14 Brilliant Tips To Make Your Small Bathroom Look Bigger!

Looking to revamp your tiny bathroom and hopefully make it less claustrophobic? While you probably can’t increase your square footage, there are a few tricks to make a small bathroom look bigger. I’m sharing all of them with you today!

While small-space living can be challenging, it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. The trick is to get strategic and creative with your designs and decor. We’re here to helo you do just that! So when you’re done here check out some of our other small space decor guides:

With that out of the way, here are a few tips, tricks, and hacks to make a small bathroom look bigger!

14 Small Bathroom Ideas To Make The Most Of Your Space!

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Try a Transparent Shower Door or Shower Curtain.

If you want to make a small bathroom look bigger one trick is to remove as many visual barriers as possible. A transparent shower door or curtain or transparent shower doors will make your small bathroom feel open and airy instead of cramped and cluttered. There is no visual obstruction like blocks of pattern, or heavy fabric to break up the space. This simple adjustment will instantly make the room look and feel bigger than it really is.

small bathroom with glass shower doors and plants

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Let There Be (Natural) Light! – Even If You Have To Fake It…

Maximize natural light from your windows or doorway to make your bathroom feel open and bright. Use light-colored and lightweight curtains, and don’t block windows with furniture.

If you don’t have windows in your bathroom, (sadly many of us apartment dwellers do not) you’ll have to supplement with artificial lighting. There is a lot of artificial lighting on the market that mimics natural light. Like Full Spectrum Lighting (Amazon) or a Daylight LED Ceiling Light. Combine these with accent lighting to brighten up your bathroom.

Use Ceiling-to-Floor Curtains To Create Height

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To make a small bathroom look bigger create some optical illusion with this curtain hack. If you have low ceilings in your bathroom, hanging long curtains close to the ceiling will do wonders! This trick will draw the eye upwards creating the illusion of height in the room, making it look bigger. Try Doing this will also make your windows appear larger. Long, ceiling-to-floor curtains are a real game-changer for small bathrooms!

Place Accent Lighting Strategically

Small bathrooms often come with that dreary overhead lighting in the center of the room. This single light source often creates dark, shadowy corners in your bathroom, making the space look smaller. Brighten up your bathroom with accent lighting such as recessed lights, wall sconces, pendant lights, or even track lighting! Illuminate those dark corners in your bathroom to make the space look bigger.

ExBrite 3/4-light Bathroom Gold Vanity Lights Modern Wall Sconce Lighting with Clear Glass Shade

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If you’re not sure where to start, consider adding a single recessed fixture above your vanity mirror or two scones on either side. An additional source of light right around eye level will make your vanity area more functional (no more shadows on your face!) and it will also brighten up the rest of the room.

Choose a Floating Vanity

A floating bathroom vanity will make your small bathroom feel more open and spacious. Plus you get extra storage space underneath. Floating furniture is known to add a distinct high-end, modern look to interiors. They come in many different styles and materials and is sure to upgrade your tiny bathroom decor.

Paint The Ceiling White

If you really want to make a small bathroom look bigger do it with paint. If you’re adding color to your bathroom walls try painting your ceiling a crisp white to create some height. The contrast is just beautiful and it gives the illusion of a higher ceiling. This hack can also be used to brighten up small bathrooms without windows.

Choose High Impact Decor Elements

The goal here is to present a focal point that is far more interesting to look at than the tiny room itself. Add eye-catching, compelling accents to distract from the size of the room.

This can be bold wallpaper, a large piece of artwork, a gallery wall, a large decorative mirror, a bold accent wall, luxury light fixtures (a small chandelier maybe), and other interesting decor accents. If you want to create the illusion of more space these wallpaper designs will make your small space look bigger!

Choose Glass or Acrylic Shelving

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Like the shower doors, adding a glass shelf or two occupies less visual real estate making the space feel more open. Mount a few glass shelves to store your beauty products, toiletries, or decorative accessories. If glass shelves are not your thing, acrylic shelves will still do the trick.

Go Vertical With Storage

Another way to make a small bathroom look bigger is to maximize floor space. This means using your walls for storage. There are so many clever ways to squeeze more storage into your small bathroom. You can Install a set of wall shelves and use it to keep your towels and toiletries organized. You can also add hooks to the walls for easy access to your towel and robes. Another space-saving idea is a wall-mounted hairdryer holder which will free up valuable cabinet space. For more ideas on using vertical space, see these Clever Vertical Storage Ideas For Small Spaces!

