We equip a bathroom of 3 and 4 sq.m rationally and conveniently
Bathrooms in apartment buildings built in the last century sometimes had an area of less than 4 square meters, there were rooms whose square did not exceed 2.5 square meters. And yet, these were more likely exceptions. Currently, most of the apartments, from the so-called old housing stock, can “boast” rooms for water treatments with an area of approximately 4 square meters. And as we all perfectly understand, in this modest room it is necessary to place not only a bath or shower, but also the attributes of a bathroom - a toilet bowl and a sink. This is a very real task, with a successful layout of plumbing, you can also leave free space in the bathroom. Let's take a closer look at how to arrange the attributes for water and hygiene procedures, decorate the room and which accessories to use in order to not only achieve a comfortable placement, but also visually expand the space.
For bathrooms of modest sizes, there are not many design rules that help visually expand the space:
- the use of light colors in the decoration;
- the use of the lighting system at several levels (one ceiling lamp will not be enough);
- the use of mirrors;
- if glass is used, it is better to choose transparent options;
- the use of as little furniture as possible, only the necessary storage systems.
But there are several constructive ways to use all the provided bathroom space to the maximum. For example, you can install the so-called cantilevered toilet, the tank of which is "recessed into the wall." Due to such designs, about 20-30 cm of usable space is saved, and as we understand it, every centimeter counts in a compact and incredibly functional bathroom room.
Due to the competent use of a niche for plumbing systems, you can buy a small, but a place to store supplies of toilet paper or cleaning and detergents.
Sometimes, to increase the usable space of a small bathroom, it is necessary to move the doorway to completely free the wall for installing the bathtub.
If you clean the bath and install a shower cabin instead, then part of the free space can be used for the built-in storage system. Whether it will be open shelves for storing towels and bathrobes or closed cabinets for detergents and cleaners - you decide.
Methods for decorating a small bathroom
In fact, the area of the bathroom practically does not affect the choice of finishing method. It is obvious to everyone that for surfaces with the highest humidity you can’t come up with a better finish than ceramic tiles and mosaics; we see them most often in showers and on an apron near the bathtub in design projects around the world. In the spacious bathrooms that private houses can boast, the bath can be placed even in the center of the room, and in this case, there are much more possibilities for wall decoration, up to the use of moisture-proof wallpapers. In a room for water procedures with an area of 4 square meters, it is obvious that the bath is located near one of the walls and this surface will be the most loaded in terms of temperature changes and increased humidity.
Ceramic tile
Ceramic tile is the most popular facing material for bathroom surfaces, subject to constant exposure to moisture. Ceramic tile has not only high qualities of moisture resistance and resistance to temperature changes, it is a durable, reliable, wear-resistant and relatively inexpensive material for finishing any surfaces. Among the shortcomings of ceramic tiles as an option for finishing bathroom surfaces, we can name only the complexity of installation and its high cost.
Ceramic tile "metro", which is a rectangular tile, which, as a rule, are located in the form of brickwork, is one of the most popular types of tiles for decorating bathrooms for many years. White tile "metro", which in our country is often called "boar" is usually accompanied by a dark grout, to create a contrasting appearance
Porcelain stoneware - ceramic tiles with enhanced properties of resistance to mechanical stress and resistance to chips previously used mainly only for flooring. Now you can find many design projects in which the walls and floor of the bathroom are decorated with tiles of the same color and size. The impressive dimensions of such tiles provide a high installation speed, but there will be more waste (but it all depends on the shape of the room and its design features).
Mosaic
Mosaic, along with ceramic tiles has all the advantages for the possibility of durable lining of surfaces subject to high humidity and temperature extremes. But this material also has its own advantages - the ability to clad complex surfaces and shapes: round, arch-shaped, niches and ledges. Mosaic can be applied to absolutely any material of the surface, including it can be lined with a bathtub or sink. The light blue mosaic for decorating a cheap cabin in a snow-white bathroom went perfectly - bright, cool image, filled with lightness and pacification, comfortable for most homeowners.
As a rule, a mosaic with small chips (elements) is produced in the form of small square or rectangular blocks, which greatly speeds up the installation process. The mosaic pattern, called "pixel", is very popular for decorating bathrooms especially - contrasting, interesting combinations of several shades of the same color look very impressive.
Mosaic is perfect for decorating individual elements of the room - edging around the perimeter of the room, highlighting the space around the mirror or sink, zoning segments of water and sanitary procedures.
Waterproof plaster and stain
This finishing material is most often used in areas with the lowest humidity - a sector under the ceiling, a space near the toilet and on the opposite side of the room from the location of the bath. The rich color palette, low cost and the possibility of self-application pushes many homeowners to use such finishing materials. Among other advantages, it is possible to note the simplicity of changing the image of the bathroom, which cannot be said about facing with ceramic tiles or mosaics.
Obviously, in places of the greatest accumulation of moisture. Such as a shower and an apron near a bathtub, a sink, it is impossible to apply painting and plastering surfaces, such repairs will not last even a year.
