Why I ignored everyone’s advice when designing my tiny 2×2m bathroom
You might just find that the conventional choices are the crazy ones after all
Home decorator and content creator Grace H is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design, mixing vintage pieces with new and making personality-filled spaces. See the rest of her articles here.
Designing a bathroom from scratch is one of the most rewarding yet challenging things you can do – not to mention costing an absolute fortune if, like me, you have expensive tastes without the bank balance to back them up.
Our bathroom is teeny-tiny (less than 2m x 2m), and during the renovation, I made a few... controversial design choices. Everyone warned me against my decisions, but by thinking outside the box, we created our dream space. If you're currently planning a remodel, I hope our deep dive inspires you to trust your gut, even when everyone else thinks you've lost it.
1. The great tile rebellion
The default setting for most bathrooms is tiles everywhere. But after inheriting a sterile, cold room with floor-to-ceiling white tiles, I knew I wanted something different. I wanted something softer, warmer, and less... well, "bathroomy."
Initially, I pictured tongue-and-groove panelling on the lower half of the walls with wallpaper on top. However, my other half quickly vetoed the wallpaper, worrying that poor ventilation in such a small space would cause it to peel. After a brief sulk, I moved on to Plan B: a full, dramatic colour drench.
When I pitched the panelling idea to friends and family, the skepticism flooded in. Because we have a shower over the bath, everyone was convinced the wood would get wet, warp, and be ruined in a flash. My secret weapon? A vintage-inspired, wrap-around shower curtain. I reasoned that it would contain the water, while a good extractor fan would handle the humidity.
My dad was entirely unconvinced, uttering the fateful words:
“I’m telling you now, you’ll regret it.”
Do you know what? I don't.
2. The shower curtain logic
My theory worked perfectly. A year and a half later, the tongue-and-groove is still in mint condition. We installed a Victorian-style, wrap-around shower pole suspended from the ceiling. On the outside sits a decorative, waterproof striped curtain to add character and charm; on the inside, two liners keep the water in the bath.
It doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all, and no, the curtain doesn’t cling to you while you wash. It’s actually incredibly spacious, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
2. Re-thinking the storage formula
The obvious way to add storage to a small bathroom is to install a vanity unit to hide away ugly toiletries. That was our original plan, and we even had a custom unit made. But once it was in the room, it looked incredibly chunky and made the space feel half its size. (The failed vanity has since found a second life as a bar cart downstairs!)
Instead, we decided to build a bespoke cabinet to sit on the ledge running along the sink and toilet wall. But this presented a new problem: if a massive cupboard was occupying the wall, where would the shower head go?
Showers don’t have to be wall-mounted
Back on went my thinking cap. I started researching ceiling-mounted shower heads and found they are surprisingly easy to source. After a quick explanation and some random scribbles on scrap paper, my brother-in-law extraordinaire – who was fitting the bathroom for us – made it a reality. Leaving the wall free of shower plumbing meant my storage dreams could finally come true.
Sinks matter
With storage sorted, we could keep the sink super simple. We chose a period-inspired pedestal sink with an integrated towel rail to keep things neat. Getting rid of a boxy floor unit meant you could see more of the floor, creating the optical illusion of a much larger room.
3. The pink bath of my dreams
Once the shower situation was resolved, I finally realised my childhood dream of owning a freestanding bath. It’s not the obvious choice for a tiny room, and because I wanted it painted in a bold pop of colour, the naysayers returned. I was told it was a terrible idea and that the paint would chip instantly.
By this point, you might notice a theme: I didn't listen. Today, there isn’t a single chip or flake of paint in sight. It looks just as vibrant as the day it was painted.
4. Making a small bathroom even smaller
In a move that defied all logic, we actually brought our walls inward to hide a concealed toilet cistern. We also squared off the external window wall to allow for a deeper windowsill. My dad’s voice was ringing in my ears once again: “Who makes a small bathroom even smaller?!”
But I knew in my gut it would look more streamlined. Zero regrets! We now have two highly usable ledges (the windowsill and the ledge running across the toilet wall) that weren’t there before. They are the perfect perch for everyday essentials like toothbrushes and room spray, and even the occasional bunch of fresh flowers.
5. Saving on walls, splurging on floors
Because we saved so much money by skipping wall tiles, we had room left in the budget to spend on the floor. It was love at first sight when I found our statement floor tiles online, and the entire colour scheme of the bathroom ended up being based around them.
If you’re reading this and thinking you need to reign in your own design ideas to play it safe, take a second look at your plans. You might just find that the conventional choices are the crazy ones after all. The Moral of the Story
Trust your gut and don't be afraid to deviate from the standard manual. So many people made me question whether I was delusional or whether my ideas were even physically possible. It turns out they were – I just wasn't doing things the conventional way.
