12 Design Tips To Make A Small Bathroom Better

If you have a super small bathroom, trying to make everything fit in the available space is like doing a giant crossword puzzle.

Among the challenges: configuring the toilet and sink to code, allowing enough clearance for a shower and, of course, where to put the towels and t.p. Despite the challenges, in most cases it’s still better to squeeze in an extra bathroom where one is desperately needed, even if it must be small. If you plan on going this route, here are 12 tips for designing that picture-perfect small bathroom.

1. Install a corner sink. Sometimes even a pedestal sink can disrupt the only available traffic lane in a bathroom.

In this case placing a corner sink across from the toilet works better than a sink across from the shower. The opening and closing of the shower door usually creates an awkward walk-around condition.

2. Use a shower curtain. A shower curtain that moves back and forth saves space over a glass door that moves in and out. Shower-tub combos actually can fit into small spaces, with some tubs coming in at 60 inches in length.

3. Float the vanity. Besides just visually helping the bathroom appear bigger, mounting a vanity above the floor frees up a little space for small items.

4. Round the vanity. Tight spaces can make sharp corners hip hazards. If the corners of a vanity would get in the way, opt for a rounded style. Yes, a round vanity can work in a square space. No more bruised hips!

5. Extend the counter over the toilet. This banjo-style arrangement can be done with stone or a wood slab. The extended counter creates just enough space for a few needed items. Toilet placement is not affected, and the look is minimalist and clean.

6. Use a large-scale pattern. A large-scale pattern, like this wide stripe, can trick the eye into seeing expanded space. The square footage might stay the same, but the bathroom will feel bigger.

7. Skip the shower door. If your bathroom is about 5 feet wide, that’s just enough space to squeeze in a toilet and a 30- by 60-inch tub. With tight conditions such as these, consider a glass panel instead of a glass shower door. It will keep most of the water in the shower and will free up needed elbow room.

8. Expand the mirror. In the tightest spaces, having a mirror stretch across the wall instead of just the vanity can enable two people to use it at once. In less-than-ideal space conditions, every inch helps.

9. Mount the towel bar on a door. When space is at a minimum, mounting a towel bar on the shower door keeps towels handy. You might need to store the bulk of your towels in a nearby linen closet, but having that one towel close by to dry off with is essential.

10. Install a trough sink. The narrow, clean styling of a trough sink is a good-looking space solution. Trough sinks have a low profile. When wall mounted, they free up floor space as well for storage or foot traffic.

11. Select a vanity with one shelf. Pedestal design has gotten smarter. Even a pedestal style with one shelf can hold towels or a basket for toilet paper.

12. Use a wall-mounted faucet. Mounting a faucet on the wall allows for a narrower sink or vanity, which in turn frees up square footage in the total bathroom. Don’t be afraid to try a wall-mounted faucet in traditional design. It works anywhere!

Find Beautiful Sinks for Your Bathrooms

Find Beautiful Sinks for Your Bathrooms

 

If you are remodeling your bathroom or building a new house, you will find that your lavatory sink options are far more plentiful than they once were. Gone are they days when a simple white, round sink was your only choice. Pedestal sinks, wall-hung sinks and vanity-mounted sinks all offer a host of colors, sizes, styles and shapes. If you are remodeling, a new sink can be a budget-conscious way to completely alter a bathroom's appearance.

Consider how frequently the bathroom is used, what kind of look you are going for and keep the following questions in mind as you shop to find the perfect fit:

• What style of sink best suits your bathroom?
• What color will fit best with your décor?
• How big does the sink need to be?
• Do you need storage room underneath?
• What materials are available, and what are the advantages of each? 

 

Design Considerations, Styles and Materials

The frequency with which you use your bathroom will help dictate which type of sink will fit best. Seldom used guest bathrooms, for example, probably won't require as much storage or counter space, so a stylish pedestal sink could be a perfect fit. If you are working with a large master bathroom, you may want to consider installing multiple sinks to make it easier for two people to get ready for work simultaneously in the morning.

Choose a material that will wear well, look good and fit within your budget, and select a style that is both easy to clean and attractive.

Color, Shape and Size

Choosing a color for your new sink will depend on the surrounding decor, whether you wish the sink to blend in or stand out and your personal preferences. Available shapes include round, oval, rectangle and asymmetrical designs. Some sinks are specially designed to fit into corners while others work better out in the open. If you need storage room, install a vanity-mounted sink. If you are installing the sink in a smaller bathroom and want to conserve floor space, choose a pedestal or wall-hung sink.

