Making the Most of Your Limited Lavatory Space

A wise man once said: “size matters not” The same applies to your bathroom space. Day by day, many are disheartened by the dimensions of their lavatories, counting themselves out of the race, sticking with the standard-issue their bathroom comes with. It’s easy to feel like your bathroom is too small to be customised, too measly to matter, too tiny to be fashionable. Durovin Bathrooms are here to tell you that, yes, you can overcome this hurdle. You can carve out a personalised space and luxurious look for your bathroom, regardless of its size.

There is, without a doubt, an overcrowding epidemic happening in the UK. Many have felt they cannot create a sleek bathroom experience with their liminal space. But it can and will happen. With the right know-how, purchases and tactics, you can eliminate clutter and unveil a new character for your bathroom. Navigating the bathroom space should never have to be an issue. With this trusted guide on the right basins, shower enclosures, toilets, and others to accentuate liminal space in your lavatory, by the end of it you’ll hardly believe what you can accomplish with such a small bathroom space.

What Is The Best Type Of Basin For A Tightened Toilet?

Before you can break into your bathroom, you’ll need to invest in a bathroom basin beforehand. Living in a small row house as most in the UK do, you will often find the layout of your lavatory will be vertical as opposed to horizontal, which you'll find with bathrooms that have more space to play with. Because of this, the bathroom basin becomes the focal point of the lavatory space, being the first to draw eyes when stepping through the toilet threshold. With this in mind, you’ll surely want your first impression to be your best impression, and a high-quality chic sink with a glossy sleek finish is the most efficient way to accomplish this.

The only problem is the aforementioned tight space of the bathroom. In a luxury condo, you could get away with a bathroom with a wide berth, but many of Britain's lavatories are more akin to a corridor than a 5-star hotel. Worry not because the solution is staring you in the face. There is a way to have both practicality and prestige with your bathroom furniture. Thanks to the ingenuity of the next two bathroom sinks; you can adorn your teeny tiny toilet with the chic mystique of an aristocrat:

Small Cloakroom Basins: Hack in Your Dream Bathroom

The king of compact sinks, the small cloakroom sink is considered to be the pinnacle of micromanaging your bathroom space. Large and small bathrooms alike will be able to find room for this subtly sublime narrow sink, thanks to its thin porcelain designed to perfectly coalesce with every element of the bathroom.

Small hand wash basins are the epitome of low-key craftsmanship, and their design emphasises minimalism to maximise bathroom space. Its purpose is poised to guarantee accommodation for every type of lavatory, often not straying beyond a typical size range of 440 x 220mm. A size you can almost hold in the palm of your hand. Taking up as little storage as possible, the small cloakroom basin retains its sheen thanks to quality ceramic and stone material. So, with a touch of tact, the entire family can squeeze in and share the lavatory and still leave loads of room to stretch around in even compact toilets. Small cloakroom sinks are a superb way to secure a feeling of extra space and faith in strong material for their bathroom. This is the ideal choice for anyone looking to unbuckle that belt that usually accompanies smaller toilets and really stretch their toes out.

Pedestal Basins Placing Bathroom Standards on a Plinth

But while the narrow sink remains the premium choice basin adding space to your loo, its rival remains an unsung but effective alternative for those looking for a low profile. Take a break from brevity with the addition of a pedestal basin. Some experts speculate that scaling and placement of your furniture play just as vital a role in cutting down excess as any other element. At Durovin Bathrooms, we couldn’t agree more. Your typical design columnist might ostensibly suggest that freestanding pedestal basins have no place in tiny bathrooms. But these stone resin sinks have some hidden perks that can be utilised by the thrifty consumer.

Say goodbye to bulky vanity units and hello to thin but striking designs. Whilst not as conservative as the small cloakroom basin, the freestanding sink is still a great choice for smaller bathrooms, but also for consumers who want to land an impression with their guests. Tucking the ugly pipework underneath the body, models like the Colossum 33 are a great form of modern expression that eat up a lot less space in comparison to the bulkier vanity units. A considerable downside, however, is that the body may need some vertical space, so make sure you know what you’re doing. Both conservation and convincing, freestanding pedestal basins are a great way to engorge your lavatory look with style.

What Is The Best Type Of Toilet?

Probably the primary reason you will be visiting the lavatory often. Picture the scene; you’re busting for a pee; you’re rushing to the bathroom. You swing open the door and find yourself having to squeeze through a congested and cluttered lavatory space. It’s like navigating your own personal maze. By the time you finally make it to the toilet pan, it’s too late - you couldn’t hold it. It’s a nightmare that none of us want to live through, so choosing a loo that takes up as little space as possible should be placed at the top of your priority list.

