How to extend a bathroom is, without a doubt, one of the most common doubts when it comes to renovating. Bathrooms, logically, are one of the most humid spaces in our homes, so inevitably, with the passage of time, it is a space that requires more renovation than others.
As a general rule, the bathrooms of flats and apartments are usually small or, at least, they are not as large as we would like them to be. That is why, both when we buy a second-hand home, and when we have been in them for some time and we see that the house needs a change, bathrooms are our first renovation objective or, at least, they are the first rooms that we would like to give a temporary facelift.
On the positive side, it must be said that, if we stop to think a little, it is very likely that, with a few small changes in the bathrooms, we will be able to expand the space without having to reform it. But do we really get the bathroom we want with those small changes?
We often think that only by renovating this space, changing some detail of the furniture and decoration, our bathroom will be larger. Indeed, we can make it seem so by changing the interior distribution, reducing elements, etc. However, we will not be able to increase meters if we do not consider subtracting them from other areas.
If we have reached that point where we are considering moving partitions to turn the bathroom into the “sacred” place it deserves, we have just understood that what we probably need is a comprehensive renovation.
If you still have doubts about whether you need a partial or complete renovation, even if you don’t know the difference between these two. We recommend you read our following article:
I want to do a renovation in my house, what do I do, partial renovation or comprehensive renovation?
Assuming that what you are looking for is to expand the bathroom by taking away meters from another room that we use less and that does not require so many, you should know that with the comprehensive renovation we can not only change all those details but you will be able to:
- Redistribuir los elementos del espacio como la ducha, la pila o el lavabo
- Sustituir elementos como bañeras por platos de ducha para ganar amplitud
- Elegir dónde queremos que se sitúe cada espacio o estancia, cambiando incluso la distribución del hogar.
In short, to create the bathroom and house of our dreams.
What are the differences between a large bathroom and a small bathroom?
You should know that determining whether a space is large or small depends on the size of the home, the needs and the number of people who live in it. To determine if a bathroom is small or large, the main criterion we must follow is the available space we have once everything is installed. As a general rule, if it exceeds 7m2 we would already be talking about a large space.
When we want to renovate a small bathroom, the first thing we should do is look at the space we have outside the room and the feasibility of having it by subtracting it from other rooms in the house. On the other hand, when the bathroom is large, we no longer need to expand it further, therefore our objectives change and go from “gaining meters” to “gaining width”. In these cases we must pay close attention to the light inputs, the usefulness of the elements in the room, the color of the materials, etc.
How to Expand a Bathroom – Tips and Little Tricks
It is understandable that resorting to a comprehensive renovation can involve an amount of money that we probably do not have right now. That is why we want to give you a series of tips on how to expand a bathroom and thus get out of the way and feel comfortable in this much-needed space.
1. Elige una buena iluminación
Light expands spaces, there are different ways to achieve this.
- Ventana: si tu cuarto de baño cuenta con una ventana haz que esta pequeña ranura de luz sea el centro del espacio, no lo tapes con persianas, cortinas o llenes la repisa de cosas. Es recomendable que instales cristales totalmente transparentes, que dejen pasar la mayor cantidad de luz posible.
- Iluminación: si tu baño no dispone de ventana, es importante que cuides mucho su iluminación. No te olvides de ninguna esquina oscura. Lo que consigues es que a parte de tener una buena visibilidad, el baño parezca mucho más grande y luminoso. Ilumina también las estanterías, da volumen a todo el espacio. Instala luces LEDs estratégicamente en lugares clave, luz de techo, lamparas, etc.
- Paredes: uno de los grandes trucos en este tipo de espacio es pintar del mismo color las paredes y el techo, amplias el espacio, los techos parecen más altos…
2. Espejos grandes
Mirrors, apart from being necessary, practical and decorative elements, have the effect of doubling spaces. Add mirrors, don’t be afraid of their size, the bigger the more the light will reflect and therefore, the wider the space will look.
Trick!
Not only its size matters, correct placement and height are essential for good functionality. Neither too high nor too low, it has to reflect
3. Desorden y despeje
The more clutter you see in a space, the smaller it will be. It is important that both visually and in our closets we eliminate clutter and leave everything clean in sight.
A trick is to hide the bathroom mat, always leaving it on the floor does not benefit us. Put it away and show off the floor, choose a piece of furniture that does not touch the floor, it is less heavy to look at, the bathroom is larger and makes cleaning easier.
4. Almacenamiento, apuesta por muebles simples pero profundos
Order is very important in this space. In order to eliminate clutter, we need bathroom storage to be optimized. In a small space do not add extras, glue all the furniture next to the wall achieving more amplitude and passage area.
Remember this rule! Less is more, place only essential elements, do not overload furniture or shelves.
5. Puertas
Having a door that opens inwards makes the bathroom lose much more space. Just as if we have a shower door or screens we recommend that they are sliding, they do not remove or limit space. It is recommended that shower doors or screens are transparent, so that they let more light through to the rest of the space and expand it.
6. Apuesta por un plato de ducha y olvídate de las bañeras
As much as we love relaxing bathrooms, if you are looking for a large space, the best way to achieve this is by installing a walk-in shower tray. In addition, we recommend that you raise the shower bar to the ceiling. This will make us look higher and everything seems higher, generating a large space and a large bathroom.
7. El suelo es importante
Last but not least, choose light floors, a dark floor cancels out the open and large space. A glossy and luxurious floor improves the view and spaciousness of the space.
And of course, the last piece of advice: “Let yourself be advised by professionals”. Those of us who work in interior design and decoration know what colours, what distribution and what elements are the ones that will help you have the perfect stay.
Stop thinking about “how to expand a bathroom” and dare to turn your bathroom and your home into the space where you feel most comfortable in your day to day. At Kaleidoscope we understand that your home must reflect your personality and each of the rooms must be designed exclusively for you and your loved ones.
If you are thinking of having a comprehensive renovation, try our tool to calculate the budget by clicking on the following link:
