Cheap Bathroom Ideas for a Closet Bathroom

Even a tiny bathroom can be made stylish.

However old your house is, you may have a tiny bathroom -- it might even be the size of a closet. Perhaps it looks like a closet too, dark and cramped. That's not the way it has to be, though. You can redo that tiny bathroom and give it some charm. Small bathrooms can be just as visually appealing and functional as large bathrooms.

Monochromatic Colors

Go with just one or two colors in this small space -- the lighter the better. Consider cream, yellow or another natural tone. You could also use the color of the adjacent hallway to make the space feel larger. Paint the vanity the same color to make the room look more spacious and less cluttered.

Shelving

Storage is a challenge in a closet-size bathroom because of limited floor and wall space. If your remodel calls for gutting the room, installed recessed shelves, along with an above-sink medicine cabinet, between the studs. If necessary, make extra space in your hall linen closet to store supplies that ordinarily would go in a bathroom. You could install shelves just below the ceiling for baskets holding towels and other supplies, but you won't be able to reach the items easily if you're not tall.

Vanity and Door

Converting your swinging door to a pocket door can free up space in a closet-size bathroom. It may give you the few extra inches you need to replace a pedestal sink with a small vanity where you can store supplies. Consider a 12-inch vessel vanity or a thin vanity with protruding sink. Make sure you measure your space before you go to the home-improvement store, because every inch counts in a space as small as this.

Light and Mirrors

Consider the judicious use of mirrors to open up the space. If the bathroom has a window, place a mirror across from the window to maximize light. Don't overdo it, though, because scale is very important in a tiny room. Maximize light, though. Put in sconces next to the mirror, as well as recessed lighting. Replace the glass in the window with frosted glass or install louvered shutters to keep the feeling of the room uncluttered.

Styling

Believe it or not, bathrooms that are no bigger than a closet can have their own charm. Feel free in inject your personality and even some humor. Frame cartoons from the "New Yorker" magazine, and hang them on the wall. Or frame photos you've taken of the ocean or a lake or waterfalls and hang them on the wall. Keep them small and in the same type of frames. Give your visitors something to smile at, and they're likely to tell you that you've worked wonders in your tiny bathroom.

References

• Apartment Therapy: 7 Ideas for a Tiny Bathroom; Sara Coffey; 2009
• "This Old House": Big Help for Small Bathrooms; Ilene Meyers Miller