If you’ve got a small bathroom, you may be struggling with cramped space. It may seem like it is too small to be really usable, and you may wonder what you can do to make it more functional and feel less closed in.

Quick Tips to Improve a Tiny Bathroom

Here are some small bathroom ideas you can do quickly and easily to open up small bathrooms.

An obvious first step is to organize and reduce the clutter that can make the small space feel overwhelming. You won’t feel so much like you are in very tight quarters if the amount of stuff is minimalized.

Repainting with light, neutral colours quickly makes your small bathroom feel like a larger space. You don’t need to forgo personality; you can have a couple of items in interesting materials, with bold colours or patterns to make the entire bathroom incredibly chic and provide visual interest. However, dark walls make small spaces feel heavy and closed in. White subway tile is perfect for backsplashes and other areas to keep the area light.

You can still have a gallery wall for interest, but try putting up several unique mirrors. This lets you decorate the entire wall space, without feeling cluttered, and gives the illusion of a larger room.

Small Bathroom Remodel

You may find that if your small bathroom isn’t set up efficiently, a full small bathroom remodel can help you get a room you love. It’s a good idea to plan well before getting started. Drawing up a few design plans with accurate measurements of all elements is critical. It is usually good to consult with someone who is an expert in interior design.

Effective Small Bathroom Design

Don’t be afraid to move the entire room around, including fixtures.

A corner sink tucks away neatly to make the most of your small bathroom space, and a wall-mounted faucet allows more free surface area. Take time to find the right tub; look for a non-standard, smaller freestanding tub to conserve space.

Customized work allows you to get the best fit. Smaller cabinets and vanities can balance the need for room and storage perfectly if they are designed to maximize organization. You can also add built-in storage, for a small item like a medicine cabinet, in between wall studs.

You may also want to remove any swinging doors, replacing them with rolling pocket doors or sliding barn doors; full-length mirrors on these brighten up a small room even more.

Increase Floor space

A floating vanity creates more air space than a traditional one sitting on the floor, and usually doesn’t decrease usable storage. Many people don’t use the bottom shelves or drawers of a vanity much, and some typical vanities are just cupboards with one layer to use, resulting in lots of wasted space. A floating model, with multiple-sized drawers and a good design, can give you extra storage space, with increased space and a lighter, airier feeling. Toilet paper and hygiene items can be kept attractively in large baskets and tucked away.

Light-coloured floor tile gives a sensation of space, compared to a dark wood floor.

Increase Natural Light

A few floating shelves achieve the same results as floating vanities. If you opt for a glass shelf model, it especially keeps the open feeling of the room and doesn’t create dark spots. A floating shelf holds your extra toiletries without cluttering.

Replace a shower with solid plastic or metal sides and a shower curtain or opaque shower doors. With a shower stall with a glass shower door and clear sides, you won’t feel like you are in a cave when you shower.

If you have little to no natural light, installing a skylight may be a good option. Otherwise, capitalizing on light fixtures is key; choose ones that will really brighten all corners of the room.

Powder Room / Half-Bathroom

A half-bathroom is often considered as an unimportant one, but you use them daily, and want to make a good impression when guests are visiting. A cramped powder room feels depressing – not how you want to feel when starting your day! So how do you primp up your small powder room to make the room feel spacious?

A minimalist bathroom is your go-to design for as much extra space as possible. Keeping to essentials only, with a couple of key decorative accents, will make the most of the room.

Try a pedestal sink, as these don’t cut into a room. Clear out all extra items, and just have key, attractive toiletries out. Instead of a towel bar, look for small hooks or racks that rotate out to conserve space.

Don’t be afraid to use the toilet tank for more surface space for items.

Need Help With a Remodel?

Honest Renovations understands that the humble bathroom is actually one of the most important in your home.

Whether you need small upgrades or a complete small-bathroom remodel, we are experienced in all parts of the job and make the renovations hassle-free. We are industry experts and will assist you through the whole process, from design to renovation and finishing touches.

We can advise on the best small bathroom ideas for your individual situation, working with you to bring your visions to life. 

 

Most unfinished basements have a concrete slab as a floor. While it is solid, flat and durable, the concrete surface can be unhospitable. It is not aesthetically pleasing, nor is it warm and welcoming. In fact, your family may dread going down to the basement because of the chill of the concrete basement floor.

