Small Bathroom Remodeling

Bradley Rim:

Small bathrooms are the de-facto standard in Manhattan apartments. I have had the pleasure of renovating many such rooms in my career and the one thing to always pay attention to at the outset are "the dreaded towel bars".

Small bathrooms have very little vertical real estate which can accommodate standard 18-36" bars. Always consider and plan for them at the outset of your design renovation so that you can properly gauge their clearances in relation to doors, electrical boxes and other hardware which could swing/bang into them (how about another towel bar on the shower door for instance!).

Generally an empty towel bar protrudes about 4" from the wall -- thus adding a towel onto the bar will usually adds another 2-3 inches of protrusion. Thus, carefully plan your space so that clearances for your bars are adequate. Also, your contractor will need your towel bar sizes and locations in advance so that proper blocking support can be built before they close up the walls for finishing.

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Andrew Fredman Architect LLC

Nicole Yee:

For small bathrooms to be functional they need sufficient storage. Recessing cabinets into the wall is one way that doesn't impact the footprint. Taking advantage of vertical space is often a viable solution as well. A tall cabinet that spans floor to ceiling will provide generous storage without taking up too much real estate. A train rack shelf hung above the toilet or at the back of a shower for towel storage is both good looking and practical.

As for fixtures, wall hung sinks and toilets make great choices for small bathrooms. They're also sleek looking and easy to clean. Pedestal sinks work well too. One problem to avoid, however, is putting in a sink that doesn't have counter space. It's important to have a place for, soap, a glass, toothbrush, etc.

My name is Nicole Yee and I am the owner of NY Interiors, a residential interior design firm serving both the San Francisco Bay Area as well as the New England Seacoast.

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Nicole Yee/NY Interiors

Annie Kiladjian:

Tile, Tile, Tile!!! When you place tile on the walls as well as the floors it gives you a sense of uniformity which translates eternity! You cannot tell where one wall starts and another wall starts, therefore giving you an illusion of grandeur. This typically works well in powder rooms where space may be of concern.

As for layout, when building a shower in a small space, use the same tile on the wall as you would in the shower. Again giving the illusion that the bathroom goes on and on.

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Annie Kiladjian / Annie K Designs LLC