The challenge then is to create a feeling of space in a room which you couldn’t swing a cat in. And ideally create some space too. Below are some ideas for beating the aesthetic and functional challenges presented by the small bathroom.

1. Use the space behind the walls and floor. By sinking/recessing fittings into the walls, ceiling and floor of a bathroom, you can create space in the bathroom. The following can be recessed:

- Lighting; 4” or 3” recessed ceiling lighting with halogen bulbs can provide a natural feeling light in rooms which are often dark and dingy, without taking up space. Recessed wall lighting can also look good but is difficult to find. Three or four, 50 Watt recessed cans coupled with PAR20, 50W halogen lightbulbs create a bright and natural feeling light in a bathroom, and a dimmer enables them to be subdued e.g. when taking a relaxing bath at night.

- Heating; underfloor heating is a safe and a very effective way to create a comfortable environment, especially in colder climates, without eating up valuable space. Electric floor heating (using mats) is relatively inexpensive to install, especially if it is done when floor tiles are being installed. (Hydronic underfloor heating is even better if you already have hot water radiators nearby). Suntouch do a line of electric floor underheating, available at Home Depot. A timer and thermostat enables the heat to be optimized around ‘bathing’ times without a significant impact on the electricity bill. Simple or more advanced timers are available depending on the degree of programmability you want
If heating is an issue, another instant heat source which doesn’t take up any room space is an overhead fan heater which is usually combined with the exhaust fan. Panasonic do a line of efficient heater/fans which mount overhead. These are quiet and can add extra warmth as required.

- Storeage. Some of the medicine cabinets can be recessed into the walls so that they look like a mirror on the wall. Nutone do a line of these, 24” wide by 30” high.

2. Maximise the amount of floor which is visible. Select a toilet and sink which have a small (or no!) footprint so that the floor can be seen.

- Sink. Box shaped vanities which start at the floor reduce the visible area of the floor considerably, so a good way to overcome this is to suspend them off the floor or to use pedestal or console sinks which you can see under. Here are links to a sinks/vanities which you can see under, one way or another:
Starck 1 sink and vanity unit
Duravit Vero sinks/vanities
Barclay Milano console sink

- Toilet. It is possible to install wall hung toilets which have cisterns in the wall. All you see is a button on the wall and the toilet pan. These are not overly expensive to purchase but the installation costs are higher, expecially if the existing roughing is in the floor (which it normally is). A less expensive solution is to purchase toilets with a small footprint or even better with a small cubic volume. One piece toilets tend to look more discreet. Duravit do a number of wall hung toilets and the Toto Carlyle is a compact one piece toilet (which works well too!)

3. Optimize the showering area. The typical bathroom has a shower over a bathtub. This is a compromise between a walk-in shower and a soaker tub but it is usually preferable to one or the other as it provides options to do both (and bathe the kids, wash the dog and so on). Cast iron bathtubs such as the Kohler Villager provide a stable base (but are very heavy so not so popular with the plumber installing them) and have attractive and durable surface finish. The addition of a nook for soap, shampoo etc. is another way to use the void behind the wall and nooks can be made to look very attractive with the right trim pieces and a good tiler. Finally, removal of the sliding doors or curtains in favor of a single glass shower panel removes the visual clutter they create and creates a feeling of space.