Maximize your small bathroom with Studio Athena
Feel like tearing down walls every time you’re in your small bathroom?
Put down that sledgehammer, because we chatted with our design collaborators at Studio Athena, owner and principal designer, Athena Lorenz, and associate designer and drafting technician, Tahne Martin, to find some clever hacks for making small bathrooms look and feel bigger.
Rethink the flow
Lorenz says first things first: “Ask yourself if the current layout is working for you now: what do you like and not like about it?” She notes that getting a professional designer to help strategize the layout with all its complicated moving cabinet drawers, shower doors, and walkthrough flow, can pay off in the long term.
“Often people think a designer is out of their budget, but our input often can save money, especially when we are considering existing plumbing and electrical locations.” she explains.
Martin recalls a past client who was part way through a kitchen remodel when she brought Studio Athena in on the project. The team offered a solution to a flow problem in her space, but the builder was already halfway through wiring a wall that didn’t need to be there. “If only she had called us at the beginning, we could have gotten her the design she wanted from the get-go, saving her a lot of money!”
Light it up
“Lighting can make a space feel bigger. Having your designer create a lighting plan and selecting the proper fixtures for your space, can make a big impact. Also, adding a window, a larger mirror, a skylight or solatube, to draw more light into the space,” says Lorenz.
Light-colored paint can combat the cloistered sensation of a low ceiling. “There is a fifth wall in the room and people forget about it all the time: the ceiling,” Lorenz says. “There are some really fun things you can do up there.”
Another low-ceiling hack is an optical illusion: placing tile vertically. Martin explains “This can elongate the space and make it feel taller than it actually is.”
Make flooring expansive
An open, uncluttered floor is an old trick for expanding the feel of a small space. “Floating vanities, under-mounted sinks—clean lines, in general,” Lorenz lists. “Wall-mounted faucets are really great for keeping the countertop more open. It’s a beautiful look.”
Recently, Studio Athena designed some u-shaped under-sink drawers for a client looking to save space. “We were able to cut around the plumbing inside the vanity so the client could use the drawers to their full potential.”
Martin suggests choosing a large-format tile or strategic pattern placement of flooring or tiles to make the floor feel more spacious. “In general, large tiles are going to make a space feel bigger than a bunch of little tiles with many grout lines, which can make the space feel busier and more closed-in.”
Dos and don’ts of finishes
As a rule, simplifying in a small bathroom is the key to keep it feeling open and uncluttered. “Don’t do several patterns in one room,” Lorenz says. “Let’s say you choose a patterned wallpaper; leave it at that and go with more simple solids or complementary finishes for the other selections.”
Some overly trendy finishes can exaggerate their outdatedness in a small bathroom, like a skinny strip of accent tile in a shower, some glass tiles, or metallic finishes. “It dates the house and it’s not easy to change out in two years.”
Lorenz suggests you avoid using the same dark finish, wood-paneling or other busy wall treatment all over the room, unless you are meaning to go for a more moody look. “It’s okay to do a small accent of something interesting, like wainscotting for instance. In most cases you will want to keep the busy patterns or bold choices to a minimum in a small space, as they can really start to impede on the space and make it feel small.”
When it comes to planning your next remodel…
Lorenz says a designer is important to have at the start of a project. “We’re going to be able to point things out to you that you may not have already considered,” Martin adds.
Studio Athena offers different tiers of involvement in their clients’ remodel projects, whether they want just a simple concept outline to do their own product selection, or a more in-depth design, full product procurement and final styling.
“There’s a lot of choices to be made when it comes to doing a remodel or a construction project, and people get overwhelmed when they start surfing the internet or going to a tile store or appliance store,” Lorenz says. “We get to know you and understand what you want, what you need and what your personal style is, then we bring it down to a few options that will work for you.”
To learn more about Studio Athena, visit their website or check out the Studio Athena portfolio on Houzz and Instagram.
Photos courtesy of Alisha Pallotta and Visualize Photography. Featured projects in collaboration with Dorris Construction, Nautilus Design Studio, Ashland Design Studio, Pine Kitchen and Bath and Hip House LLC.
