This small guest/family bathroom design was one of two existing bathrooms that we renovated in the Alder Road Project. The project was a full property transformation, where we extended into the side return of a ground floor Victorian flat to create a larger living area and an extra bedroom and half bath.
Read more about the Alder Road Project here:
Side Return Extension Plans Hallway Renovation Master En-Suite Renovation
The Befores & The Brief
While there was nothing wrong with the bathroom before, we wanted to update it to compliment the renovations we had planned throughout the rest of the property.
Small Bathroom Design Plans
This is the main bathroom that guests will use, and also the primary family bathroom. It sits off the hallway between the master bedroom and the nursery.
The foot print is small, and the layout already worked as efficiently as it could. We kept everything where it was, and simply made cosmetic changes to the the finishes and fixtures.
The vibe in the adjoining hallway is light and bright and neutral. We wanted to echo that, and maximise the sense of space. With that in mind, we chose a warm shade of off-white (Farrow & Ball James White), paired with matt black fixtures, a bespoke vanity unit, and graphic porcelain floor tiles.
Small Bathroom Renovation Reveal
An off-white glazed tile in the shower helps reflect light, and the rustic finish adds texture and interest. Laying them in a vertical stacked design also helps enhance the ceiling height.
Geometric floor tiles ground the space. Although the star design comes in a cement or porcelain option, we opted for porcelain because it still has a good slip rating but it’s thinner, easier to maintain, and more affordable than cement.
Because the space is narrow, we chose a shallow back to wall toilet with a concealed cistern enclosed in a bespoke vanity unit. It’s still tight, but it did allow us to increase space for foot flow compared to the previous bathroom layout.
The vanity is painted in Farrow & Ball Railings, and was designed to allow for storage and counter space. Rope baskets on the bottom shelf hold toiletries and loo rolls, and add an extra layer of texture.
We had to swap the light fixture in the bathroom mood board because of restrictions on where we could hang it due to the internal structure of the walls. The original fixture had a longer drop, which ended up sitting right between your face and the mirror if you were taller than 5’6″, so we swapped it for a linear fixture with industrial vibes.
We added modern, matt black drawer handles to the vanity, to match the radiator, tapware and shower doors. And a simple wall vase with some dried foliage, because every space needs something organic, even where real plants aren’t an option.
The minimal black frame on the shower doors adds another industrial design detail to this small bathroom, while again working to maximise the feeling of space.
On balance, the overall vibe in this small guest/family bathroom is clean, fresh and modern. Which compliments design details in the new extension and creates visual flow throughout the entire property.
