Blue Tile and Wall Faucets by Christine Brun on Creators.com

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Blue Tile and Wall Faucets

Bathrooms in a modestly-sized home can be a challenge due to their relative size. Whether the home in question is a condo under nine hundred square feet or an apartment in a bustling urban center, paying top rent for the pleasure of being space-crunched, these hard-working rooms test design creativity. Remodeling fever is common for those with small, funky bathrooms and when the opportunity to improve finally arrives, you can run into space limitations.

First, you have to accept these limitations. Ditch those pictures of spa-like luxury bathroom. Next, you have to understand that mere inches make a critical difference. Each element must be carefully and slowly thought out. Resist the impulse to tear through the remodel. If a contractor tells you that you will be done in two and a half weeks due to the small space, that deserves a red flag. Stop and collect your thoughts, review a realistic budget and time frame. Then dive into the style issues.

How can you best conserve space? Work with minimum dimensions. Here we see a small vessel sink paired with a wall-mounted faucet and controls. Such an installation can save valuable inches when you remember that the typical eight-inch spread set needs to sit about four inches away from the wall on center. A wall-mounted faucet can save those inches, which might be allocated to more floor room or a deeper shower. While you may prefer a twenty five inch wide basin, can you get away with a fifteen inch diameter bowl instead? How much room do you really need to brush your teeth and wash your hands or face? Think about a motor home or yacht bathroom as a model for how small a bathroom can get and still work well.

If you are removing a standard sixty-inch tub, consider replacing it with a shower stall. That same space now shrinks by at least twelve to fourteen inches in length.

Instead of enlarging the depth of a shower/tub combination consider use of an arched shower rod that delivers about eight more inches of elbowroom by curving the shower curtain out into the room.

If the newly configured bathroom leaves your wall space limited, think about using robe hooks instead of space-gobbling towel bars. You will find that even oversized bath sheets dry quite efficiently when hung on a hook. Capture the space above the toilet as shallow storage by either installing a towel rack, where folded towels may be stored, or by mounting a shallow cupboard. Keep in mind who will be using the bathroom before settling on new accessories. For example, if it's a bathroom for kids, it may be more practical to increase the depth of the storage cabinet than if a six-foot-four-inch husband is the main user. However, if your children will likely become tall teenagers, you may wish to make changes that can remain comfortably for years. Such information might contribute to a Sdecision to raise the showerhead today in anticipation of taller family members even if your kids are still toddlers.

Don't skimp. Realize that it may be likely that by spending twenty percent more today, you can better improve the function of a tiny bathroom. Keep in mind that the most troublemaking parts of your plan should be done first and never again. Replacing a toilet is not nearly as disruptive as replacing wall tile. Only tear off old tile once and when you do replace it, select a material that you can live with for the long term. If you are replacing the tub, replace the flooring and the fixtures at the same time. If you decide not to remove the existing tub, be certain that you will be satisfied with it in ten years time.

Photo Credit: Moen

Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net. To find out more about Christine Brun and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.