Many people think that a separate bathroom is too much fun for owners of small apartments. Many also think that a small bathroom is far from a solid option, since you don’t want to show it to anyone due to lack of space. On the other hand, there is no need to combine a bathroom at all, as this creates discomfort when using it.
In this article we will tell you how you can create a separate bathroom that everyone will definitely like.
Bath or shower (which is better?)
Having a small bathroom doesn't automatically mean giving up a bath. This depends on the specific size and layout. Small apartments are usually occupied by individuals or couples at younger or older ages.
For older people, a shower that can be easily accessed and can be equipped with a seat, a high step, or a handle is always a smarter choice. A young couple or student will be interested in a shower cabin with lighting and hydromassage.
For the younger generation, it depends on the wishes, plans to improve the demographic situation in the family: it is better and desirable for children to swim in the bath, because children love to swim in it, and boring hygiene turns into an excellent game.
- In a very small bathroom, you can use a sloped floor and curtain to create a shower out of the entire space.
- There is another convenient option - a bathtub with a shower screen.
- It's not exactly suitable for older people in terms of safety, but otherwise it's an ideal solution for those who use a bath and shower in the same room.
- If you are choosing a bathtub, ideally choose one that is asymmetrical and comes with a washbasin.
- Such a bathtub tapers towards the bottom or partially from the side, and above this narrowing you can install a washbasin, which can also have a special shape taking into account the required centimeters.
- In this way, the washbasin uses free space, but does not in any way restrict during bathing and provides a fairly comfortable area for washing.
Some manufacturers dealing with the problem of small bathrooms have special lines for this purpose, which, in addition to economical ergonomics, also provide a beautiful design of plumbing fixtures.
Fire safety when finishing with tiles
Ceramic tiles are a fire-resistant material that is formed in a kiln at +1300°C, which is higher than the temperatures that occur during fires. Therefore, many architectural monuments have been preserved in different parts of the planet.
The same technologies are used in production as many centuries ago, so it retains its properties and can withstand high temperatures. Those walls that are decorated with tiles will withstand any fire. During combustion, tiles do not release harmful substances into the air.
Tile in the bathroom.
Combined or separate bathroom
A combined bathroom, or bath and toilet in the same room, can sometimes really add a few square centimeters of space. But you lose a wall where you can create more storage space.
As a rule, this solution is recommended in cases where the bathroom is used by one or two people. If you want at least a little privacy, you can hide the toilet behind a sliding door, a glass wall, or a thin partition made of plywood, OSB or chipboard.
Corner sink: this solution has a significant advantage - filling the “dead” corner area, which is most often only empty.
DIY repair
Do-it-yourself repairs will help you save 30-40% of your budget. But it needs to be carried out efficiently, so it’s worth first thinking carefully and calculating your budget and your physical capabilities.
Materials
For the bathroom and toilet, you should choose moisture-resistant materials specifically designed for these rooms. Here is the main list of materials:
- tiled or porcelain tiles for walls and floors;
- high-quality tile adhesive;
- pipes and fittings for sewerage;
- collector;
- filters, counters, mixers;
- moisture-resistant plasterboard;
- primer;
- plaster;
- tile grout;
- waterproofing material for floors;
- plumbing.
Sequence of work
During the repair process, it is important to do everything in order:
- Dismantling plumbing fixtures, old tiles, dilapidated paint, plaster.
- Laying out water supply and sewerage pipes.
- Dismantling the concrete screed (if there are many cracks on it).
- Floor insulation.
- Screed.
- Connecting electrical wiring to future sockets and lamps.
- Installation of stretch ceiling.
- Plastering and priming walls.
- Fixing the bath.
- Laying tiles, grouting.
- Installation of sockets, switches, plumbing, furniture.
Video review of the renovation of a combined bathroom
Laminate “Crown”: why users prefer it.
Infrared heated floor under laminate: learn the features of this type from this article.
