Small bathroom renovations are a great way to refresh your living space. It may also be time to revamp your bathroom. You’re ready to turn your “dream bathroom” Pinterest board into reality, but where do you start? Renovating any room in your home is easier said than done when it comes to finding an affordable, new style. Fortunately, the beauty is all in the details as the smallest changes can bring your vision to life.
Whether you’re looking to completely transform your bathroom or only make a couple of changes, these five small bathroom renovation ideas will guide you to where you should begin.
Spruce Up Vanity Lighting
Lighting changes a room’s whole mood. If you find that your vanity lighting is duller, it can be a struggle to feel fully confident in both your bathroom’s ambiance and a dim mirror reflection. In this case, it may be time to switch out your bulbs or change your lighting altogether with trending fixtures that provide great style and functionality.
LED Bulbs
LED bulbs are recommended for vanity lighting as they’re energy-efficient and last longer than the average incandescent bulb. Depending on how bright you want your vanity and what best fits your light fixture, you can choose between a daylight LED bulb or a soft white LED bulb.
The daylight LED creates a bright bluish-white color, whereas a soft white LED is a warm yellowish-white color, which replicates an incandescent light. While incandescent lighting offers a warm radiance that is the go-to for bathroom vanities today, daylight bulbs resemble natural light and may better suit a bathroom with little to no windows. It is all up to your personal preference and how radiant you want your mirror selfies!
Pipe Lights
Pipe lights have a rustic vibe that looks chic above a vanity. This fixture is both perfect as a stand-alone décor or a beginning piece for a steampunk-themed bathroom. There are a variety of LED pipe light designs to choose from that all provide the same functionality.
The pipe light’s smooth surface and rounded corners provide an efficient illumination that will make for a cozy, lit vanity. Dark granite or brown wood vanities are a couple of examples that mesh well with pipe lights as it enhances the space with that industrial look.
Cylindrical Lights
Cylindrical lights are another type of light fixture sure to make your vanity glow. The LED light within this fixture’s frosted cylinder shape provides a similar warm, incandescent light that will brighten up your mirror and cabinets.
Cylindrical lights also work great as an add-on as their sleekness fits a clean, modern theme. Its slender illumination will have your bathroom looking more spacious no matter where you place it. If you’re not sure where you want the lights, it’s best to start above the vanity.
Backlit Mirror
Imagine having a giant ring light in your bathroom to brighten up your face at any moment? Well, that giant ring light is equivalent to a backlit mirror! The backlit mirror provides an even amount of lighting that doesn’t cast shadows on your face, so you can confidently do your makeup and/or skincare regimen with ease.
Backlit mirrors emit a soft light surrounding them, which also replicates that soft white LED glow. Since there is no fixture, this type of lighting is perfect for any mirror in any bathroom style. Your mirror’s glow will also make your bathroom look much more spacious.
Add a Splash of Color
Cream and white. Grey and blue. The typical bathroom color scheme can get old quickly, but that doesn’t mean an entire renovation has to take place. Even if your bathroom already has a colorful look, a new splash of color in tile, paint or a wall accent can be the right move for your small renovation.
Marble Tiles
Marble tiles have become a popular trend for bathroom cabinets, shower floors, and walls. The natural stone is a great investment because it not only provides a classy look but also ages well when taken care of. Marble usually comes in the typical bathroom colors like beige, white, and grey, but who says you can’t get more creative?
Marble is super versatile when it comes to shapes and colors. You can work with hexagons, triangles, diamonds, fish scales, and more. Feeling a rose gold diamond marble moment? Or a mica purple marble floor? The choices are endless and flexible with your price range.
Painted Bathroom Cabinets
A new paint job may be the first idea that comes to mind when remodeling, but it is important to focus on where your choice of color will pop before heading straight to the walls. Your bathroom cabinet may be an underrated option with much potential.
The most popular color for bathroom cabinets is white. Other colors include cooler neutrals such as light blue or grey. With the right prep work, a pop of color or design on your cabinet can change the whole room’s ambiance. This is the time to get experimental, so don’t be afraid to shift from the normal color scheme and choose something more distinctive.
