Small Bathroom Design Ideas: How to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Bigger
Updated: 4 days ago
A small bathroom feels bigger when the floor stays visible and the walls stay calm. Lift everything you can off the floor, such as the vanity and the toilet, choose one or two materials and use them on large surfaces, and replace a swinging shower door with a folding or sliding one. Then add one detail that makes the room memorable, because a small bathroom is the best place in the house for a surprise.
By Maya Sheinberger | 09.11.25
Guest toilets and second bathrooms are usually the smallest rooms in an apartment, and they're often treated as leftovers. I think they deserve the opposite. Here is how I approach small bathrooms in my projects.
Key takeaways
Choose floating vanities and wall-hung toilets, so the floor runs under them.
Use few materials on large surfaces.
Prefer a wall-mounted faucet and a mirror cabinet for more counter space.
Use folding or sliding shower doors in tight spaces.
Give a guest toilet one surprising detail.
Why does a floating vanity make a bathroom look bigger?
When the floor continues under the vanity and the toilet, the eye reads the full size of the room. A cabinet that stands on the floor cuts it. That's why I almost always recommend a floating vanity and a wall-hung toilet. A wall-mounted faucet frees the counter, and a mirror cabinet adds storage without taking any floor.
Can you enlarge a tiny guest toilet?
Sometimes, yes. In the M penthouse, the guest toilet was so small before the renovation that the door could barely be closed from inside. I decided to enlarge it at the expense of the entrance area, and inside I created a surprise for guests.
Opposite the toilet, the sink wall has a shelf of white-painted iron mesh, a white-coated steel sink on top and a wall faucet with a red handle that adds a small shot of color. I wrote about the whole apartment in my penthouse renovation case study.
What tiles work best in a small bathroom?
Fewer joints and fewer materials. Large-format tiles, or one small tile repeated on every wall, make a small room look calm. A strong pattern can also work, as long as it's the only one.
In the RB apartment, both bathrooms have gray floor tiles and white brick tiles on the walls, which create a fine grid that makes the spaces feel taller. Black faucets, black-painted shower frames, oak-veneer cabinets, white surfaces and vessel sinks complete them.
Should a small guest toilet be dark?
It can be. A dark guest toilet feels deliberate and intimate, especially when the rest of the home is light.
In the BN apartment, the guest toilets were designed in black, with a combination of black tiles and mosaics. In a room you spend two minutes in, I'm happy to be bolder than anywhere else in the house. As I said about the guest powder room in the OA apartment: "A guest bathroom is an opportunity to create a little surprise, a design moment that stands out while remaining cohesive with the rest of the home." There, the surprise is a black floating vanity, a bold stone-textured accent wall and a mirror with integrated LED lighting.
How do you keep a small bathroom connected to the rest of the home?
Repeat a material from the public spaces. In the H apartment, the same floor tiles that cover the public areas were used in the guest bathroom, linking the different areas of the apartment. A corner shower with a folding door keeps the space as open and comfortable as possible.
In the C apartment, the second bathroom also serves as the guest toilet. It's designed in shades of gray combined with oak, so the look continues from one space to the next.
Problem | What I do |
The room feels cramped | Floating vanity and wall-hung toilet |
No counter space | Wall faucet and a mirror cabinet |
A swinging shower door hits the toilet | Folding or sliding glass door |
The room feels disconnected | Repeat a floor or wood from the public spaces |
The room feels boring | One surprise: color, texture or a special sink |
For more on making every centimeter work, see my guide to floor-to-ceiling built-in joinery and my post on smart design solutions for a beautiful, practical home.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best vanity for a small bathroom?
A floating vanity, so the floor continues underneath. Combine it with a wall faucet and a mirror cabinet for storage.
Should I use small or large tiles in a small bathroom?
Usually large-format tiles, which have fewer joints. One small tile repeated on every wall can also work.
Can a guest toilet be dark?
Yes. Black or dark tiles make a small guest toilet feel intimate and deliberate, especially in a light home.
What shower door is best for a small bathroom?
A folding or sliding glass door, which doesn't need room to swing.
Planning a bathroom renovation in central Israel? I'd love to hear about your project.
Maya Sheinberger is an interior designer with more than 17 years of experience. After five years at a leading architecture firm, she founded her independent studio in 2012. She holds a B.Des with honors from the College of Management. Her work has appeared in more than 150 publications in Israel and abroad, including eight Archilovers Best Project awards, and one of her apartments features in the book The New Minimalist Style.
Photography @itaybenitphotographer · Styling @maya_livnat_harush