Design of a balcony combined with a kitchen:
Bathroom like laundry
If space and technical solutions allow, reserve space for a washing machine in a closet, dressing room, hallway or kitchen unit. When there is nothing left and you need to fit the washing machine into the bathroom, you can choose from narrow models and models with top filling.
Consider in advance whether all technological devices (boiler, washing and/or dryer) can be concentrated in one place (ideally in a corner, niche) and hidden, for example, behind a sliding wall or curtain.
- The main disadvantage of a small bathroom is the lack of space, the need to select furniture and plumbing work with calculations down to the millimeter, and the inability to implement many design solutions.
- The choice of plumbing fixtures and furniture equipment is proportional to the bathroom. No need to rely on the design of the model you like, pay attention to the size. For example, a large sink will look out of place and bulky, not to mention taking up a lot of space.
- If you need to place the washing machine in the bathroom, it can be installed under the sink. This solution has some features: the storage system will have to be moved to higher levels; for comfortable use, you need to choose the right height and depth of the entire structure.
Even in a miniature bathroom, it's worth trying to fit at least some furniture, as it will provide valuable storage space for cosmetics and toiletries.
For example, you can use the space above the sink and hang a cabinet there, the door of which forms a mirror. A popular piece of bathroom furniture is a slim, tall cabinet with shelves that can fill the space behind a door, for example.
Because it's narrow and tall, it doesn't take up too much space. If it can accommodate a vanity cabinet, it will be great because you will have quite a lot of storage space for your bathroom essentials.
Separate toilet: functional arrangement and design
No matter how small the toilet may be, many people have a completely normal desire to make it not just functional and convenient, but also aesthetically attractive. Let's figure out what is needed for this.
Design ideas for a separate bathroom: floor and one wall with the same cladding
A lot depends on the toilet
The main component of the toilet room is the toilet, so the conversation about the design of this room should start with it. If you want aesthetics, you should abandon the floor option; you only need to install hanging equipment.
Floor standing toilet reduces floor area
At the same time, you will save the interior from the unsightly sealed joint of the vertical part of the toilet with the floor, which takes up space and visually makes the room smaller. You will also be spared the inconvenience of cleaning when you constantly have to reach for a rag to wipe off the dust that accumulates behind the toilet.
Ideas for a small bathroom: wall-hung toilet and small sink
Note: In addition to the toilet, the toilet can also have a sink. This is somehow not accepted in apartments, and the two-meter area of the room does not allow it much. However, there are miniature sinks on sale that are designed specifically for toilet rooms, for which there is always a corner or wall.
From a comfort point of view, this solution is more correct, because if the bathroom is occupied, washing your hands after visiting the toilet becomes problematic - unless you have to go to the kitchen. So it's not so much a question of design as it is of practicality and hygiene.
Communications must be hidden
One of the most important points for a toilet room is communications. In apartments, for example, central sewer and water risers pass through the toilet, and from them the wiring goes to the bathroom, and sometimes to the kitchen. If the pipes are not hidden, then no matter what interesting design you come up with, it will turn out ugly.
To solve this issue, you first need to make boxes from plasterboard for covering with tiles, leaving only a hatch for access to the taps and water meter. Moreover, the hatch should not stand out against the background of the decoration, but should be hidden, lined with the same tiles - or located behind furniture doors or a roller blind. Alternatively, to decorate the inspection hatch, you can use a painting, panel or photo in a beautiful frame.
Communications are hidden behind furniture doors
Imitation of brickwork makes the hatch location invisible
English-style toilet: communications in a niche closed by a glazed door with a curtain
Bathroom ideas in Khrushchev: a poster on the wall as a way to decorate the inspection hatch
The tile hides the hatch door
Separate bathroom ideas: pipes are hidden behind louvered doors
Note: Leaving pipes on the surface only makes sense if the interior is decorated in a style that suggests this. But in this case, both the mixers and the piping elements must be made of the same material - for example, copper (for loft), or stainless steel (for high-tech). An example of such a design is shown in the photo below.
Toilet in loft style - all pipes and taps are copper
Do you need decorative lighting?