A finished basement floor will make any basement space warm and inviting; your family will be excited to use the downstairs bedroom once you have installed a finished surface.
There are many basement flooring materials to choose from when it comes to finishing your basement. We will discuss different flooring for basements to help you decide what is best for your home.

7 Basement Flooring Options

There are a wide variety of basement flooring options available. Each type of flooring presents its own pros and cons. We will discuss each type of basement flooring below to help you decide which is best for your basement.

1. Laminate Flooring

Laminate is a durable, affordable flooring material. It is much cheaper than ceramic tile and solid hardwood, but it can be designed to look and feel like either. Additionally, laminate floors are easy to install because the planks have interlocking joints. Almost any do-it-yourselfer can learn how to install laminate floors in their basement.

Laminate promises durability; it is a resilient flooring that is less likely to scratch than other types of flooring. However, it is prone to water damage. Laminate flooring can mould, warp, and twist in wet or moist conditions.

2. Hardwood Flooring

While hardwood is a classic choice for your floors, it is not recommended for basements. Hardwood is easily prone to water damage, and it can even warp and twist in moist environments. Basements tend to be wet and moist areas, so your hardwood floors will likely not hold up.

Never fear, there are many other flooring options for your basement renovation!

3. Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is making a comeback as an affordable, durable type of flooring for basements. Except, people are ditching sheet vinyl and using vinyl planks instead.

A luxury vinyl plank is more expensive than sheet vinyl, but it will make all the difference when it comes to making a stunning space; it is a beautiful option that looks like real wood. Vinyl plank flooring also is installed like wood thanks to its interlocking joint system.

Vinyl planks are connected using an interlocking joint system; each vinyl plank slides and locks into place next to an already placed plank, making installation relatively easy. Just like real wood, vinyl should be installed over cork flooring for added cushioning.

Vinyl flooring is water-resistant, meaning you do not have to worry about your floors being ruined if you are unfortunate enough to have your basement flood.

4. Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy is a 2-part coating that can be applied over your concrete floor—it is not a floating floor option.

Expoxy helps make your floors smoother, thicker, and easier to clean. It is ideal for people who have a wet basement or want to use the main living space as a home gym. We recommend another type of flooring for a basement bedroom.

5. Tile Flooring

Tiles come in all different shapes, styles, and sizes. You could opt for the traditional square tile or choose a modern hexagon option. Rather than using one colour tile for your entire floor, you could create a pattern with several colours mixed in. The options are truly endless when it comes to tile!

While a tile floor is a beautiful addition to your home, it can be expensive. Ceramic tile can be costly, ranging anywhere from $0.50 to $25 per square foot. If you are concerned about the cost of your basement floors, ceramic tile may not be the best option. Choose vinyl tile or interlocking rubber tiles for a more affordable option. Vinyl tile costs approximately $1 to $5 per square foot.

6. Carpet

Basements can be cold places. Heat rises, and having a tile or wood floor can make your downstairs family room feel colder. Wall-to-wall carpeting is a good idea if you would like to make your basement feel warm and welcoming.

A basement carpet will feel softer and warmer underfoot than vinyl or porcelain tile. It will also muffle sound, making the space quieter; this is perfect for homeowners looking to have a guest bedroom in their basement. Guests will have a warm, quiet and cozy space to call their own.

7. Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered wood is a type of floor that has been specially engineered by bonding a layer of solid wood to plywood or compost board. Every plank has a factory-applied finish to prevent scratches and give your floor a clean, glossy appearance.

Although some manufacturers say that an engineered hardwood floor can be installed directly over concrete, our experts do not recommend it. It should be installed over a radiant heating sub floor for added warmth and a moisture barrier.

Engineered wood flooring is, without a doubt, one of the best basement flooring options out there.

Fix Your Concrete Floor

Do you have cracked, uneven, or stained concrete floors? These issues will need to be fixed before adding floating floors. Concrete flooring needs to be smoothed and levelled. Cracks in the concrete will also need to be repaired. This work is essential to creating a solid base for your new floor.

Get A Stunning Finished Basement

A basement floor is only one part of your basement renovation. Make your basement a warm, inviting space with the help of our skilled contractors at Honest Renovations. We can help you decide on a basement flooring option and install it to ensure you have a finished basement you will love!