It’s easy to talk about the design of a bathroom if its area is 5 or more squares. It is more difficult to develop design for a room of 3-4 square meters. m. And it seems a completely unrealistic task to competently plan a small bathroom of 2 square meters. m. Is this really so? We tell you six rules that will help you not only fit everything you need into this tiny space, but also make it stylish. The selection includes examples of projects from 2 to 2.5 meters.
Ventilation and heated floor
A bathroom, especially a small one, needs good ventilation: if the air stops circulating, moisture will be retained in the room.
This is fraught with the formation of mold on the walls and in the corners of the bathroom, an unpleasant odor, and unsightly dark spots of fungus. A warm bathroom floor is designed to stabilize the microclimate: it will prevent dampness from forming. Also, warm tiles are more pleasant to the touch and less dangerous. In addition to floor heating, proper ventilation will help cope with humidity: not only built-in, but also forced in the form of an exhaust system.
Thinking through the lighting
Light in the interior of a 2 square meter bathroom plays one of the most important roles. A single dim light bulb can ruin even the most beautiful white bathroom, while bright lighting will transform 2 square meters from a dark closet into a comfortable bathroom.
First of all, decide on the ceiling lights. The most suitable option is a powerful diode flat chandelier in a square room, or several spot spots around the perimeter of a rectangular bathroom of 2 square meters. The lamps on the bus look original - thanks to the ability to adjust the direction of the light, you can illuminate all the necessary areas without additional sconces.
The disadvantage of a single chandelier in a centralized source: if you close the curtain while taking a shower, you will remain in twilight. For cabins with glass partitions there is no such problem. But if you have a choice between a central lamp or several spot lamps, give preference to the second option.
The second most important area in a 2 square meter bathroom is the washbasin, or rather the mirror above it. Men shave here, women apply makeup or do their hair. Whatever purpose the mirror is used for, it needs additional lighting. Buy a convenient model with built-in lighting or install a regular mirror, placing sconces on top or on the sides, suitable for use in rooms with high humidity.
The photo shows a combined bathroom with a washing machine.
Use of glass
How to use the space of a tiny bathroom ergonomically? Take a closer look at the material from which the shower cabin is made: plastic free-standing models, similar to capsules, take up much more space than laconic glass ones. They look not only bulky, but also less modern. A glass shower compartment has an important advantage over a purchased cabin: it can be configured at your discretion.
Instead of a splash-proof shower curtain, we recommend installing a glass partition. It does not hide the space and looks very presentable. Glass also has the ability to reflect light, thereby making the room airier.
How to install a shower instead of a bath in your apartment: a detailed reinstallation guide
Acrylic
An acrylic tray is good for everyone: it warms up quickly, is beautiful, does not absorb dirt, and does not darken over time. It’s just that it is “flimsy” in itself (it is made by thermopneumatic molding from sheet material 4-6 mm thick). For rigidity at the bottom, it is reinforced, usually with fiberglass with a polymer adhesive layer. And the thicker the reinforcement, the stronger the pallet. To eliminate the possibility of deformation, acrylic products are installed either on a metal frame (it can either be included in the delivery set or sold separately; it costs 10-15% of the cost of the pallet itself), or on a support system made of foamed polyester (increases the cost of the pallet by approximately by 30%). In the most expensive models, the manufacturer may offer to use both. So don’t be surprised if the price of a pallet increases by 40% after installation.
Shower tray RAVAK Ronda LA
One of the advantages of acrylic products is that in case of mechanical damage, their surface can be easily restored. Small scratches are simply sanded down; to eliminate relatively large scratches and cracks, a “repair kit” is used (as a rule, sold in the same place where the pallets themselves are). These are two tubes, the contents of which are mixed before application to the surface to be repaired. After the composition has hardened, the surface is sanded.
Quarilic
Not so long ago, pallets made of another material appeared - quaril. In principle, quaril can be called polymer concrete: the binder is acrylic, the filler is quartz. The latter increases the hardness and wear resistance of the product so much that it becomes very difficult to damage its surface. As a result, the factory gloss remains (with proper care, of course) for many years. Pallets (as well as bathtubs) from quaril are no longer produced by thermopneumatic molding, but by casting, due to which they have clear lines and steeper walls. The thickness of the material in different areas of the pallet ranges from 8 to 11 mm, which gives the products high strength and stability. And they no longer require external reinforcement. Products made from quaril are presented on our market by Villeroy & Boch.
Made from artificial marble
No less attractive are pallets made of artificial (cast) marble, consisting of a polymer resin filled with marble chips (the Huppe company added sandstone to this and gave the material its own name - Marano). Such products are beautiful, “silent” and retain heat for a long time. The strength of artificial marble is several times higher than that of natural marble. For installation, the product is equipped with adjustable legs. The choice of shades is quite wide, and the price of pallets is quite high.
Shower tray Aquatek PODDONMLKV90
Pallet size and shape
The range of standard sizes of square pallets made of all materials is as follows: 7,070, 7,575, 8,080, 8,585, 9,090, 9,595 and 100,100 cm. There are larger products - from 110,110 to 130,130 cm, but they are, as As a rule, when considering options for refurbishment of a bathroom right away, there is no gain in space. Pallets can also be rectangular: 9,070, 8,570, 7,590, 10,075, 10,080 and 100,120 cm. There are radial (one of the corners is rounded), pentagonal (the corner is beveled in a straight line) and semicircular (installed flat) that deserve the closest attention. side to the wall) models. Pallets also differ in depth. The deepest ones have a side height of 100-180 mm, the middle ones - 40-100 mm and, finally, the “flat” ones - almost from 0 to 35 mm. The cost does not depend on the depth of the pallet and is determined rather by the design, color, material, degree of “fashionability”, as well as the “coolness” of the manufacturing company.
