Make this room larger ?

Donna Wiseman
by Donna Wiseman

This area of the bath is so small, what can I do to make it larger? I would even consider remodeling this bathroom to make it a common bathroom

The door to the right is where tub/shower and toilet are! Area behind toilet could be used to install a door for common use, where would I put toilet?

  12 answers
  • Chas' Crazy Creations Chas' Crazy Creations on Sep 09, 2018

    If you didn't need the linen closet, you could pull that out & put a pedestal sink in. That would open it but you would lose all of your storage space. You can also paint it white or a lighter color and that would brighten the space and make it feel bigger as well.

  • Joye R. Foster Joye R. Foster on Sep 09, 2018

    Pedestal sinks look great, but they take away all under sink storage.

  • Sharon Sharon on Sep 09, 2018

    Paint the walls a light color, remove bold patterns that can make it look smaller and keep your pallet monochromatic with varying shades of the color in light tones for your shower curtain and towels. Put away the counter clutter.

    And the idea to remove the linen closet and relocate it elsewhere to give the illusion of more space.

    A smaller vanity or pedastal sink will also open up the space.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Sep 10, 2018

    Agree with Joye about pedestal sinks. From the picture that you posted, it looks as though you are short on counter space, and could use more.

    Are you wanting a bathroom that looks larger, or one that is larger in that it has more floor space, or more storage space?


    What is behind the little door next to the countertop? Is it a closet? If so, I would suggest removing it completely, and extending the countertop so that it is larger. Whatever you are keeping in the closet now, would of course have to be accommodated elsewhere. Consider drawers instead of the standard doors in the bottom of your new cabinets. Drawers are so much more efficient use of space compared with the conventional vanity door cabinets.


    Here are a couple of floor-space-saving ideas that perhaps might work for you.

  • Carol Cole Carol Cole on Sep 10, 2018

    I would ship-lapit and paint it white. Perhaps put shelves over the toilet. Paint the floor and seal it:. or if you have the money redo your flooring.

    Hang wire baskets on the wall buy the mirror to hold items. That hair dryer makes me nervous. If you haven't got a place for it . Put some baskets on the back of the door to hold thing.

  • Riva Sue Riva Sue on Sep 10, 2018

    Ditch the shower curtain for shower doors. That will give a space for a towel bar. I have a cabinet hung over my commode with doors. Adds great closet space for fresh towels & shampoos. & pedistool sink adds more floor space, but removes counter space. Another option would be to remove the separating wall & tub in exchange for a corner shower stall, move the commode to where your sink is now add your common door and then determine where the sink would best fit into the room. Of course that is a MAJOR remodel and involves moving plumbing and sewer lines. That commode "closet" (sewer plumbing) is not "FUN" to move.

  • Jean Silvasy Jean Silvasy on Sep 10, 2018

    I removed the door on the linen closet and put in a pedestal sink. I could then put in small shelving units or end tables with drawers under the pedestal.

  • Tonya Tonya on Sep 10, 2018

    It’s hard to tell with the photos, and I realize they must be hard to take in such a small space. In general I would agree with other folks on using lighter colors in the space. Also, Ikea has some terrific floating vanities that help open up the space, yet still provide storage in drawers underneath the sink. I would consider replacing the floor with either something plane or very large square is creating the illusion of space. Also, simply getting rid of the clutter— like the trash and extra toilet paper rolls—Can go along way in opening up the space.

  • Ellen Ellen on Sep 10, 2018

    Yes. Hard to envision with just photos. The three doors all coming together give a claustrophobic feel. Not sure where each leads. I would suggest removing the linen closet and extending the cabinet. I agree with using a floating cabinet. Shelves above the toilet instead of the towel bar, and a glass tub/shower enclosure would open up the space. Larger tile, perhaps the new tile that looks like wood flooring might be an option, but nothing too busy. I would avoid a white floor tile, as it would show everything. Lighter color paint would also open up the space. A place for everything and everything in its place, is my motto. So remove all clutter, which will make the space more serene.

  • Jwien Jwien on Sep 10, 2018

    If you removed the wall between the sink and toilet, and removed the door (and wall above it) to that area it would really open up the space. Add a cabinet or "hotel" shelf over the toilet that has a towel bar or two (Bed, Bath and Beyond) for towel storage. Also, a smaller vanity (or the pedestal sink everyone seems to favor) with a 12" pantry cabinet to the right of it, away from the toilet, could add storage. Hand towel bar could go on the pantry side.

  • Suzi Boo Suzi Boo on Oct 25, 2018

    Leave the closet, remove all the doors, replace w/ shower curtains