• Colors range from muted earth tones to bold, bright blues and greens
• Deeper sinks minimize the chances of water splashing back out
• Choose the largest sink you have room for to maximize available space
• 34-inches is a typical installation height 

Pedestal, Vessel and Wall-Hung Sinks

In smaller bathrooms, powder rooms or guest bathrooms, pedestal, vessel and wall-hung sinks can provide style without taking up a lot of floor space. Because they do not provide storage room, however, they may not work well in large or frequently used bathrooms. Be sure that the faucet spout is long enough to reach the bowl and bear in mind that freestanding sinks don't usually have an overflow hole and must be fitted with a grid drain. Vessel sinks, also called countertop sinks, sit directly on a counter and make a bold design statement. Faucets are often wall-mounted above a vessel sink.

• Wall-hung sinks are economical and easy to install
• Wall-hung sinks can easily accommodate wheelchairs
• Pedestal sinks offer a range of styles from Victorian to contemporary
• Pedestal sinks may require a larger up-front investment
• Choose a toilet to complement a pedestal sink's stylized leg
• Make sure a countertop sink doesn't sit up too high 

Vanity-Mounted Sinks

If you need storage space for toilet paper, cleaning products and more, a vanity-mounted sink is the perfect choice. They do require more floor space, so you may want to install them in larger bathrooms. There are a number of styles available, which makes it easy to choose one that best suits your bathroom. Self-rimming sinks are dropped into a hole in the countertop and are easy to install, though the rim joint can be difficult to keep clean. Integral sinks are molded from the same material as the counter, usually a solid-surface material. They are stylish and easy to install and clean, though you may need to replace the entire unit if either the sink or counter gets damaged. Integral sinks are often oval or round, but they may be rectangular or even trough-shaped.

• Self-rimming sinks sit just above counter level and can be matched to the faucet
• Self-rimming sinks may be more difficult to install and keep clean
• Under-mounted sinks have a low profile and emphasize the look of the countertop
• Countertops must be completely waterproof if you install an under-mounted sink
• Flush-mounted sinks are used with tile counters and have square edges equal in
  thickness to the tiles, allowing them to sit flush with the countertop

Features

Shroud

If you choose to install a wall-mount sink and don't like how the pipes look, use a shroud to cover them and provide a stylish look.

Painted Motifs

Hand-painted designs may add some cost, but they provide a unique, exquisite look. Designs may range from simple and classical to modern and intricate. You can even find animals and cartoon characters for sinks being installed into children's bathrooms.

Etching

Glass sinks with etched bottoms are less likely to show water spots.

Console Sinks

Console sinks are a sort of hybrid mixture of a pedestal sink and a vanity. They feature a large basin and two-to-four table-like legs. Some models include storage space below for added utility.

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What are the 10 most popular pressure washer uses?

What are the 10 most popular pressure washer uses?

A few of these don’t seem to fit into how I see my neighbours and friends using their pressure washers. Chimney sweep services? But of course the reason for this is that is commercial and I am interested in residential. So I went and asked around in forums and compiled the below list of what seems to be the top 10 pressure washer uses:

10. Grills

Many people use their pressure washer to clean their grills fast. Be sure to detach the propane and any electrical.

9. Outdoor Furniture

It seems that people either never cleaned their outdoor furniture or they cleaned their outdoor furniture regularly with a pressure cleaner. And why not? It’s super quick and easy.

8. Various Gear Like Lawn Mowers, Mountain Bikes, Trailers and Boats

This is a bit of a random section that includes boats, lawn mowers, bikes and other random things around the house including dog houses and go karts. A lot of people mentioned they cleaned their other power equipment with a pressure washer on.

7. Cars and Trucks

It was surprising that cars and trucks weren’t the consensus #1. Many people said they often did clean their car with a pressure washer but it still needed a good solid sponge or brush to get it fully clean. Some people swore-by using pressure washer and attachment brush. 

6. Fencing

Basically everyone has a fence so it made since that it was quite a popular surface to clean with a pressure washer. 

5. Home Exteriors Like Vinyl or Brick (And Also Window Cleaning)

It’s always surprising to see how much better a house looks when it’s clean.House siding and brick houses were a popular mention for pressure washer usage. 

4. Wood Decks

Just look at how dirty that wood deck got – it would have been so slippery. 

3. Front Entrance Stairs and Walkways

Realtors know the importance of curb appeal when trying to sell a house and there is almost nothing as important as a clean front entrance. As you can see in the pic this brick front steps look 10x better clean. 

2. Concrete or Tile Patios 

People tend to entertain in the summer on their concrete or brick back or front patios. It’s where the BBQ grill is and it’s where you can hang out and enjoy the nice weather. It’s because of this reason that I think many people used their pressure washer to regularly clean their concrete/tile patios. 

1. Driveways and Garage Floors 

I think if I kept asking more people patio or front steps may have taken over first spot. But seriously almost 100% of people I talked to mentioned driveway as one of the pressure washer uses and main reasons they bought a pressure washer.