In principle, the toilet does not need bright lighting - this may only be needed by those who like to read in this “institution”. Therefore, the main lighting, such as a chandelier, pendant or wall lamp, can be replaced with decorative lighting, which will act as the main light source.
Option for high rooms: slatted ceiling with low-hanging lamps
The lighting can be mounted in a suspended ceiling, if one is to be installed. Otherwise, the lighting elements are hidden hidden in the walls, in the form of a false window or niche. There are many ways to use LED strip, including using special profile cornices and baseboards.
We offer photos with interesting ideas for decorative lighting of the toilet:
Ceiling perimeter lighting
Light frame on the far wall
Combined lighting of a two-level ceiling and the middle of a wall
Ceiling in the bathroom: options, modern ideas
Finishing options: from budget to expensive
If the toilet is a separate room, then its operating mode is closer to normal than to wet. Therefore, in principle, any materials can be used to decorate its walls, even wallpaper (not paper, but vinyl). But there is a cheaper finishing method, using PVC panels.
When using them, the walls will look neat and aesthetically pleasing, but there is no need to talk much about the design here. Much depends on the appearance of the panels themselves - their surface often imitates ceramic tiles, but it is still clear that they are plastic.
Finishing the bathroom with PVC panels
Wallpaper itself is no more expensive than plastic panels, but this finishing option can only be budget-friendly in panel houses with smooth partitions. If they are brick, perfect alignment under the wallpaper with plaster or drywall will cost more than decorative material.
If you’re going to use wallpaper in your toilet design, it’s better to use it in combination. For example, two types of wallpaper are selected according to color or pattern, and pasted with a horizontal border separating the borders.
As an option, instead of wallpaper along the lower perimeter, wooden or polyurethane panels or brick-like tiles are used. Wallpaper can also be used to completely cover walls, even together with the ceiling - just so that such a finish is not monotonous, there should be contrasting accessories on the walls in the form of a mirror, false window or framed picture.
Here are some more interesting ideas for decorating a bathroom that is not combined with a bathtub:
Combination of two types of wallpaper
The wallpaper is the same everywhere, but there are contrasting accessories on the walls
Black walls, white ceiling
Combination of boar tiles and classic wallpaper
Combination of two types of finishes separated by a figured border
White panels made of vertically mounted boards, combined with dark wallpaper
As you can see, in the design of toilet rooms you can see a very diverse selection of finishing materials, including decorative paint and plaster. Due to the need for perfect leveling, not to mention the cost of the finishing coating, these types of finishes are no cheaper in price than ceramic tiles. But in terms of performance they are inferior to it, so they are still used less often - or combined, as shown below.
Bathroom renovation ideas: the photo shows a combination of tiles and plaster
Visually increasing the space in the bathroom
Large tile formats optically enlarge and unify the space, while the reduced number of joints also simplifies maintenance. The method of laying the tiles also plays an important role.
The general rule for small apartments applies here - it is better to choose a lighter base and, therefore, light-colored tiles: white, light gray, beige.
Dark tiles are also suitable for a small bathroom, but they need to be well lit. Another useful and functional technique is large mirrors, thanks to which you can achieve an optical enlargement of the entire space.
Not the entire bathroom needs to be tiled; one or two free walls can be painted with light, waterproof paint. Concrete finishes or Venetian plaster are also popular.
Moisture resistance of the material
The advantage of tiles is their moisture resistance. The material, which absorbs a lot of moisture (more than 10%), has a porous base and is suitable for rooms where contact with water is minimal (living rooms, bedrooms, halls, etc.).
For tiling kitchens, bathrooms, shower rooms and swimming pools, you need water-repellent tiles that absorb up to 10% of moisture. For exterior work, a finishing material with a dense base is often used, which absorbs no more than 3% of liquid.
This material is produced in two ways:
- Extrusion (marked with the Latin symbol A).
- Pressing (B).
With the first method, the base is porous and absorbs a greater percentage of moisture. In the second case, it is more durable and dense, since it is formed by squeezing the powder mass in 2 directions.
