This Is PART-3 Of A 3 Part Article About How To Make Any Bathroom Appear Larger. It is done with decor, not a remodel of the bathroom. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C, in Plano, Texas provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Al’s also provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
We Also Have Two Articles For Updating Bathrooms:
Click Here To Read Our Article On Mainstream Bathroom Updates: AlsPlumbing.com Updating A Bathroom On A Budget
Click Here To Read About Luxury Bathrooms: AlsPlumbing.com Luxury Bathrooms
Get The Appearance Of A Larger Bathroom
By Enhancing The Bath’s Vertical Appearance
Take The Eyes To The Ceiling And You Have Maximized The “Vertical Size” Of The Room. One of the simplest ways to do this is with an eye-catching light fixture and/or bath fan. Keep in mind that a small bathroom may need a smaller size light fixture to avoid overwhelming the room.
- If you have a combination light & fan, consider something like just below. It is a combination light & fan.
- If you have separate fan and light, dress up the light fixture and leave the existing fan. Here are 2 examples.
- If you want something that has more of a chandelier look (without the formality).
- If you would like to add some detail to the room, this can be done with decor. Here are several examples just below.
Click Here To See Enhanced Bath Vertical Size With Ship Lap: Enhance Bath Vertical Size With Ship Lap Boards
Click Here To See Enhanced Bath Vertical Size With A Tall Mirror: Enhance Bath Vertical Size With Tall Mirrors
Click Here To See Enhanced Bath Vertical Size With Crown Molding: Enhance Bath Vertical Size With Crown Molding
Enhanced Bath Vertical Size Using Wainscoting
Image Source: Shutterstock
Tall Wainscoting Visually Raises The Vertical Height Of The Room
Click Here To See Enhanced Bath Size With Vertical Placed Wall-Tile: Enhance Bath Vertical Size With Vertical Tile
Click Here To See Enhanced Bath Vertical Size With Wall Tile To Ceiling: Bath Wall Tile To Ceiling
Click Here To See Bath Wall Tile To Standard (7′) Height (9′ ceiling room): Bath Wall Tile To Standard Height
- Use The Same Paint Color On Both Walls & Ceiling.
Fewer visual transitions make a small space appear bigger. Create the illusion of more space by choosing the same color for your walls & ceiling. A white ceiling will make the ceiling appear lower.
Click Here To See Walls & Ceiling Painted The Same Color: Walls & Ceiling Same Color
Click Here To See Similar Color Walls With White Ceiling: Bath With White Ceiling
- Hang The Shower Curtain At Ceiling Height To Expand The Vertical View Of The Room
This requires a 96″ shower curtain in 8 foot ceiling homes.
Click Here To See 3 Curtain Lengths At A Bathtub : 3 Curtain Lengths At Bathtub
Click Here To See A 96″ Shower Curtain Installed: 96″ Shower Curtain
This 96″ length fabric shower curtain below comes in several colors.
This 96″ long X 72″ wide vinyl shower curtain is available in frost.
- Minimizing Shower Curtain To Increase The Horizontal View Of The Room.
Minimizing the shower curtain will make the room feel larger. If you have a white bathtub with shower-head, a white or frosted vinyl shower curtain will visually open up the large 5 foot wide space it covers. White Cloth will do the same thing. Pair the two, and the cloth one goes outside the bathtub and stays clean.
A color coordinated wide horizontal strip shower curtain will expand the visual width of the room (see # 3 + the second shower curtain below).
1. Click Here To See A White Shower Curtain In Front Of White Bath Tiles: White Shower Curtain In All White Bath
2. Click Here To See A Different Color Shower Curtain In Front Of White Bath Tiles: Different Shower Curtain Color With White Wall Tile
3. Click Here To A Shower Curtain Color Matching Wall Color: Shower Curtain Color Matching Wall Color
4. Click Here To See A Shower Curtain For Marble Bath Tile: Marble Color & Pattern Shower Curtain
Frosted White Vinyl Shower Curtain
Tone-On-Tone White Stripe Fabric Shower Curtain
This horizontal striped fabric shower curtain will make the room appear visually wider.
Click On Image To: View Product, See Details, or Purchase From Amazon.com
A common variation from white is to match the color of the shower curtain to the wall color. This will make the shower curtain less noticeable when you have light colored walls. Note: If wall color is dark, white will open up the space more than a dark color.
- Bathroom Rugs:
With a small bathroom, the more similar the rug color is to the floor color, the less impact it has on the room’s visual size. Solid color (versus pattern) further reduces visual impact.
Click Here To See Floor Rugs That Make The Bath Look Smaller: Bath Rug Makes Bath Look Smaller
Click Here To See Floor Rugs That Make The Bath Look LARGER: Bath Rug’s Color Makes Bathroom Look LARGER
- Bath Mat
If there is nothing covering any of the floor, the room will naturally look larger. In a tight space, consider a bath mat instead of a rug. The mat can be hung over the tub or on a towel bar while not in use. The bath mat’s towel bar could even be inside the shower.
- Minimize it best by having its color match the bathtub or tile color.
- A thin mat will dry faster and is easier to wash
Click On Image To: View Product, See Details, or Purchase From Amazon.com
- Eliminate Decor That Stops The Eyes Short Of The Farthest Wall
Remove wall art, accessories or furniture if they stop the eye from going deeper into the room. This was addressed above with shower curtains. Here are some additional “eye stopping” examples.
Click Here To See An Accent Wall Color Stopping The Eyes: Accent Wall Color Stops The Eyes
- Eliminate Decor That Uses Up Floor Area
Click Here To See Furniture That Makes The Bath Look Smaller: Furniture Makes Bath Look Smaller
Replacing Fixtures?
