Small bathrooms, big ideas
Top tips for redesigning cloakrooms
Whilst most large homes already incorporate a downstairs toilet with ease, smaller properties have been a little trickier and cabinets lacked design acumen. The latest generation of designer vanity cabinets is perfectly scaled for small spaces, perfect for the redesign of an old-fashioned cloakroom. Never let lack of floor space compromise your style, it simply doesn’t need to.
Remember in smaller cloakrooms, cabinets and washbasins are going to be up close and personal. So invest in brands designed to stand up to scrutiny. Cheap flat back cabinets won’t stand up to wear, tear and water. Stop thinking cheap and think affordable. Because a good investment is about wise choices, not wasting finances.
Finding space for a downstairs loo
For those of us currently without a separate downstairs loo, all is not lost. There are plenty of beautiful and petite cloakrooms installed in the under-utilized cupboard beneath the stairs or cleverly concealed in surprising spaces.
Ensuring squeaky clean hands will no longer be associated with guests simply needing to use the loo. So, if space is really short, ditch the loo and install a bijoux vanity cabinet. Taking a fraction of the space and saving plumbing cost, it’ a great way to prioritise.
Obviously, friends and family can still nip upstairs if needed, but they’ll have clean hands before they touch the bannister. Don’t be surprised when vanity cabinets with concealed washbasins, or even washbasins installed in hallways, become part of future interior design.
Brighten your cloakroom with a mirror
Beautiful mirrors have been part of hallway designs for many years. So adding a stylish wall hung bathroom cabinet beneath an LED mirror needn’t look out of place. The growing trend for freestanding washstands and vanity cabinets with ingenious LED integrated cabinet lighting could make it easy to incorporate handwashing facilities into hallway or cloakroom.
Back to wall bathroom furniture
Keeping surfaces low maintenance and easy to clean will become increasingly more important. For an easy solution or a quick transformation, it’s pretty hard to beat the ingenuity of the back to wall cabinets for anyone keen to hide those pesky pipes.
6 top tips for designing small cloakrooms
- Bathroom design creates a space where function and aesthetics merge effortlessly, and cloakrooms and downstairs loos need particular consideration. With less storage space available, they can easily look cluttered and the less clutter, the less cleaning.
- Small cloakroom and bathrooms naturally have less floor space. Visually, the clearer the floor, the larger the room appears. Hang cabinets and sanitary wear from walls to create a little extra visual space.
- Petite, off-the-shelf cabinets frequently lack design acumen. So look out for bathroom manufacturers that design furniture specifically for bijoux spaces. Even the tiniest cloakroom can accommodate perfectly scaled contemporary pieces without the need for deep packets and expanding wallets.
- Mirrors instantly increase visual space but go large with caution. If you overdo it, a compact bathroom will appear more cluttered. And this is why you shouldn’t put mirrors on opposing walls. Opt for contemporary mirrored cabinets with integrated lighting to reduce visual clutter that all too often makes a room appear smaller.
- Consider neutral wall colours and cabinet finishes if you want your bathroom to give the appearance of being just a little larger than reality. Things to think about – high gloss lacquers play with the light throughout the day and are a breeze to keep sparkling clean. Glass fronts add chic style and the latest beautiful wood finishes are all low maintenance.
- The most important thing is to never overlook the importance of high-quality finishes and innovative lighting solutions. In a small space, you are closer to everything, so compromising on quality is always a mistake. Soft-close fittings are a pleasure to use and no more than a nudge of the hand is sufficient to close.
Find out more about Pelipal and Leonardo – our German bathroom furniture brands.