When people picture toilets, they conjure up images of your traditional Victorian-era toilet, with that gluttonous back end and excessive rim jutting out. Maybe this has a place in 180 square feet bathrooms, but not yours. In combination with a small sink, these next two toilets are more than capable of making your bathroom seem larger than life and still able to produce that royal flush.

A Warm Welcome with Wall Hung Toilets

You can never save space if you stick with the close-coupled alternative. Having a floating toilet is a fantastic way to eliminate unwanted clutter. The beauty of the floating toilet is not just aesthetic; its contemporary design emits a welcoming aura whilst bringing your bathroom into the 21st century. The rimless architecture is easy to install and, as a comfort height toilet, of course, comes with an adjustable posture pertaining to the ground. The most advantageous aspect of the floating toilet is its profile; its short objection means none of it is protruding out and it will be taking up as little space as possible. Paired up with a small cloakroom basin and soon you’ll find more than enough room to go around in your bathroom.

Floating toilets also come with the added benefit of having the underneath of the toilet to be clean with a simple wipe. All in all, a wall-hung toilet is a great way to cop an effective toilet whilst cutting your space usage in half. With the floating toilet, you seldom be able to feel how small the dimensions of your bathroom really are, and you’ll find yourself having double the range of motion than you would with a classic toilet.

Never Feel Boxed in with Back to Wall Toilets

This ain’t an obstacle course, it’s your bathroom. The last thing you want when you’re making your daily morning rush around the bathroom is to trip over the furniture on the way there. That’s where the back-to-wall toilet comes in. In truth, there isn’t too much that separates this specimen from the previously covered wall-hung toilet, but the square back-to-wall toilet pan is still an opportune option for buyers determined to enhance their lavatory flow.

Packed with a promise to boost your bathroom persona, back-to-wall toilets are a great way to create a sleek vibe in your lavatory. They also naturally slot into place, making them perfect for being tucked away into corners. Back-to-wall toilets are perhaps a more pristine option for one who’s not just looking for cutting down the excess, but also stacking up the panache with their bathroom. There remains, however, a burning concern regarding toilets that need to be addressed, which is…

"What is the proper height for a toilet?"

Pound for pound, asking around for the standard height of how high your toilet should hang off the ground will always yield the same answer: 15 inches (38cm). Whatever type of toilet you decide to get, make sure your choice is entirely suitable. Amateur manufacturers may make recommendations based on assumptions such as if your loo will see frequent use by children, shorter folks, or the elderly. Fitting into any of these categories can get you lumped in with a ‘toilet climbers' group resulting in potential pestering with unnecessary advice on comfort heights and natural squat positions.

The truth is, your relaxation takes priority when it comes to a toilet. So, whether you want a wall-hung toilet an inch or two higher than usual, or a back-to-wall toilet five inches closer to the ground - always ensure the rim feels natural to your squat. Weigh every pro and con against each other; do you want dangling feet off the seat? Can you handle more pressure on your joints? What will save you the most space? Never be afraid to consult a professional to find out what is the best toilet height for you.

What is the best kind of shower?

Picking a pint-size shower is a great way to retain your bathroom pride and still enjoy the space to breathe. Your average shower tray won’t stray from the standard size of 900 x 900mm, but there are many ways you can squeeze even more use with even less space when it comes to what is for many the focal point of every lavatory. Here are two featured showers that show great initiative in the race to make closet bathrooms feel as long as football fields:

Shining with Class: Curved and Quadrant Shower Cubicles

The most primo choice when accounting for a compact lavatory is obviously going to be the quadrant or curved shower enclosure. This specimen literally cuts corners with its dynamic shape and can fit perfectly into place like a jigsaw into the nooks and crannies of your toilet. The ergonomic emphasis of the quadrant shower cubicle is designed to cut down every inch of unnecessary space in your bathroom.

Thanks to precision engineering, experts have deduced a way to ensure that curved and quadrant shower cubicles will utilise the least amount of space whilst retaining their functionality. Because of this, the shape of the quadrant shower is perfect for smaller bathrooms trying to make a big impression. You can neatly tuck your shower away, and have plenty of space to dry off after your shower time is over.

Walk in Showers to Add in that Wow Factor

With a dash of good ventilation, underfloor heating, and a glazed shower screen with tempered glass to contain the spray of water, a wet room walk in shower can become a viable option for those seeking to make their tiny toilet appear giant. The Nano coating and stabilising rail ensure that you don’t have to feel exposed when showering. Walk In showers are a great alternative to traditional bathroom structures when you’re got less space to work with.

