Your downstairs cloakroom can be an often forgotten space—a dumping ground for coats, shoes, umbrellas and more. However, in this expert planning guide, we'll show you all the things you'll need to consider, so you can create a cloakroom which your friends and family will admire.
With a range of stylish cloakroom bathroom furniture, short projection toilets and accessories, here at Victoria Plum, we have everything you'll need to make your downstairs cloakroom work for you.
Even the tiniest understairs cloakroom can look clean and stylish
Know your space
The first thing you need to do is understand just how much space you’ve actually got at your disposal. Cloakroom bathrooms are designed to be compact but that doesn’t mean you can afford to be reckless when it comes to measuring.
Take a range of measurements, considering different angles and placements, and remember to allow extra room for ventilation and plumbing. Find out more with our bathroom measurement advice.
Only buy what you need
When space is at a premium you need to be cautious with what you buy. Cloakroom bathrooms typically don’t require larger units like baths and showers, so stick with toilets and washbasins instead.
Our clever corner basins are perfect for a cloakroom and can be matched with a corner toilet to make great use of space. If you’ve got a fairly generous cloakroom bathroom then a close coupled toilet should fit in comfortably. If you’d rather keep everything compact then our space saving back to wall toilets and wall hung toilets are ideal.
If you have items which cause clutter, like bottles of household cleaner, consider installing a cloakroom vanity unit. There are plenty of slimline designs available which fit small spaces.
Create a traditional style cloakroom with products from The Bath Co.
Keep it clean
Clutter will make any bathroom look cramped and in a cloakroom this really must be avoided. Keep your cloakroom bathroom clean and clear to make the best use of space. You can even get back to wall toilets fitted as part of a combined unit if you want to add storage but don’t have space for a separate unit. Our MySpace combination units are perfect for this purpose and come in a range of finishes.
If your cloakroom really is tiny, why not consider an all in one toilet and basin unit?
Stay light, bright and airy
When it comes to colours and general decorating trends, light is always best in small space. Dark colours will only make the room feel smaller, so open it up with crisp white tiles and walls. Inject colour in small doses to avoid it looking clinical and stick with neutral or pale flooring that creates the illusion of space.
If your cloakroom bathroom can have a window then make it a large one and try to keep it free of heavy dressings which make things look smaller. Instead, choose roller blinds or lightly frosted glass to preserve your privacy.
Mirrors can be used instead of windows, if your bathroom is lacking this feature, to create the illusion of space by reflecting light. You’ll ideally want a large mirror but this should not be so big as to dominate the space. You can always buy a medium sized mirror and consider using mirrored wall tiles in a border or pattern to increase the light reflecting capabilities of your bathroom. You can even go the extra mile and choose a bathroom mirror with lights, which will help to boost the illusion of more light and space in your bathroom.
Use our 3D bathroom planner
Planning your bathroom just got a lot easier, thanks to our bathroom planner tool. Simply click on the image below to create multiple bathroom designs in a matter of minutes. See how different products, tiles and colours look, and share realistic 3D designs with installers and plumbers. If you need a little help, we've even created step-by-step instructions and a video.
Cloakroom bathroom ideas
If you're now ready to think about the look and style of your cloakroom, why not take a look at our small cloakroom bathroom ideas, or head to our Small Spaces hub, where you'll find inspiration and advice for all types of small bathroom.
