Smart Tips for Small Bathroom Renovations

BySimon Hours Posted on Hours Updated on Categories Bathroom
small bathroom renovation perth

Renovating any bathroom presents many challenges, but none more than a small bathroom. While the idea of small bathroom renovations may seem exciting at first, once you start planning, you will see that it’s not simply a matter of updating your tiles and vanity. True, you could take this approach, but chances are, you won’t be taking advantage of having a blank canvas to play with, and this can lead to many rookie design fails.

Ross’s Discount Home Centre is the leading bathroom warehouse in Perth. As such, we meet and offer recommendations to Perth homeowners looking to renovate their bathrooms daily. We not only have expert knowledge of our products, but we understand how they can be applied to achieve maximum results. And when you’re working in a small space, this makes a big difference.

If you’re wondering how to renovate a small bathroom, continue reading as I share with you smart tips to maximise space and improve the functionality of a small bathroom. With a few simple insights, you can create a stunning new bathroom that puts the old one to shame.

Make it light and bright

When renovating a small bathroom, you should have two main goals: make it appear larger and maximise space wherever possible. One of the best ways to make any small space appear larger is by making it light and bright, using a light colour palette (white is ideal), and maximising natural light.

It’s no coincidence that most bathrooms are white. It’s for this very reason. White reflects the light, which makes walls recede, helping a small space appear bigger. Thus, choosing white bathroom tiles—white wall tiles especially—is a smart design choice when renovating small bathrooms.

Ross’s Discount Home Centre has a massive range of white tiles starting from a low $20/m3.

In addition to choosing white tiles, other ways to make a small bathroom light and bright include installing a skylight, maximising the size of your windows, or making the external wall glass to maximise natural light.

Go large with your mirror

Following on from the previous tip, another way to increase natural light, making a small bathroom appear larger, is to go big with your mirror selection. The larger the mirror, the more light reflected.

You can also go a step further in your space-saving mission and opt for a large mirrored shaving cabinet that provides important storage space in addition to its light-reflecting properties.

We have a wide range of mirrors, everything from round mirrors and oval mirrors to framed mirrors, frameless mirrors and even mirror cabinets. So, you’re sure to find the shape, style, and, more importantly, size to help you make your bathroom appear larger and brighter.

Create strategic storage solutions

One sure way to make a small bathroom even smaller is to introduce furniture for storage. When space is at a minimum, retaining as much of it as possible is essential, yet storage in a bathroom is also essential. So, how do you solve this issue? By creating strategic space-saving storage solutions. I mentioned above utilising the corner of a bathroom for corner storage units, but there are many other ways to make storage in a small bathroom without sacrificing space.

Some of the smartest options include creating recessed shelves and shower niches in wall cavities, choosing mirrored shaving cabinets over standard mirrors, selecting wall shelves instead of furniture, hanging towel racks over the toilet rather than on a blank wall, placing storage baskets under a wall-hung vanity, and installing storage caddies on the back of the bathroom door.

Choose your vanity wisely

While a large vanity is an ideal storage solution, they’re not ideal for small bathrooms. They can easily take up as much room as a bath, and if it came down to having a large vanity or a bath, I know what I would choose… And, when it comes time to sell your home, most buyers will also rather have a bath.

Thus, it pays to choose a space-saving option when choosing a bathroom vanity. There are a few choices to consider, namely a wall-hung basin, a pedestal basin, or, for maximum space savings, a corner basin.

Pedestal basins, corner basins, and wall-hung basins are void of a vanity unit and comprise only the basin. This format allows for more floor space, therefore maximising existing space. If a vanity unit is a must, a compact wall-hung vanity is the best choice. It retains floor space below, making the area appear larger than it is, which is also a great place to store storage baskets.

Choosing a compact wall-hung vanity, such as our Asha Vanity Unit or, better yet, a wall-hung basin with a built-in towel holder and soap dish, is also a smart choice for small bathrooms. It means you can do away with needing a larger vanity and a towel rack. Perfect examples of wall-hung basins include our Cube Wall Basin Left-Hand Bowl, Gemelli Compact, Quado Compact, and Bailey Wall Basin Left-Hand Bowl.

View our entire vanity range.

Utilise the corners

Unless used for a corner shower screen or corner bath, a corner of a bathroom is often wasted space, and you can’t afford to have wasted space in a small bathroom. Thus, taking advantage of corner space is a great way to maximise space.

Corners are great for corner storage units, but my personal preference is a corner wall basin such as our Milano Corner basin (pictured above). Positioning the basin in the corner of the room opens up available wall space to fit that bath you didn’t think you had room for, which can be a massive incentive to future buyers.

This tip also lends to the shower. If you are not creating a shower niche in the wall cavity, you will need to place your shampoo, conditioner, and soap somewhere. Corner-designed shower shelves and baskets are the perfect solution.

Consider a shower panel over a shower

Although most showers today feature a minimalistic design, they can still look bulky and make a small bathroom seem even smaller if not selected smartly. Those with a shower base are the worst culprits of this offence.

