1. Choose the right equipment

In Belgium, many bathrooms measure less than six square metres. Moreover, if you are renovating, you may not even be able to completely change the layout in order to save space. For example, water inlets and outlets will automatically determine the location of the bathtub, washbasin, WC, and so on. It makes good sense to take these technical constraints into account, when choosing the bathroom fittings for your new home. 

Bathtub or shower?

A shower takes up less space than a bathtub, it goes without saying. Especially if it is a walk-in (Italian) shower: this has no shower cubicle, or even a shower tray in some cases, just a wide-open shower, with no obstacles to overcome; plus a simple glass wall to prevent water from splashing into the rest of the bathroom.

Perhaps you enjoy a shower in the morning, but also like taking a bath from time to time. The good news is that there are also compact bathtubs – from 100 to 150 cm long. Other bathtubs are available in shapes that allow easy installation, including in spaces that are narrow or irregularly shaped, such as corner, semi-angle, asymmetric, or trapezoidal bathtubs, etc.

Moreover, you can opt for a bathtub in which you can also take a shower! Thanks to a matte, textured or non-slip coating, you can safely take either a bath or shower there.

3. Opt for transparency

Let’s look again at the equipment to avoid water splashes. Our advice here is to go for a transparent material, with a bathtub screen made of glass or a walk-in shower panel made of glass. Our eyes will not see any obstacles, enabling us to view the whole space immediately.

If privacy is a goal, here is an idea for your glass panel: you can decorate it with an attractive screen print or opaque strips placed at half height. You could also seek a compromise, with translucent glass (which allows light to pass through, but partly obscures what is behind the panel) or slightly tinted glass.

A large (larger) window

For a new build or renovation, if your bathroom has a front wall, then installing the largest possible window will also bring in more light. But what if this window overlooks another building? In that case, you can use frosted glass or a thin net curtain that you only need to draw when someone is in the bathroom, to ensure your privacy.

5. The art of minimalism

In line with the previous advice, small rooms look best with a minimalist style. So you can tidy up as much possible, but avoid filling your bathroom with lots of different storage units! It’s better to go for a single high column cabinet that is fairly narrow, and to choose between a washbasin and wall cabinet. Your selection of furniture should be guided by the goal of ensuring easy and free movement in the room.

One radiator, two functions

You can also replace hooks and towel holders with a towel radiator. You can hang your bath linen on it, and this type of heating is often enough for a small bathroom, which is easier to heat than a large room. So a towel heater is a good idea and a benefit worth highlighting! Nowadays, you can find towel radiator models in every size, almost any colour and all styles – traditional, design, or even highly original.

Less is more

When decorating, don’t overdo it. Avoid too many items and objects, even if they are attractive or nice, if they serve little purpose. The golden rule here is ‘less is more’. So you should focus on simplicity and clarity, aiming for a design that is both attractive and appropriate.

7. Let there be light!

If your bathroom is gloomy, it will feel more like a damp cave, a place where you won’t really want to set foot. Even if the room lacks a window, you can let the light in by using various light sources. You can install these in the ceiling above the bath, walk-in shower, washbasin, around the mirror, and so on.

Two lighting tips 

• Functional lighting and ambient lighting are two different things. Around the mirror, lights should be white, neutral or even cold (over 4000° Kelvin), as this will make it easier to shave, put on or remove makeup, etc. However, lighting that is slightly more yellow and warm (3000 to 3500° Kelvin) may be more suitable if you enjoy creating a lounge ambience for relaxing moments, such as taking your bath. Another solution is to use a light dimmer, which can create either a subdued atmosphere or invigorating lights.
• Comply with the safety standards, which seek to limit any contact between water and electric parts: mount low-voltage spotlights into the ceiling at a height of over 2.25 m above the bottom of the bathtub or the shower tray/floor, and install the lighting above a circle that is 60 cm in diameter around the washbasin. 

9. Create an illusion

There is a very simple way to extend space and to create the impression of moving around a room that feels much bigger than it actually is. Use a mirror. The bigger the mirror, the better this illusion will be. 

You can add a huge mirror, extending from the splash panel of your washbasin up to the ceiling. Or do this horizontally, with a mirror that covers all the wall around the bathtub. Another possibility: place a mirror around the shower. This has two advantages: nobody can see through it (you can take a shower in privacy) and when you stand outside the shower, you can see how you look from head to toe. This is handy when you want to adjust your clothes or outfit.

Hall of mirrors

Here’s another magical trick: two mirrors facing each other will make the room seem even larger. If you bathroom has a window, you can place the mirrors on the opposite side, as in the Hall of Mirrors in the Château de Versailles! Of course that is a state room 10.5 metres wide. But by reflecting the light and greenery in the gardens, its mirrors further reinforce the perspective and luminosity.

To make your bathroom feel larger, you can also cover the walls and floor with large tiles. Big tiles are available in many kinds of materials, from travertine to concrete, including terracotta, natural stone, slate or even terrazzo (also known as granito).

Terrazzo not only looks elegant, it is a form of tiling that is easy to maintain, as it has fewer joints. These are places where dirt, mould and bacteria often build up, so you will want to quickly get rid of these undesirables. 

10. Good ventilation

We have talked a lot here about having the right fittings, to create a small bathroom with maximum comfort. The furniture, sanitary fittings, lighting, colours, and coverings of the floor and walls all play a key role here. But something else should not be forgotten, as it is important for your comfort and health: ventilation. To ensure the atmosphere stays perfectly healthy in a room that often gets damp, it is essential to remove the stale air and to replace it with fresh air.

Different types of ventilation

You can choose from several systems:

• Air extractor: easy to install, this evacuates the room’s air to the outside. However, this extractor does not bring in fresh air. This device is the cheapest and uses the least energy.
• Single flow CMV (Controlled Mechanical Ventilation), also called system C: it includes ventilators that extract the polluted air plus air extractors or adjustable grilles fixed on the window or above the door, to being in fresh air from outside. This is a good system for renovations.  
• Double flow CMV or system D: recommended for new buildings, this system offers air extraction and supply functions, as well as filtering of particles present in the outside air, before this air reaches your bathroom. This is the last word in ventilation.