The bath in our master b/r is 4 x 5. There is a 42 in fiberglass shower stall on one wall, an 18 in vanity w/single sink, and a toilet, on the adjacent wall; and a single window in the middle of the outside wall. We are looking for a way to make it nicer w/o major reconstruction.

One thing that will really help open the space is to ditch the vanity and get a pedestal sink. They are not too hard to install and faucet installation is easy when in 2 peices. A nice shelf between the sink and mirror/medicine cabinet provides space for toothbrushes, etc, to make up for the vanity-top loss.

A cabinet or 2 corner cabinets over the toilet will help with storage. For the window, I went with inside-mount coverings. Don't be afraid of color for the walls. White does not open a small space. Ditch towel-bars for towel-hooks and viola! More space.

My master bath is tiny like yours as well. I gave it to my hubby while my teen daughter and I share the guestbath...gearing up for a full remodel on it this summer.


Good luck and have FUN!
Janet

Many of us have baths about this size. I would never do away with the vanity as we need the storage space. Besides it is below eye height and does not add visually to the bulk too much.

Pick a color that is close to the same color as your shower. Do not use window curtains unless it is a flat valance. You don't need extra "fluff". On the same line don't have any more towels hanging than absolutely nhecessary... not that you have the room anyway.

On the other hand, small is small. You could paint it in a dark color and make it just all the more cozy.

I also have a very small master bath. There's no way I'd give up the vanity for a pedestal sink because I need the storage (if nothing else it'll hold extra toilet paper). I also plan to build a shelf that will abutt the ceiling (standard ceiling height). I plan to paint it the same color as the wall and put rolled towels there. The shelf should fit nicely above the window.

I'd definitely replace the vanity w/a pedestal sink it will absolutely make the room feel larger. My sister did it to her bathroom and it feels so much bigger since she put the pedestal sink in. The house we had growing up had a pedestal sink, the room was huge but there was no storage in it, we just used the linen closet in the hall for storage. You can get used to anything even if that means storing your extra toilet paper, hair dryer etc in your master bedroom closet. Trust me that's how we grew up, we kept our hair dryers in our bedroom and the rest of the bathroom products like toilet paper, towels etc were all in the linen closet. We are replacing our vanity sink in our upstairs bathroom w/a pedestal to make the room feel larger, it's 9 x 7, we are going to do built-ins on one wall, three drawers on the bottom and a large cabinet w/two glass doors on the top (we will be stealing space from the guestroom to do the built-ins but only by about a foot). We currently use the guest bedroom closet as our linen closet to store towels, toilet paper etc.

This is the built-in we are planning on doing or something very similar to it
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v379/rykersmom/house/...5_05_31-17_12_56.jpg

This message has been edited. Last edited by: beantown2008,

Steering clear of any major construction, I would say your best bet for making this bathroom look a little nicer is to update the vanity, replacing it with one that's style echoes the feel you want for the room. Taking advantage of wall space, you could probably even find a nice coordinating mirror/medicine cabinet combo which will complete the look and provide additional storage space. A great site I've come across during various searches for bathroom furniture is www.JustVanities.com. I know a few people who have actually called their customer service reps and they had wonderful experiences. The reps gave great advice and also helped to place their order!

Scaled-down fixtures can be a blessing in a tiny bathroom but you have to be careful that they are actually usable. A toilet, sink or tub slightly smaller than average can make your bathroom look more expansive, especially in rented apartments where you cannot build additions to your home or break down a wall or closet to free more space for your bath. Small and petite fixtures are available with many customized options and you can find some easily in specialty showrooms. They are available in lots of colors, shapes and patterns and are often available at same or slightly higher price than standard models.