Rather than choose a traditional shower, opt for a contemporary walk-in shower panel. These frameless showers ensure an unobstructed view of your bathroom, reducing the risk of creating visual blocks that make a bathroom appear smaller.

Shower panels come in various designs and configurations, from a single panel to a supported enclosure, which is evident in the range available at Ross’s Discount Home Centre.

Choose a sliding door shower

If you prefer a traditional shower over a shower panel, or a shower panel isn’t suitable for your design, there are other considerations to ensure you choose the best shower for your space.

The biggest mistake you can make when choosing a shower for a small bathroom is to choose a shower with a door that swings or pivots out into the bathroom. It means you won’t be able to utilise the space around the door opening, reducing the space for anyone else using the bathroom when the door opens.

A far better option would be to choose a shower with a sliding door that takes up no additional space. You can choose a traditional sliding door shower or a quadrant shower for corner installation. A bifold shower door that opens in is also an option.

When it comes to buying showers for small bathrooms in Perth, you’ll find none better than Ross’s Discount Home Centre’s range. We are exclusive stockists for Lakes Bathrooms Australia, which produces some of the highest-quality showers in the world. A lifetime warranty backs them, and they all come with an AllClear glass coating as standard.

Combine your shower and bath

If one of the main reasons for renovating your bathroom was to fit in a bath, then the best way to achieve this goal is to opt for a combined shower and bath. While this option may have been a little “daggy” in the past, especially with the use of shower curtains, that isn’t the case today.

Both baths and shower curtains have been elevated to new style heights to provide a smart solution to this age-old dilemma. Baths no longer need to be tiled into a bath hub, and shower curtains have been replaced with very slick-looking bath screens.

You’ll find the perfect bath and bath screen at Ross’s Discount Home Centre. Lakes Bathrooms Australia manufactures our bath screens, and like their shower screens, they come with a lifetime warranty and AllClear glass coating as standard.

Lay wall tiles vertically

Although, up to now, it may seem like renovating a small bathroom smartly zaps all the fun out of the design, that isn’t the case! White tiles will make the room appear bigger and brighter, but that doesn’t mean you have to be pedestrian about it. You can still choose modern white (and light) wall tiles, but if you do, consider laying them vertically rather than horizontally.

You’ve probably heard, “horizontal stripes make a person look fat.” The same applies to small bathrooms; instead of making a bathroom look “fat,” it appears small. The good news is, like wearing stripes, vertical stripes work oppositely.

Installing subway tiles, Kit Kat tiles, or thin tiles vertically can add height to a small bathroom, visually opening up the room to make the ceiling look higher than it really is.

Today’s abundance of tile designs means there’s no shortage of choice when it comes to thin bathroom tiles. You’ll find hundreds of options at Ross’s Discount Home Centre, available at the most competitive prices in Perth.

Below is just a sample of some possible options. Tiles in the Fade and Finger Mosaic range are available in various light colours for those wanting to stay away from an all-white bathroom.

Simple walls, fun floors

Just because it’s wise to choose a plain white wall tile doesn’t mean you have to go boring on your flooring! You can really let your personality shine in your choice of bathroom floor tiles.

There really is no limitation to design options and choices. You can choose dark floors to contrast with white walls and complement the walls with a patterned tile in the same tones; the possibilities are endless.

When it comes to bathroom floor tiles in Perth, you’ll find a great range at Ross’s Discount Home Centre. We have patterned tiles, fun tiles, wood-look tiles, stone-look tiles, concrete-look tiles, and feature tiles that will help you create the small bathroom of your dreams.

Renovating a small bathroom can be tricky, but with the right strategies, you can maximise both space and style. To ensure you’re making the best use of your area, check out these additional resources for more inspiration:

Conclusion

Renovating a small bathroom is a fantastic chance to reimagine the space and renovate like a pro, enhancing every square metre for optimal style, storage, and functionality. By carefully evaluating each element of the existing design, you can create a bathroom that feels both spacious and thoughtfully crafted.

To make the most of your small bathroom renovation, focus on light and brightness by choosing light-coloured tiles and maximising any available natural light. Large mirrors are excellent additions for reflecting light, making the bathroom feel even more open. For storage, look at underutilised spaces and incorporate clever solutions like built-in shelving or vertical storage.

Consider streamlined fixtures: a wall-hung vanity, wall-hung basin, or pedestal basin can free up floor space, while a corner basin optimises those often-overlooked room corners. For the shower area, a frameless shower panel can create an airy, open look, or if you prefer a traditional shower, choose one with a sliding or pivot door to save space. If a bath is on your wishlist, combine it with the shower using a sleek corner freestanding bath and bath screen.

Use vertically laid thin tiles to draw the eye upward, creating the illusion of higher ceilings. For the floor, feel free to play with bold patterns or unique designs—your small bathroom’s floor can be the perfect place to make a stylish statement.

With these tips, you can tackle your small bathroom renovation with confidence, achieving a space that’s functional, visually appealing, and well-equipped for daily use.