Add floating shelves above or beside the sink for storage without taking up valuable countertop or floor space. If you don’t already have them, install glass shelves inside your shower for your shampoo bottles. Throw storage on the walls whenever and wherever you can.

Choose Space-Saving Storage Solutions

In order to minimize clutter in your small bathroom, you have to be strategic with storage. Swap out bulky, space-hogging storage solutions for those that optimize your space. There are so many ways to add storage to a small bathroom without taking up too much space. Space-saving bathroom solutions will work harder for you in the long run. For organizing your makeup I found 10 compact makeup organizers that won’t hog counter space.

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Here are a few to consider:

Instead of towel bars, mount two or three wall hooks instead.
Use a Compact Makeup Organizer to maximize space on your bathroom counters.
An Over-The-Door Storage Organizer is a nifty way to pack more storage into a small bathroom!
Wall-mounted baskets can house towels and extra toilet paper in the absence of a bathroom cabinet.
Decorative storage boxes with lids are the perfect hidden storage for makeup, toiletries, and beauty products. They’ll enhance your bathroom decor too!
A narrow countertop storage rack on top of your vanity will provide more storage without taking up too much counter space.

Light Paint Colors Work Well, But Don’t Be Afraid To Go Bold!

The simplest way to make a small bathroom look bigger is to paint walls in a light color. Light-colored paint will brighten up the room, making it feel open and spacious. Try painting your walls and ceiling with the same color, or a shade lighter. White is the safest choice and will probably have the most impact in terms of brightening up the room.

While this is a good strategy it should be noted that bold and even darker shades work well in small bathrooms too. Dark paint colors create a moody, luxurious look that seems to be trending in powder rooms across the country. So you’re really not limited to light colors here. Let your own personal style be your guide.

Cut The Clutter

If you want to make a small bathroom look bigger you have to get rid of excess clutter. Don’t skip this step! It’s very easy for bathrooms to become cluttered with everyday items such as towels, toiletries, makeup, etc. If you want to make a small bathroom look bigger removing clutter is the first and most important task. A good rule of thumb is if you don’t use it every day, put it away!

Clear your vanity/countertop and keep only the essential products within arm’s reach (I’m talking toothbrush, toothpaste, hand soap, face cleanser, and maybe a small plant or candle for decor and you’re done!). For the rest of your stuff, use baskets, decorative boxes, drawers, and cabinets to store them out of sight.

Be smart and strategic with storage and you’ll see your small bathroom transform!

Go Big With Mirrors

A good-sized mirror will reflect and amplify natural light, brighten up the space, and make the room your small bathroom look bigger. Choose a mirror that’s as wide as your vanity for a more symmetrical look. Alternatively, a decorative mirror can create a beautiful focal point in the space. For a more seamless look, try an oversized frameless mirror.

Add Some Plants of Flowers to Freshen Up The Space.

Plants won’t make a small bathroom look bigger but it will make it more beautiful. Plants are a great way to add some life and color to your bathroom. They are the go-to decor piece for bathrooms and for good reason too. Who doesn’t want to be surrounded by beautiful, lush greenery while relaxing in the bath after a long day?

Choosing the best plants for bathrooms depends on the amount of sunlight in your bathroom.

Best plants for bathrooms with low light:

The Snake Plant
Mother-In-Law’s Tongue (also known as Sansevieria)
The ZZ Plant (also known as Zamioculcas zamiif)

For bathrooms with lots of sunlight – You can choose from a wide range of lush, green houseplants like the beautiful Pothos (trailing plant), Philodendron, Dracaenas, Chinese evergreens or peace lilies. These plants will thrive in the wet, humid conditions found in bathrooms and require little maintenance on your part other than regular watering and pruning to keep them looking their best.

There you have it! 14 design ideas to make a small bathroom look bigger. Implementing even a few of these tips will transform your small space in no time. Try them and see what works best for you.

Over the years I’ve read a lot of interior design and decorating tips for small-space living. I’ve learned that there are 3 basic things that can visually expand any space: mirrors (obviously), lighting, and optical illusion (creating height and depth). Get those three right and you’ll be well on your way to creating a beautiful and functional space.

I personally love the tip about hanging curtains closer to the ceiling. I will be trying that one for sure! Hope you found some inspiration. Happy Decorating!

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