Designed to help make getting in and out of the shower a seamless transition, wet rooms throw out the entire concept of an enclosure, cutting down the unnecessary space being taken up by it. Remember that the wet room will be exposed in close proximity to the rest of the small space, so consult an expert on the absolute best way to reduce water spray. Toss in a quadrant shower tray as well, and you can really see a difference in the amount of walking space a walk in shower enclosure creates for your lavatory.

How To Decorate A Small Bathroom

Yes, we’re telling you, you can have both! It’s not a two-party system, the solution is sitting there right in front of your eyes, you just have to know what to do. Whilst we’ve glossed over the major players in the race to make the most of small spaces in your bathroom, remember that it’s also the minor players that help out the team.

How To Make A Small Bathroom Look Bigger

Alone these elements may not appear to offer that much in terms of difference. Together, however, they can keep a consistent theme as well as the illusion your small bathroom goes on for miles and miles.

• Textures - Double down on your dimensions by keeping the material of your bathroom floor, walls, ceilings, and counters consistent. Matching tiles for your walls and ceilings are a great way to eliminate the illusion of clutter, so even 15 square feet can lose that constricting feeling.
• Colouring - The verdict is in: monochromatic colouring is a sure-fire way to conjure a mood of impeccable expanse. Be it pure white or matte black, having your bathroom colour-coordinated can create a seamlessly smooth appearance and experience. Youcan also use bright colours every so often to help increase the feeling of brightness and lightness, which helps a space feel bigger.
• Let there be light - There’s a reason filmmakers spend so much on professional lighting; they know how much brilliance can change the atmosphere. Apply the same mindset to your lavatory. Think about dim or bright lights, where they’re being placed. Which spots to highlight, which to tuck away. A good eye for lighting can help accentuate the impression you are trying to create with your bathroom space.
• Storage - Try to remember this is a bathroom, not a storage cupboard.  You don’t have to dump everything; every aspect of your bathroom has the potential to be ergonomically transformed. Wall cabinets, floating shelves, mirrors, bins, tile placements, and other decorations finding strategic placements in your lavatory is a perfect way to shave off unnecessary clutter, as well as add some character to your bath time.
• Mirrors - By using mirrors you can artificially extend how much depth a user can see, which gives the perception that the room is much bigger than it is. By installing multiple mirrors, you can amplify this effect.
• Hybrid Fixtures - By incorporating hybrid fixtures, like a toilet with an integrated sink, a basin with integrated shelf or a shower enclosure with integrated towel rail, you can immediately save space while maximising utility, which helps your bathroom look bigger as it has lots of easily accessible fixtures.

These are just some of our suggestions for small but effective ways to artificially enhance your small bathroom width. Remember, it’s your bathroom, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Get creative! Find your voice and what works for you.

Where To Hang Wet Towels In Small Bathroom

 If you don't have much room, then it can be quite concerning trying ti figure out where to put your wet towels. If you dump them on the floor, then they'll block your access and if you but them too close to other items you risk making everything permanently a bit damp. So, the question of where to hang wet towels in a small bathroom rages on; but don't worry. We know exactly where to hang your wet towels. Durovin Bathrooms provides cloakroom basins with integrated towel holders. Our cloakroom basin with towel holder is compact  and has a way to hold your towel safely and in a way that allows it to easily dry away from any other fixtures. When you're operating in a small bathroom, you need to consolodate fixtures into hybrid fixtures when possible, as to save as much space as possible.

How Much Does A Small Bathroom Cost?

 A small bathroom is very affordable if you play it smart. To keep a small bathroom affordable, you should focus on the bare essentials. Durovin offers a £128.74 wall hung toilet, £57.23 basin with towel holder, £252 quadrant shower enclosure, £90.94 quadrant shower tray, which adds up to a total of £528.91 for everything you need for a fully functional bathroom. This is very affordable and considering you get the multifunctional sink with integrated towel rail, a modern and quiet wall hung toilet, as well as a beautiful, curved quadrant shower; this is a steal.

In Conclusion

Now you have been made aware of your options, Durovin Bathrooms hopes you can walk away with a renewed sense of confidence in your little bathroom. There are many alternatives to your traditional bathroom decorum you can select that can make big strides to give you a smaller bathroom a greater sense of scale. Thanks to the ingenuity of the industry, the bathroom experience is no longer a one-party system. These days there are almost an infinite amount of options and combinations to mould your lavatory - the clay is yours to command.

You can not only make a smaller loo feel large but feel like it’s truly your own. This isn’t just about compromise though, thinking small-scale can prove to be a long-term investment. Treating your bathroom space with frugality will result in a more dynamic character in the future, and bring you one step closer to having your bathroom feel like a personal spa. Whatever you decide, know that your options are not limited, and there are many experts out there more than happy to lend a hand if you feel bewildered about breaking in some breathing room to your lavatory.