features and pull focus from the tiny floorprint. We opted for things like statement wallpaper, an antique salvaged sink, beautiful tile, and fixtures — anything to distract from the fact you need to duck your head under the historic beam just to wash your hands.