What to consider when choosing
- Firstly, its configuration should allow you to get a spacious and at the same time compact shower stall. Spacious, because when washing you do not stand still, but raise your arms and legs, turn and bend, and the space of the cabin should allow this to be done (so the minimum size of a shower stall is 8,080 cm, or better yet 8,585 or 9,090 cm). Compact, because otherwise there will be no space saving. To a large extent, both conditions are immediately satisfied by designs based on radial and pentagonal pallets, and even better - based on rectangular-shaped pallets, for example 7,090 cm (by the way, it is more convenient to wave your arms and bend over in such a cabin than in a square one).
- Secondly, the surface of the pallet should not be slippery. Manufacturers achieve this in a variety of ways. The simplest is corrugation. It can have a variety of shapes - crosses, rays, etc. The second method (which, by the way, appeared not so long ago) is to apply a special anti-slip coating to a flat surface. This processing option is preferable - standing on a smooth surface is always more pleasant than on a corrugated one. The third method is to install a wooden grate in the pallet (this solution is offered by IDO).
- When buying a shower tray, pay attention to whether it is equipped with a siphon drain. The designs of siphons and their sizes can vary greatly from company to company. Therefore, it is better to purchase a siphon immediately, complete with a tray.
Types of shower enclosures
They are framed and frameless. The frame is usually made of white, colored or chrome-plated aluminum profile. The fencing fabric is made of polystyrene (thickness - from 2.5 mm) or tempered safety glass (thickness - 4, 6 or 8 mm). Polystyrene becomes cloudy over time, and stains may appear on it (for these reasons, it is better to immediately purchase opaque polystyrene curtains - matte or with a pattern), but fencing made from it is relatively cheap. Tempered glass is more expensive, but such fencing is of higher quality and more durable. Glass can be transparent, frosted, tinted and patterned. For most manufacturers, its type determines the cost of fencing (the price in some cases increases by 5-7%). Some manufacturers apply the already mentioned “anti-plaque” coating to the glass sheet - such fences are easy to clean.
Light finish
To visually expand space, there is a whole arsenal of tricks and techniques that are often used by professional designers. Don’t neglect them either: use white, blue or beige tiles to decorate a small bathroom.
Remember that plain products look more expensive and much more advantageous than tiles with contrasting patterns or an old-fashioned stone-like texture. If you want a beautiful bathroom, give preference to light marble tiles with high-quality printing.
Also pay attention to the ratio of tiles and paint (or waterproof decorative plaster). Combine these materials with tiles if the tiles are small in size: this way the space will not be “broken up” by numerous seams. Another option is to choose large-format tiles. Before finishing, be sure to create a visualization so that the final result matches your expectations.
Corner shower models
Choose compact designs to save as much bathroom space as possible. The fastening elements of the corner cabin are mounted on two walls, thereby using the space rationally. The length of the sides starts from 80 cm, but experts believe that a width of 90 cm is the most optimal for a small bathroom.
Even corner shower models can be equipped with additional equipment (hydromassage or music unit). But remember that the design world strives for minimalism, and besides, the maintenance and repair of such a cabin will be much more expensive.
Advantages of combining a bathroom
They combine a bathroom with a toilet to increase the square footage of the bathroom. The documents that regulate the size of the toilet establish dimensions of 90 cm by 120 cm, which will greatly expand the overall space. The combined bathroom is 5 sq. m., reasonable placement principles should be followed so that when getting up from the toilet, you do not hit your head on the sink. The bathtub is placed in the corner, and the toilet is installed opposite.
- You should leave at least 50 cm of free space in front of the toilet. 2. The rear surface of the toilet can be placed close to the wall.
- Having chosen a wall-hung toilet, the communications are hidden in the wall, it turns out very neatly. It takes up the same amount of space as a regular one.
Mirror
If your goal is to make the room optically more spacious, you need to take a responsible approach to choosing a mirror. This is a powerful tool for transforming space. If you buy a small mirror, you will lose all its advantages: it will not visually enlarge the room and will not reflect enough light.
A large mirror canvas without a frame, on the contrary, will “dissolve” the walls and expand the space. If possible, purchase a custom-made mirror, clearly calculating its dimensions.
Smart storage
To avoid visual “crushing” and “heaviening” of space, if possible, eliminate open shelves. Over time, various tubes, bottles and jars accumulate on them: their multi-colored labels create real chaos in a small area.
Choose closed vanity units and wall cabinets if you know you use a lot of cleaning products. You can also store toiletries and towels outside the bathroom and take only the essentials with you.
The best option: install custom-made furniture. Craftsmen will calculate its dimensions down to the centimeter, thanks to which the finished structures will look seamless and stylish. An excellent option is hanging cabinets that seem to float above the floor and occupy a minimum of space.
If you approach the arrangement of a bathroom without a bathtub wisely, the interior will delight you not only with beauty, but also with convenience.
Bathroom with washing machine
When the washing machine does not have enough space in the kitchen, it belongs in the bathroom. Free space in the bathroom 5 sq. m. with a washing machine is also reduced by a laundry basket.
Often the machine is installed under the sink, saving space. An ergonomic solution would be to integrate the washing machine into the furniture.