The degree of moisture resistance affects the cost of the material: the higher this indicator, the higher the price.
Examples of successful color schemes for a small bathroom
- White and gold color scheme, complemented by bright green and fiery red inserts. The bath is still clean, but without darkness and boredom;
- White + gray + blue. A very thoughtful, elegant combination, ideal for a classic style. Elements of natural wood can smooth out excessive severity;
- All shades of beige. This opportunity will delight classics connoisseurs with its laconicism and restraint. Despite its simplicity, such a concept should not be boring and remain relevant for many years;
- Gray + turquoise + black. A bathroom in this palette looks fresh and stylish;
- Black and white palette. Such a classic series can be successfully diluted with patterned tiles on one wall;
- White + dark gray + aquamarine. The classic technique contributes to the design of the room: dark bottom, light top.
Popular colors
White
White color is very often recommended for finishing small toilets. It allows you to make the room as light and spacious as possible. Combining white with other colors and shades will help to avoid “sterility” in the environment. These can be bright, contrasting colors of accessories and decorative items, furniture, plumbing fixtures, or a combination of several colors directly in the interior design.
Black
For lovers of darker shades, we can recommend the classic combination of white and black. Snow-white sanitary ware, furniture and accessories will look perfect against the background of black tiles. You can consider the option of alternating black and white tiles like a chessboard or creating unusual geometric and abstract patterns, etc.
To prevent the interior from becoming too heavy, the ceiling and floor coverings, as well as some decorative elements, can be decorated in white. It is desirable that the finished interior contains more white than black.
Beige
Warm beige colors are universally suitable for toilet rooms of different sizes. To make the interior look most harmonious, you can use several shades that are similar in color: sand, golden, light and dark beige, etc. To create an interior in beige tones, wood and materials that imitate natural wood are ideal.
Blue
Blue color is a classic option for decorating a toilet and bathroom. There can be many finishing options: from plain blue to a combination of several cool colors. Combinations of white and blue colors, the inclusion of mosaic patterns in bluish tones in the interior, and the use of marine themes: fish, shells, seascapes, etc. are very popular.
White-red-black
The combination of three classic colors is often used for interior decoration, including the toilet room. One of the options: snow-white plumbing + black walls + red design and decorative elements. No prints, only rich, deep colors. The interior looks very modern and stylish. Other options are also possible, for example, using a red-black mosaic, tiles with a geometric or floral red print on a black background, etc.
Photo of the design of a small bathroom 2-5 sq. m.
Choosing a kitchen set and dining set
A corner kitchen and the use of a window sill surface help create the most comfortable workspace in the kitchen. In such a space, the “triangle principle” is observed; the housewife does not have to make unnecessary maneuvers.
If you choose a linear layout, all the furniture and household appliances are lined up against a blank wall, and the dining group with a corner or dining table is placed in a separate area.
Massive wall cabinets give way to shelves. The stove combined with the oven is replaced by a hob. The freed up space is used to store all kinds of utensils. It is better to choose built-in, smaller models for household appliances. Combining the functions of an oven and microwave will help save space. A good interior solution would be furniture transformers: folding chairs, sliding and folding tables.
High pencil cases and mezzanines will increase the ability to hide small items. Roll-out drawers, pull-out baskets, and “carousels” help to rationally use scarce space. In tight spaces, it is better to make the corners of the furniture in the passage area beveled.
The procedure for performing repair work
Any toilet, even a small one, requires numerous tasks to be performed. In such a small space there is a huge amount of communications. In certain cases, it is impossible to avoid drawing up an act for carrying out major repairs.
So, where to start renovating a toilet? Of course, from creating a design and calculating the necessary materials. Then the work should be carried out in this order:
- removal of old wall and ceiling coverings;
- replacement of sewerage, heating systems, installation of toilet installation;
- if necessary, replacing old wiring;
- room cleaning;
- preparation of the floor surface, screed, floor arrangement;
- wall decoration;
- toilet installation;
- installation of the door leaf.
