Bathroom flooring tips to create the illusion of space

There’s a reason why bathrooms, shower rooms and WCs are generally referred to as the smallest room in the house. It’s because they usually are! If the bathroom spaces in your home look and feel too cramped for comfort, you may think you’d have to get the builders in to solve the problem. However, with a bit of imagination, you can make the most of the space you have available, using visual trickery to create the illusion of more space. How?

Clever bathroom flooring is where it’s at. The type of flooring, colours and patterns you choose for your bathroom can make a significant different to the overall visual impact of the room. Select from an array of practical and durable flooring products widely available in the marketplace, including natural stone tiles and ceramics, laminate flooring, rubber and luxury vinyl tiles. Use the genius bathroom flooring tips and tricks below to make even the smallest room feel airy and look spacious.

  1. Bring in maximum light

Ask any interior designer and they will tell you that light equals space as far as the eye is concerned. Lighter colours make a room feel not only brighter but bigger too, so use this knowledge to your advantage when it comes to decorating your bathroom. Stick to a white, off-white and pale neutral colour palette when you choose your bathroom floor, wall colour and sanitaryware.

Unlike other rooms in the house where this type of colour scheme might be considered too clinical, it’s perfect for a bathroom setting where hygiene and cleanliness are most definitely next to godliness. For a slightly softer look, why not introduce pastel shades and a range of textures and materials, as in the picture below?

Source: Harvey Maria

 

  1. Harmonise your colour scheme

If you want to achieve a more unified aesthetic in the bathroom or shower room, you could go a step further and match the colours used on the wall and floor – or even install the same tiles for both. Blurring the edges between vertical and horizontal bathroom surfaces will confuse the eye and add to the illusion of more generous space.

What’s more, you could blend in the bathroom door and storage cupboards, and fit underfloor heating instead of a radiator, saving space and adding comfort. The final result will be a streamlined, uncluttered look for your bathroom or WC that will ooze calm, comfort and, ultimately, spaciousness.

Source: Bidivine

 

  1. Use a diagonal flooring pattern

The great advantage of floor tiles, whether stone, rubber or vinyl, is that these can be laid in a broad variety of attractive patterns and different directions. From brick to checkerboard, basket to herringbone and more, each option has its own characteristics. Why not consult an experienced bathroom tiler or interior designer to discuss the best option for your bathroom?

When it comes to installing the floor, laying tiles at an angle as opposed to a straight line is a tried and tested design trick that guides the eye into a different perspective. Since the diagonal line between the corners of the room is the longest distance, laying tiles in that direction will make the room appear larger than it really is.

Source: Steering News

 

  1. Make the room look longer/wider

Narrow shower rooms and downstairs WCs can be awkward spaces. Luckily, there are design tricks to make the space appear longer or wider. Instead of choosing square tiles, look for long, plank shaped floor tiles. These tend to come in a variety of plank widths – make sure you get the fattest ones. With fewer seems between laid rows of flooring, the result will look less cluttered to the eye, creating a more open pattern.

For the best visual impact, you should install the planks so that they are parallel to the longest wall in the bathroom, drawing the eye along the seams. You can also attract the eye by choosing a darker colour for the floor than the walls, particularly you are designing a bright room with plenty of natural light. Add recessed downlighters for brightness if necessary.

Source: Ideal Home

 

  1. Choose a coastal bathroom theme

Bathrooms lend themselves beautifully to a beach or seaside theme – after all, it’s all about the water’s edge. Incorporate all the obvious natural elements to help you make the space feel serene and relaxing while creating the illusion of space.

Stick to a colour palette of whites, neutrals and pale blues. Select plank tiles that look like sun bleached driftwood and add seagrass baskets to evoke ‘beach house chic’. Team with a cool white bathroom suite and matching walls.

The image below uses mosaic swimming pool tiles in different blues to great effect, but you could paint the walls the colour of the summer sky instead and add the odd coastal themed accessory to create a calm and light ambience in which to relax.

Source: Elle Decor