Accent Wall
Accent walls are a great opportunity to make your bathroom stand out. An accent wall is a separate wall with a different color shade, texture, or design. If you’re looking for just a color change, a lighter shade can make the room look more spacious no matter which wall you choose. Some popular accent textures are brick, wood, tiles, and your choice of fabric. More unique options for inspiration include:
- Chalkboard
- Velvet
- Ombre accent
- Floral
If you decide to choose a textured accent wall, it is important to keep in mind the walls surrounding it. For example, a brick accent wall surrounded by marble may look more tacky than appealing. You want to make sure there will be a clear focus on the accent wall once you walk into space, or else other textures will clash. Make sure the surrounding walls are subtle and blend well into the texture or design.
Mount Floating Wall Shelves
Floating wall shelves give you the chance to personalize your space, especially if your walls look a bit bare. They provide a minimalistic look with two hidden rods supporting the back of the shelf that connects to the wall, so shelves look as if they are quite literally floating! Pretty neat.
Speaking of neat, these shelves give you the opportunity to declutter your vanity and organize your products within a clear reach. You can have a shelf for all your skincare products and one for all your hair products. There are plenty of shelf options to make your bathroom look fuller and homier.
The shelves add a level of chicness whether they are placed in the corner of your bathroom, directly across the wall, or in your shower. If you’re thinking of adding more than a few shelves, placing floating corner shelves on top of each other will customize your walls while also provide a great amount of storage space. A hanging corner floating shelf is another option providing the same functionality and boho style.
Floating wall shelves are great to decorate as well. Feel free to spruce up the shelves with pictures, lights, or any knick-knacks of your own. Household plants also provide a fresh look and help enhance your space as they have their own way of lighting up the bathroom. Plants purify the air and boost wellness, which is perfect for a bathroom sanctuary. They’ll sit happily on a floating wall shelf too!
There are many plant types that thrive in the warm and humid bathroom environment, including:
- Bamboo
- Golden Pothos
- Snake Plant
- Spider Plant
- Aloe
Dress Up Shower with a Drape
Your shower curtain is another underrated feature that can change the atmosphere of your bathroom. A simple switch-up in fabric and style can offer an attractive visual, and a shower drape can be that perfect focal point.
The main difference between a curtain and a drape is that drapes are made of thicker fabrics to block out more sunlight. Drapes are better known for their luxurious look since their usual fabric includes silk or velvet, which looks much more elegant than the typical cotton shower curtain.
When choosing a drape color and/or design, keep your bathroom color scheme in mind. A neutral drape color is always a go-to since its look is enough to stand out. If you’re ready to get colorful, drapes can be found in popular vibrant colors that’ll be sure to make your bathroom look lavish.
The drape’s flow can also be styled to make your bathroom look more spacious. Tying the drape to one or two sides offers an avant-garde look and opens the room. If your bathroom provides enough light to where a drape won’t dim your shower too much, this small remodel can take your shower entrance to a whole new level.
Add More Mirrors for More Natural Light
Natural light is one of the best ways to add some life to your bathroom. If you have a small bathroom or one with not many windows, you may be missing more natural sunlight. Sunlight can highlight decorative focal points and overall make your bathroom experience much more enjoyable.
Adding more windows would be considered a lot more work than a small renovation, so how else can you naturally illuminate your space without it costing you? Fortunately, all you need are more mirrors to reflect an ample amount of light and brighten up your bathroom.
There are plenty of bathroom mirror ideas to integrate into your remodel without overdoing it. If your bathroom is on the smaller side, try smaller mirrors. Small round mirrors are great for decorating and will reflect more sunlight, especially when placed close together. If you happen to have more wall space, you can try out different-sized round mirrors with similar frames to create an elegant and attractive aesthetic.
Another idea is to add your personal touch and add these mirrors to your own art gallery. If you have any extra picture frames to spare or wall art to add, place the mirrors throughout the frames to create an artistic and homey visual. This will add a unique flair with a sunlit spotlight.
Always make sure to place these additional mirrors either next to your window or on the wall opposite of it. It is also important to note that it is best for these mirrors to be frameless, considering a lot of bathroom humidity may tarnish wood or metal-based frames over time. Experimenting with different shaped mirrors will help you find the one that reflects the most sunlight.
Some other trendy mirror shapes to embellish your bathroom include:
- Venetian mirror
- Convex mirror
- Concave mirror
- Folded corner mirror
- Asymmetrical mirror
Ready To Remodel Your Small Bathroom?
Element Home Remodeling is a Mountain View based remodeling contractor that specializes in bathroom design and remodeling. We serve the entire Bay Area and offer free consultations. Contact us today to learn more.
