Create a bathroom that looks stylish and feels spacious – whatever its size.
If you want your bathroom to be a spa-style retreat, you need to keep pampering accessories on hand but out of sight. It’s easy to achieve this with clever furniture choices, even if your space is limited. Get started with these smart ideas.
Highlights from the Rexa Esperanto collection at Day True include this pair of matt lacquer cupboards from £900 each.
Start with storage
Store everyday toiletries in an over-basin cabinet. A recessed cabinet is the sleekest option as it sits flush to the wall (use a stud finder to identify the position of any wall studs); an easier-to-install option is a wall-mounted cabinet. If your space is small, check measurements carefully to ensure the cabinet doesn’t protrude too much.
If you have a particularly small bathroom, a clever corner cabinet teamed with a corner basin or vanity unit will make excellent use of space. Find affordable options at www.bathstore.com and www.screwfix.com.
Shop around: some bathroom cabinets come with additional features to make your morning routine easier. These include shaver sockets, adjustable shelves, LED lighting and demister pads for a steam-free mirror. Most cabinets feature a mirror – essential for checking one’s appearance and bouncing light around the room to make it feel more spacious.
This recessed cabinet from Utopia in Eton Oak has a central sliding mirror with concealed shelving, LED downlight and a shaver socket. Priced £1,029.
The Edition 400 mirror cabinet by Keuco is available in various sizes, recessed or wall-mounted, from £1,442 at West One Bathrooms.
Think tall
Wall-mounting a tall cabinet is an excellent way to increase storage without taking up precious floor space. Its slender design won’t dominate the bathroom either. In fact, it’ll draw the eye upwards, creating the appearance of height.
Perfect for keeping things organised in the bathroom, the Ebony mirrored wall unit from BagnoDesign is part of the Bloomsbury collection and priced at £1,799.
From Frontline’s new Aquanatural range, this tall wall-hung unit (£620) provides helpful additional storage for a family bathroom.
On the move
If your storage needs are likely to change, freestanding furniture is a good choice. Simply rearrange or replace it as necessary. If your preference is for an eclectic aesthetic, source furniture from different suppliers to make sure your bathroom doesn’t feel sterile or bland.
This Mesh hanging locker, £469 from Bowles & Bowles, features a lower compartment with a hanging rail and an upper compartment with space for folded items.
Artline bathroom furniture from Aston Matthews is available in either solid teak or oak. Shown is a column unit in teak (£1,036) and a twin basin unit (£4,037).
On display
Add interest to a functional bathroom by displaying your favourite candles and perfumes. Either wall-mount an open shelving unit so you don’t have to compromise on floor space, or focus on flexibility with a freestanding unit than can be moved around. Can’t find one to suit? Consider repurposing a vintage armoire.
Available in Gloss White, Funghi Gloss (pictured), Aubergine Satin, Smoke Satin and Oceano Satin, this tall shelving unit from the Mezzanine collection by BagnoDesign is priced at £745.
The Byte 2.0 collection by Mastella at Alternative Bathrooms includes an open unit in a wood finish called Tranche Chiaro. Price for all: £4,698.
Best of both
Strike a compromise between open and closed storage with a cabinet that incorporates both. Roca’s Gap Column unit is an excellent example. By leaving the centre section open, Roca has created an attractive design detail that allows for favourite lotions and potions to be on display. Other bathroom essentials can be hidden behind closed doors to create a clutter-free space.
Offering open and closed storage, the Gap Column unit from Roca is priced at £537.
The virtues of a vanity
Comprising a basin and generous cupboard or drawer space underneath, a vanity unit is a simple storage solution. If your bathroom is on the small side, make the most of available space with either a wall-mounted vanity or a triangular-shaped unit slotted into an unused corner.
Read more about buying a bathroom vanity here.
This two-drawer vanity unit from the Iveo collection at Ripples is priced from £842.
Fired Earth‘s Charlbury wall-hung oak cabinet in Rose White costs £750 with an oak top as shown. It is also available with tops in marble and Caesar stone (prices vary). Bowls and taps are sold separately.