Get The Appearance Of A Larger Bathroom With Selected Fixtures
Install A Vanity That Is Less Deep To Open Up Floor Space.
A great way to make a small bathroom feel larger is to install a smaller vanity. You can add up to several inches of floor space with a vanity that is less deep. Also, today’s vanities are free-standing versus “built-in”. If you don’t have a wall on one side, you can choose a narrower vanity to free up additional floor area.
The standard depth of a bath vanity (from where you stand to the wall behind the vanity) 21-22 inches. There are additional depths of as little as 10 inches.
Click Here To See A 22″ Deep Vanity: 37″ Wide X 22″ Deep Vanity
Click Here To See A 19″ Deep Vanity: 30″ Wide X 19″Deep Vanity
Click Here To See A 18″ Deep Vanity: 26″ wide X 18″ Deep Vanity
Click Here To See A 10″ Deep Floating Vanity: 16.5″ Wide X 10″ Deep Floating Vanity
Click Here To See A Deeper Vanity Replaced With One That Is Less Deep: Deeper Vanity Replaced With Shallower Vanity
Click Here To See A Pedestal Sink Replaced With A Shallow Vanity: New Bath Vanity Makes Bathroom Feel Larger
Replace A Built-In Bathtub With Free-Standing Tub.
Standard Free Standing Bathtubs Are 60+ Inches Long & 40+ Inches Deep (front side of tub to wall side of tub).
Most Are Designed To Fit Where A Standard, Built-In 5 Foot Bathtub Was.
Click Below To See Before & After Photos Of A Built-In Bathtub (+ wall) Replaced With Free-Standing:
Replacing Built-In Bathtub With Free-Standing Bathtub Frees Up Visual-Space
This small bathroom gained a lot of visual-space by removing a built-in bathtub (+ the half-wall it required) replaced with a free-standing bathtub. The new shower stall has full glass on the side facing the bathtub.
Smaller Size Free Standing Bathtub
Click On Image To: View Product, See Details, or Purchase From Amazon.com
Shown: Small-Scale Bathtub Measures: 54″ Long X 28″ Wide
Older homes often have a bathtub with shower head or shower only in the owner’s suite bath. Depending on the bathroom’s size, small-scale free standing bathtubs may allow the bathroom to be upgraded to include both separate shower + bathtub.
Click Here To Read The Article About This Bathroom: Bath Upgraded To Separate Shower + (smaller size) Bathtub
Back-Light A Free Standing Bathtub With Up Lighting
Take advantage of the unique opportunity a free standing bathtub presents to add additional lighting for the bathroom.
Click Here To See A Back-Lighted Free Stand Bathtub: Back-Lighted Free Standing Bathtub
Click Here To See Another Back-Lighted Free Stand Bathtub: Back-Lighted Free Standing Bathtub
Specialty Shower Curtain Rod Needed For A Free Standing Bathtub With Shower Head
If you have a built-in bathtub and would like to upgrade to a free standing bathtub, you will need a rectangular (4-sided) shower curtain rod. The one shown comes in various sizes from 42″ X 28″ To 60″ X 32″. If the free standing tub you choose is longer than 60″, you can still use the longest rectangular size. This rod mounts on the wall & the ceiling.
NOTE Vintage versions of rectangular rods connect to vintage faucets. If you choose a modern faucet, it won’t have the needed connection. You will need this style of curtain rod.
Shown: Rectangular Shower Curtain Rod For Free Standing Bathtub
Replace Frosted Shower Door With Clear Glass
Another way to increase visual-space is to replace a frosted shower door with a clear glass version. In a small bathroom, this will open up the view to the back wall of the shower.
Shown Above: Frosted Glass Shower Door
Shown Above: Clear Glass Shower Door
NOTE: To keep clear glass looking clean, it must be squeegeed after each use. There are dedicated shower-squeegees for this purpose, and it takes only moments to dry the glass This effort removes most of the soap scum that’s left behind after a shower.
Install A Taller Toilet — To Increase The Bathroom’s Vertical Space (+ be more comfortable).
Learn All About Today’s Different Toilet Heights With Our Post: AlsPlumbing.com Bathroom Safety Products
As with raising the shower curtain, a taller toilet will expand the vertical visual-space and make the toilet more comfortable for many people.
Toilet Manufacturers Now Offer 3 Toilet Heights.
Note: Height may vary based on toilet brand.
- A STANDARD Height Toilet is 15″ high (includes seat).
Click On Image To; View Product, See Details, or Purchase From Amazon.com
Standard Height Toilet Shown. Seat Height = 15″ from floor.
- A COMFORT Height Toilet is 17 — 19 inches from floor to the top of the seat (may vary by toilet brand). This is similar to the height of a chair. The height of a standard toilet is 15 inches from floor to seat (may vary by toilet brand).
Click On Image To; View Product, See Details, or Purchase From Amazon.com
Comfort Height Toilet Shown Just Above. Seat Height = 17.5 Inches (Including Seat).
(Comfort Height Toilets Bowl Height Is The Same Height As A Standard chair).
- A CONVENIENCE Height Toilet is 17 — 19 inches from floor to the top of the seat (may vary by toilet brand).
Convenience Height Toilet Shown Just Above: Seat Height = 21 Inches (Including Seat).
Install A Toilet With A Rounded Bowl Instead Of Elongated
Toilets are available with either a Rounded bowl or an Elongated bowl. It space is tight in front of the toilet, choose a rounded bowl to free up some space.
Click Here To See A Rounded Bowl: Rounded Toilet Bowl
Click Here To See An Elongated Bowl: Elongated Toilet Bowl
This was PART-3 Of A 3 Part Article About How To Make Any Bathroom Appear Larger. It is done with decor, not a remodel of the bathroom. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C, in Plano, Texas provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Al’s also provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.