How to
Furnish a Small Bathroom

Many of us have to work with limited space in the bathroom, so creativity is needed most here. Small bathrooms, like any small space in the home, don't have to be less accommodating; on the contrary, they can be embellished with lavish materials or luxurious accessories.

The fact that your space may be limited can work to your advantage: it means that even the smallest details will go a long way.  Take stock of what you've got. Consider square footage. Where should storage go? Look for ways to create zones within the room, and try to organize areas by activities – like a wet zone for bathing, a grooming zone for hair and make-up, and a relaxing zone for resting. Design is, after all, in the details. Styling a bath is as much a process of planning as of decorating. Be creative in your choices of the little things and keep in mind that it doesn't take much to make a dramatic change in the bath. Adding something as simple as a beautiful storage console with a few shelves dedicated to found objects and others to wicker basket storage can dress up even the smallest powder room.

Remember mirrors are an important element in any small space. Furnish a small bathroom with a single large mirror or a grouping of mirrors in different styles and sizes. This is an easy update that will make a smaller bathroom feel roomier, and will also beautifully reflect the light that is often at a minimum in a small bathroom. In addition to size, shape and number, consider frame style and material, including, of course, the mirror that's integral to the medicine chest.

Choose bathroom wall color to increase the sense of spaciousness in a small room. Color affects not only mood but the perception of space. Light colors, pastels and neutrals tend to make spaces feel more expansive. Because there are so many variables, it's best to experiment with a few shades before choosing a wall color. Select hues that make you look and feel wonderful. Then view test swatches under various types of illumination over the course of the day to see which ones work in your room.

A small bathroom affords just as much room for imaginative accessorizing as a larger bath. Surround yourself with objects you love in this most private and personal room. Don't forget soft goods. Towels, robes, bathmats, shower curtains, window treatments and upholstery fabrics will give you a chance to play with hue and pattern, to lift your spirits with bold color or high contrast, or to layer neutral upon neutral and texture upon texture. As for other small details – soaps or family photographs, bath beads or drifts of sea glass – delight in the fact that they offer the possibility of infinite change, and take advantage of it regularly.

When space is at a premium, choose elements that do more than just look good. Containers can house soaps or cotton balls, potpourri or toothbrushes, flower arrangements or bath salts. Choose vessels of all sorts: lidded apothecary jars offer elegant storage for bath soaps and cotton balls; tub caddies span the width of a tub and keep supplies at bathers' fingertips.