Small Bathroom Ideas That Actually Make Room

Old New England houses are full of small bathrooms. A few smart choices make them feel calm instead of cramped.

Choose a compact tub, not no tub

A freestanding tub under 55 inches can fit where you'd assume only a shower would. Deep upright soakers give a full soak in a short footprint. Browse small bathtubs.

Right-size the vanity

A 24 to 30 inch vanity is often plenty. Wall space you don't fill with cabinet becomes floor you can see, which reads as space. See the vanity size guide.

Keep surfaces light and continuous

• Light counters and tile bounce daylight around the room.
• Running the same floor tile throughout, without breaks, makes the floor feel larger.
• A pale quartz vanity top keeps the eye moving. See Summit Stone™ quartz.

Show more floor

Freestanding tubs and vanities on legs let you see the floor underneath, which makes a room feel bigger than built-in pieces that run to the floor.

Layer the lighting

Pair an overhead fixture with light at the mirror. Shadows shrink a room; even light opens it up.

Store up, not out

Recessed niches, shelves above the toilet and a tall narrow cabinet hold a lot without eating floor space.