8 Clever and Creative Ways With Small Bathrooms

If you have a small bathroom off a hallway or a tiny half bath tucked under the stairs, don't be intimidated by the size — embrace it! Take the emphasis off the square footage and place it on your materials, color or layout to transform your space from ordinary to extraordinary. Using paint, tile, wallpaper and built-ins creatively can help turn your little bathroom into a jewel box.

Creative paint treatments. Use the simple and affordable power of paint to completely change your bathroom's look. Bold colors are great, but creative paint treatments also work well in little spaces. Paint is an easy update to fix, so don't be afraid to play around.

The horizontal stripes in this half bath make the room look wider. The painted ceiling pulls the eye away from noticing the small size.

How to paint a perfect stripe


An open shower. Europeans have known for years that eliminating the shower door can make a shower fit into the smallest of bathrooms. Extra waterproofing measures need to be taken — like tiling from floor to ceiling — but this design could be worth it if you have a small space like this one.


An unconventional layout. This bathroom has the space to handle a small tub, but the tub's position could have cramped the vanity. The designer took a creative approach, placing the vanity directly against the shower glass with a mirror up top to save space.


Great floor tile. Put your bathroom's focal point on the ground to draw the eye toward the back of the room. This narrow bathroom seems tight at first, but the floor tile makes you forget the square footage. Placing the same motif on the back window glass as on the floor made for a cohesive design.


Built-ins. Small bathrooms in older homes often have plenty of nooks, crannies and random walls that go unused. Make the most out of these surfaces; don't let anything become dead space. This homeowner took advantage of the interior wall next to the toilet to create additional storage and an immediate interior focal point.


A mural. The mural in this popular small bathroom fools the eye at first glance. Poster-style murals are available at many online retailers — imagine taking a trip to Maui or the desert every time you open the bathroom door. Take a cue from this bathroom: Line the mural up with a vantage point that implies that the bathroom goes on and on for a playful, realistic touch.

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Bold wall coverings. In extra-large scale, bold wall coverings make for small bathrooms that are delightfully shocking to the eye. Try adding the same wall covering to your ceiling for extra drama.

Expert Talk: Wallpaper Gains Steam in the Bathroom


Mirrors. Adding a mirror to a small space is the oldest trick in the book — because it works! This bathroom has a corner mirror that doubles everything in its view, including the lights on either side. This is a great technique if you have a bathroom without natural light.

More photos: Browse thousands of small bathroom designs

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