21 small bathroom ideas to enhance and optimize a tiny space

• Large patterns and tiles are a trendy way to make small bathrooms seem bigger.
• Statement lighting is another hack for making a small bathroom bright, airy, and stylish.
• You can also turn your decor into storage so it works double duty in your small bathroom.

Designing or updating a small bathroom can feel like a chore, but when done correctly, it will make the biggest difference. After all, having a luxurious bathroom, no matter the size, will instantly up both your daily life and your home's resale value.

To learn the best ideas for transforming a small bathroom into a spa-like space, we chatted with a few experts. Rasheeda Gray, principal designer and owner of Gray Space Interior Design, Kelley Mason, manager of content and creative for Lulu and Georgia, and Mercedes Austin, CEO of Mercury Mosaics all reveal some of their favorite trendy and timeless small bathroom ideas.

5 trendy small bathroom ideas in 2022

1. Choose a floating vanity. Perfect for small bathrooms, a floating vanity will create more available floor space and, therefore, openness.
2. Mix and match patterns. Dramatic bathrooms are very on trend and mixing and matching wall and floor colors and patterns can quickly turn a tiny bathroom into a must-see spot on your home tour.
3. Get creative with tiles. Large tiles are best for small bathrooms but the options are endless for this — marble tiles, wood tiles, patterned tiles, colorful tiles, to name a few.
4. Statement lighting. Sufficient lighting is a small bathroom must, so get fancy with it to create a bright focal point using light fixtures like chandeliers, pendants, or sconces.
5. Pick gold, brass, or black fixtures. Splurge on gold, brass, or black bathroom fixtures because they'll elevate your bathroom for years to come (no matter how many times you swap out the tiles or repaint).

1. Assess storage needs

First call to action: determine the smartest storage solutions for your limited space, Gray recommends. Consider shower niches, linen storage, toiletry cabinets, and more.

You may even consider forgoing a classic vanity for something that floats to create more floor space where you can use hooks, baskets, or shelves.

Making this assessment right away will help you maximize the function of the design so it works with your overall design.

2. Befriend light, bright neutrals

When in doubt, white works wonders in small spaces. The brightness, Gray notes, helps to make the space feel much larger and it keeps you from having to worry about the "right way" to incorporate color without shrinking your bathroom.

Other light neutral tones like grays and beiges can also help small bathrooms feel bigger and warmer.

3. Liven it up with splashes of color

Color, of course, is a treat that can liven up your space. If you have sufficient lighting, whether natural or artificial, darker colors are a dramatic option that can make your design feel everything but boring.

Should your light sources be a bit dimmer, softer colors can help illuminate the space.

4. Incorporate larger patterns

Though it may seem counterintuitive, large patterns work best in small spaces because they actually make a space feel much bigger visually, while small-scale patterns do the opposite, Gray explains.

5. Make use of every surface

Nothing is off-limits when space is tight, including back-of-toilet storage, or any other surface, for that matter. Use each exposed surface as a shelf (within reason, of course).

6. Include decor that doubles as functional storage

Similarly, maximize the space you do have with baskets, cabinetry, floating shelves, and the like, so each surface looks designed but can also double as storage.

7. Layer lighting

Gray and Mason both recommend using multiple light sources in a bathroom, even if it's small, in order to make it feel more open, airy, and balanced. Try recessed lights paired with vanity lighting, sconces, or even a chandelier for an extra-luxurious retreat.

Quick tip: "Make sure to choose wet rated lighting when mounting above or near a shower," Mason advises.

8. Splurge on shower fixtures

Budgeting can be stressful, but if you're looking for one area to splurge on in your small bathroom, let it be the bath and shower fixtures.

"Selecting a shower head that fits your needs; handheld, body sprays, rain-head, etc. will make a huge impact on a small bathroom for many years to come," Gray says.

Best showerheads

We test and review the best showerheads. Check out our picks:

• Best overall: Kohler Flipside, $59.32 at Amazon
• Best high-pressure: Hopopro High-Pressure Showerhead, $18.89 at Amazon
• Best rainfall: Moen S6320 Velocity Two-Function Rainshower, $211.41 at Amazon
• Best low-flow: High Sierra All Metal 1.5 GPM High-Efficiency Showerhead, $39.95 at Amazon

9. Add floating or built-in shelves

Designing a bathroom for the first time may allow you some flexibility with custom built-in bathroom shelves. If you're simply redesigning or doing so on a budget, though, floating shelves are an affordable solution that are equally as trendy.

10. Choose a mirror with storage

Storage in small spaces is limited, so don't sacrifice precious wall space for a mirror that doesn't reflect your needs. Medicine cabinets or mirrors that pull out to reveal space to keep your toothbrush and other toiletries are truly a lifesaver.

11. Get creative with hooks and hangers

Build your own vertical towel rack or line the wall with a variety of hooks and hangers to allow for hanging towel storage for a more relaxed feel to a spa-like bathroom.

12. Design with a glass shower door

Showers with glass doors naturally make a space feel bigger since they don't block the full view. Plus, they're pretty stunning to look at (even in bigger bathrooms). If it fits in the budget, this is another place worth splurging.

Quick tip: You can find glass door kits to add to your existing tub or opt for a clear curtain for a budget alternative.

13. Save wall space with ceiling lighting

With all your shelves, hooks, and decor, wall space can get covered up fast so ceiling lighting, whether recessed bulbs, a chandelier, or pendants, works really well in smaller spaces.

14. Organize with a trendy bath tray

Harking back to the sexy storage options, "A beautiful tray helps corral a messy vanity, and can be an opportunity to add a decor item with personality," says Austin. If your vanity isn't big enough, you can even keep it displayed across your tub.

15. Consider wallpaper instead of wall tiles or paint

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a particularly fun option for anyone who's looking to jump on a trend without making any permanent alterations.

Note: the pattern rule mentioned above really applies here, so Mason suggests sticking to a larger wallpaper print so it doesn't make the space feel dizzying or even smaller.

16. Have fun with bathroom tile trends

Bathroom tile trends are seemingly evolving constantly, but if you're looking to hop on some of the most recent styles, click here for even more tips.

17. Opt for large-format tiles

Remember that pattern rule we discussed? You bet it also applies to tiles! Large-format tiles of about 4 by 12 inches or even 12 by 24 inches (with small grout lines) are best for small bathrooms to make them feel more open and less busy.

18. Use duplicate wall and floor tiles

Extending your wall tile to the floor will also help to make your otherwise small bathroom seem bigger. The continuity will trick the eye into making the room visually expand.

19. Mix and match patterned tiles

The funky thing about patterns is that as long as they're big enough, there are no other rules. Try mixing and matching your wall tiles with your floor patterns.

20. Think light and bright with white tiles

Light and bright doesn't stop at paint and other bathroom fixtures, light tiles are especially eye-catching as they can immediately elevate a small space with little effort.

21. Go to the dark side with dramatic tiles

Whether colorful or black, dramatic tile options are definitely in. Step out of (or into) your comfort zone with a bold tile option to create a statement bathroom — just be sure to balance it out with a lot of lighting.

Insider's takeaway

Never underestimate how big a difference renovating a small bathroom can make. If you're tackling this project yourself, consider your in-bathroom needs first so you can strategically pick pieces that work for them, then make them work double-duty as both decor and storage.

From there, narrow down your wall and floor treatments. Your small bathroom's color palette can be light and airy or dark and dramatic as long as you're sticking to larger tiles and patterns to create the illusion of more space. Glass showers help with this, too. And remember: if there's one thing you should splurge on, it's the shower fixtures.