Make Your Small Bathroom Seem Bigger With 10 Clever Ideas From HGTV Stars

Tricking the eye into thinking a bathroom is bigger than it actually is takes some talent. Luckily, it's something that top designers, contractors, and real estate agents have all mastered over their many years in the field. Sometimes the process is just a quick fix, like raising the shower curtain a few extra inches to draw the eye higher, or adding better storage solutions to free up more space. In other cases, however, you might need more sweat equity and a bigger budget to really make the area work for you. For example, do you really need that spa bathtub, or would having room to actually turn around inside your bathroom make it worth it to remove it? 

Regardless of your budget, DIY experience, or the size of the space you're working with, there is a solution out there to make your bathroom seem a little bit roomier. These are the best ways to make your small bathroom appear bigger, featuring some clever ideas from your favorite HGTV stars.

Bathtubs are one of life's little luxuries, but in a small bathroom, they can be a real waste of space. They can be bulky and overall just in the way. So, if yours isn't being used regularly, Jenny Todryk recommends that you get rid of it to reclaim valuable square feet. In Season 1, Episode 4 of "No Demo Reno," the star tells viewers, "[My client] told me that the tub never gets used, which is square footage that's totally wasted. So, I'll remove the tub and create a much bigger, more generous shower."

In the end, the shower expanded a few inches, while the rest of the space was transformed into a storage bench. This is one of Todryk's best bathroom designs because it's realistic. If you are struggling with the amount of square feet available to you, take stock of what you use in your bathroom and what you don't. If you plan to remain in your house for the long term, taking out the tub shouldn't hurt resale value. In fact, plenty of people remove tubs in favor of showers, so the next owner might even thank you for making a small space more liveable for them. 

Bathrooms typically require a lot of storage to keep the home's toiletries, first aid kit, and cleaning supplies all organized. And in a tight fit, space is already at a premium. However, Nate Berkus has a tip to maximize space in a small bathroom, and that's to add large floating shelves. That's exactly what he did on an episode of "Tasty Home," where he helped redesign the storage space for a client's cramped bathroom. "There's this whole span of wall over the towel bar that's not being utilized," he pointed out. "I would run two floating shelves, one on top of the other, all the way across, and have some baskets sitting on those shelves." 

This is a great storage trick that can work with any style. For example, Fixwal's Set of Three Floating Shelves has a rustic look and a bonus cubby that's perfect for storing toilet paper. For a more modern look, Yieach's 4-Pack of Acrylic Shelves are sleekly designed and can be mounted with adhesive, which is perfect for renters. If the shelving is mounted a bit too high to see the contents clearly, you may need help remembering what is inside each basket. So, Berkus recommends using a label maker to label what's inside each bin. A highly rated one is the Brother P-Touch PT-N20 Label Maker, which comes with three fonts and seven different font styles.

In a small bathroom, your bulky toiletry bottles — like shampoo, conditioner, and shaving cream — can take up way too much space. Having them sitting on the floor in the shower isn't ideal, but keeping them on a storage stand can also make the space feel cramped. Luckily, Sabrina Soto has the perfect solution.

"This is a great space-saving tip for small bathrooms, whether you're moving into a dorm or you have a pedestal sink and not enough storage," she said on TikTok. "The trick is to use a shower curtain with pockets. It's a liner, so you can face it on the inside if you need more space for shampoos and conditioners. Or, if you need more storage around your sink, face it on the outside for toiletries."

If you find yourself needing storage on both sides of the shower stall, there is no harm in doubling up and making use of the inside and outside at the same time. While Soto doesn't recommend a specific brand of curtain, this PEVA Shower Curtain from AmazonBasics has great reviews, as does this Black Fabric Liner from N&Y Home.

One of the most powerful weapons you have against crowding in your small bathroom is good lighting, at least according to Mike Holmes. "Lighting is essential to create a bright and airy feel. And for small bathrooms, keeping the colors white or light will also make the space feel bigger," he wrote on his blog, Make It Right. "When it comes to lighting small bathrooms, try to be creative by choosing light fixtures that maximize functionality and aesthetics."

In a larger bathroom, the main fixture, typically on the ceiling, does most of the work. However, in smaller spaces, layers of lighting can help create a more expansive look. "Install vertical lights instead of ceiling lights or mirrored cabinets to provide function and style," he wrote. 

For Holmes, smaller spaces need lots of little lights to work together to highlight different parts of the room, making it look larger. He recommends things like under-cabinet strip lights, like the 6-Pack option from Wobane, or small pendant lights, like KCO Lighting's Industrial Mini Light Fixtures. Yet his favorite option is recessed lighting.  "The area around the bath or shower can benefit from recessed lighting," Holmes continued. "Make the shower or bath look bigger by lighting the wall instead of putting the lights in the center of the space."

If you want to make a big change in your bathroom in just a few minutes without spending any money, Lyndsay Lamb has the perfect idea. "I haven't actually tried this myself BUT I have heard it is a tip that works wonders!" she wrote on her blog, Lamb and Company. The idea is simple and doesn't take any DIY knowledge. "Raise the shower bar higher to the ceiling and pair it with an extra-long shower curtain," she said. "This elongates the space and adds more of a luxurious look to the bath."