Vinyl moisture resistant wallpaper
Until recently, wallpapers were rare guests in bathrooms for obvious reasons of quick wetting and a very short lifespan. Currently, vinyl moisture-proof wallpapers are able to tolerate a low level of humidity very adequately. But even under such conditions, their placement near work areas is undesirable. But the wall near the toilet or exit is a good place. With the help of a colorful pattern or bright colors, you can create an accent in the interior of even a small bathroom.
Moderate bathroom color palette
Of course, a bright and even snow-white palette is the first thing that comes to our mind when planning the color scheme of a room with a very modest area. White color will not only visually expand the space, but also help to relax, clear thoughts, calm emotions after a hard day and get ready for bed. But a completely white bathroom can be associated with a sterile hospital operating room. To avoid an annoying comparison, it is enough to bring a couple of accent, bright spots to the interior of the bathroom. It can be either part of the trim or accessories. You can just hang bright towels and put a rug near the sink. Changing these simple "thinners" of the color scheme (and doing it with little financial cost), you can make changes to the image of the room for water procedures.
Bright accents in the decoration of a snow-white bathroom look very impressive, energize you in the morning during the necessary water and hygiene procedures.
The use of white color only for the ceiling and the upper part of the walls of the bathroom, and for the rest of the area - bright ceramic tiles, leads to the creation of an interesting, positive and even elegant image of the room.
A light beige palette for decorating bathrooms is a fairly common option. This is not surprising, because beige tones have a very favorable effect on our psyche, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere for taking a bath and relaxing.
Creating a contrasting bathroom interior with a classic combination of black and white tones is not difficult. It is only important to remember that for small rooms, it is still better to adhere to a snow-white palette, and use dark tones in a metered, accented way.
Choose compact and multi-functional plumbing and furniture
Modern manufacturers of sanitary ware offer us many interesting options that can not only save the useful space of our small bathrooms, but can also perform several functions at once. When planning a compact bathroom, do not forget to pay attention to the so-called combined plumbing. For example, a bathtub combined with a shower is a good option for performing at least two functions on the same area. On sale there are small water lily sinks that can be installed above the washing machine (if your bathroom needs to be installed). Obviously, such designs significantly save the space of modest bathrooms. It is only necessary to take into account that such sinks are suitable for those homeowners whose washing machines have a front loading option. In addition, there are models of toilets that combine the functions of a bidet. Such plumbing can be presented in two ways - for the first you will need to install a mini-shower near the toilet, the second is a water supply system built into the toilet lid (there are even models with the possibility of heating water). The second model is the most advantageous for small rooms, it does not require additional installations and costs, but it itself has a fairly high cost.
The shower room located in the bathtub is the most common combinatorics of two useful functions within a small space. It is best to equip such a bath with a glass partition in the area where the water attributes are located. But for some models, waterproof curtains will be an excellent solution.
If you have a separate room for the arrangement of the bathroom, and there is no need to integrate the toilet and sink into the bathroom, then the installation of a shower and a large bath is possible in a room with an area of less than 4 sq.m.
The only piece of furniture in small bathrooms, as a rule, is a cabinet or any other storage system located under the sink. Its execution is not only the possibility of organizing the storage of useful objects and accessories for water procedures, but also the introduction of color and texture diversity in the interior of the room. Not to mention the fact that plumbing communications are hidden in the space of dressers or stands.
Small spaces of bathrooms push owners to interesting design tricks. For example, the location of shelves for towels under the ceiling above the toilet area. They will not hurt anyone, but at the same time they can serve as a fairly capacious storage system.
A shallow hinged cabinet with a mirror door will perform two functions at once - it will provide you with a mirror and a storage system for medicines, for example.
Unusual plumbing or how to integrate interesting models into a small space
An interesting form of bath can be a highlight of the interior. For such models, the simplest, most neutral finish is enough. They will still be the focal points of the room.
An unusual sink can decorate a small room and even determine the style of its design, become a focal and focal point.
Decoration of a bathroom with an area of 4sq.m
Only at first glance it may seem that such modest rooms do not need decor and he can only make them heavier. If you correctly used the installation of plumbing, chose a color palette that visually expands the room, then for a modest decor there is always a place. For example, you will still hang a mirror above the sink, so why not use an interesting frame for it? If your bathtub needs a curtain, then why not make an effort to choose it and find a non-trivial model?
A living plant located in a bathroom with a contrasting interior, in which white predominates, will not only look spectacular and dilute the color scheme of the room, but will also become a bright accent.
Not every bathroom has a window and. accordingly, the need for decoration. But for rooms with natural light, as a window opening decor, roller blinds or Roman curtains made of waterproof material, which looks very much like ordinary textiles, are best.
The lighting system performs two functions at once - in addition to providing the necessary level of illumination of the room, it decorates it. Even for a bathroom of small sizes, as a rule, there is a lack of only a ceiling chandelier or lamp. It is also necessary to ensure sufficient illumination of the mirror using built-in lighting devices or wall sconces.
In bathrooms do not accept the use of pendant lighting fixtures - chandeliers. But if the chandelier is not located in a zone of high humidity, i.e. not above the bath, a similar option can be considered taking into account the rules for conducting electrical wiring in rooms with high humidity.