Thinking of turning an underused small space in your home into an extra bathroom? Our friends at Ideal Standard are experts at this type of thing, so we asked them for their top tips.
Have you always dreamed of a downstairs loo or a handy little ensuite off your bedroom, but you’re worried about the amount of space it would take up? You’re not the only one. Lots of people are now considering these nifty little additions to their homes to make them more comfortable, convenient and appealing. And the good news is, you probably already have enough space to create an extra bathroom.
We’re all guilty of using the cupboard under the stairs as a bit of a dumping ground for coats, shoes, or even the vacuum cleaner, when in reality it would make the ideal bathroom. Or you could think about converting your airing or laundry cupboards into a small ensuite, or even transforming that additional bedroom.
There are lots of reasons to think about adding on an extra bathroom. Downstairs cloakrooms are now standard in all new-build houses, so having a second bathroom in an older property may even help with the resale value and make it more appealing to buyers. They can also come in very handy if you have visitors or a growing family, particularly for those busy school run mornings!
If you’ve been thinking of making this kind of addition to your home, take a look at these clever ways to make the most of the space you already have available.
Thanks to Ideal Standard, even the smallest of spaces can become a stylish ensuite bathroom
Don’t let it go to waste
When it comes to adding a second bathroom or downstairs cloakroom, it may feel like the space will be cramped—but there are plenty of clever fixture and furniture choices you can make to ensure the room feels spacious, whilst remaining practical.
Ideal Standard collections like Concept Space feature cleverly-designed products and fittings that can help make the most of your room without compromising on design and style, and have been designed specifically for smaller spaces. Wall hung toilets, basins and furniture units, for example, really help to open a room up and create the illusion of extra floor space—as well as being much easier to clean. Short projection toilets, not to mention corner toilets and basins, are also available, so even the trickiest spaces can be turned into a stylish bathroom.
Find out more about how the Concept Space collection can help you save on space
Choosing slimline or mirrored cabinets can also make the space feel bigger, lighter and brighter. Alternatively, you can make use of combined basin and cabinet units, which take up much less space, but still provide that extra room to store items like cleaning products or your spare toilet rolls.
Clever lighting
If you’re converting a former storage space, it’s unlikely that you’re going to be able to make use of a window for bursts of natural light, so take some time to think about the lighting you want to use in your new bathroom or ensuite.
You don’t want the room to feel dark and dingy, and a light that’s too bright could also spoil the space—you need to strike a balance. Lights can really help a room feel expensive and, with clever positioning, can hide the spaces you maybe don’t want people to see and instead drive attention to your favourite part of the room.
The main thing to keep in mind when it comes to these spaces is, just because something is being used as a cupboard or storage space now, doesn’t mean that it needs to stay that way forever. If there’s already plumbing under the floor that you’re adding the bathroom too, it’s usually quite easy to get these things up and running.
A wall hung suite, like this one from the Ideal Standard Concept Space collection, can help to save space in an additional bathroom
More small space inspiration & advice
At Victoria Plum, you’ll find plenty of bright ideas and helpful advice when it comes to turning a small space into a bathroom, cloakroom or ensuite. We’ll show you how to easily add bathrooms to your home, how to make a small bathroom look bigger and even demonstrate just how small a bathroom can be. Click on the image below to find more ideas for small spaces.