The reason this trick makes the bathroom look bigger is because it makes the most of the space that's already there but is often not used enough — vertical square feet. If the shower bar is higher, your eyes are drawn upward so you notice every inch of the room. Especially when paired with a long, flowy option, like the 84-inch Shower Curtain from Dynamene. If you find that you can't move your shower bar, you might need to swap out the permanent option for a tension rod, like this Adjustable Shower Rod from Teeck.

In a small bathroom, Joanna Gaines recommends keeping the color scheme softer so that it doesn't visually overwhelm the space. In a short video called "Small-Space Design Tips from Joanna," the star shows off a small bathroom she designed that was only 45 square feet. She explained the importance of keeping the space airy, saying that she "chose a lighter color material for the flooring, and the countertops, and the cabinets." These colors tie everything together nicely and aren't bold enough to overwhelm the compact area. 

She also emphasized how even the smallest of details, like the shower curtain, can work into the bigger picture of making the room seem, well, bigger. "It's white, but it still has a ton of texture and layers," she pointed out. "So it makes a big statement, but it's still a really light and airy color." This White Ruffle Shower Curtain from WestWeir looks very similar to the option featured in the clip. To echo this design concept, keep the rest of the textiles, like towels and bath mats, light and bright to further add to the airiness of the space.

Sometimes the best trick for keeping your small bathroom from actually feeling its size is to float some of the necessary elements. To this end, Jasmine Roth recommends using floating cabinets to create the illusion of more space. Since they don't touch the ground, it prevents things from feeling too crowded. "By keeping the cabinet off the floor, it makes the room feel bigger," she said of the bathroom vanity, showing off a recent renovation on TikTok.

Not only did she choose a floating vanity, but she selected one with drawers rather than shelves. This is one of her best tips for making a small bathroom seem bigger because "it also gives you a whole lot more usable storage," she continued. Shelves can be cumbersome to access, especially the very back. However, with drawers, you can comfortably slide them out and view the content. This way, you can easily use every inch of storage space. Plus, drawers are simple to fit organizers inside, like this 25-piece Clear Plastic Set from Vtopmart, to make even more efficient use of the space.

Drew and Jonathan Scott prefer to focus on storage when working with smaller bathrooms. They are quick to remind fans that for these spaces to work, you really have to plan ahead. This often means thinking through storage options well in advance. That way, when it comes time to set the room up, everything has a place to go. "There are creative solutions like kick plate storage, hanging racks that can go inside your cabinets or on the backs of doors, and organizers in your drawers," they told MyDomaine. "Avoid the room looking cluttered, but bring your storage A-game."

This emphasis on storage is one of their rules for styling small bathrooms because of how visually overwhelming clutter can be. When you don't have a designated spot for everything, it can cause chaos and instantly shrink an already tiny space. Kick plate storage simply refers to drawers installed behind your vanity's toe kick, so all of the available space is used. For hanging racks, try this Over The Door Hook from DOKU. As for drawer organizers, this Expandable Bamboo option from Pipishell is a popular choice.

When a pattern or material starts on the floor but continues up to the ceiling, it creates a fun visual effect. This draws the eye upward to take in every bit of the space, thus making the area seem larger. In Season 12, Episode 12 of "Love It or List It," host Hilary Farr uses this clever tiling trick during a particularly challenging renovation. There was a very limited amount of square feet available in the couple's half-finished basement, and Farr hardly had any cash to work with, as most of it was spent on a new HVAC system. 

So she worked her magic and created a more spacious-looking bathroom by using a mosaic of small tiles that reached up to the ceiling. As a bonus, she also used the same tile on the bathroom floor, creating a seamless look. "It is huge!" the homeowner exclaimed upon seeing the final result, even though it wasn't actually a big space at all. This strategy can be used with other types of tiles as well. Sleek rectangular tiles can visually heighten a space when installed vertically all the way up to the ceiling. Or, consider continuing a large format-tiled shower to include an extra wall or two. This can help the room feel bigger while also making it easy to clean.

In an "Ask Genevieve" web exclusive, designer Genevieve Gorder introduced audiences to a couple who have everything they want, except enough space in the bathroom. "[They are] that perfect couple, and they have the perfect little house. Except for this very imperfect little bathroom that I think I'm going to be dealing with. When I say little, I mean little," Gorder said.

The key to fixing this is to engage in a little bit of visual trickery. "When you lead the eye up, all of a sudden, we're focusing on all the vertical instead of the tiny little horizontal that you have on the bottom," Gorder explained. In addition to raising the tile line and shower curtain, she had one more trick up her sleeve. "To draw the eye upwards, we are going to paint bold, gold stripes on the ceiling," she continued. 

Knowing how to easily paint your ceiling can go a long way to helping you reclaim space. However, it doesn't have to be striped like in this example. You may opt for a bold hue against white walls or even use wallpaper in something like a powder room where there will be little chance of mold.