by Laura Lee Winger

Created on: August 26, 2010   Last Updated: August 27, 2010

Many homes, especially older ones, have bathrooms that can't accurately be described as spacious, luxurious and open.  All of those adjectives are associated with bigger bathrooms, but when you just don't have the space, you can still achieve the look and feel of those bigger bathrooms. 

Light It Up
Contrary to popular belief, using a dark color paint on your walls does not necessarily make a small room look smaller.  Lighting, not paint color, is the key to making your bathroom look bigger.  Natural light is always the best, so when it is available, let it shine!  If you have to cover up a window in your bathroom, try to find sheer window treatments that block the "sight" and not the light.  Solar tubes are a great way to bring in light from above if none of your bathroom walls have windows. 

The next best thing is, of course, a nice, bright light.  Since the bathroom is where you generally get ready, I don't think it's a stretch to say that it can be the brightest room in the home.  So, if you have a dinky vanity light with one or two bulbs, or the light is blocked by the design of the fixture around the bulbs, dump it!  Light fixtures are one of the quickest and easiest upgrades you can make to your bathroom, and they can make a big difference.  Bringing in a brighter light fixture, or one that has more bulbs, can greatly increase the look of the entire space.  A well-lit bathroom feels bigger. 

By the way, the reason a dark wall color can make a room feel smaller is because it is not paired correctly with contrasting colors.  Luckily, most bathrooms make it easy to contrast dark colors on the wall - if you keep the ceiling, floor, trim, door, and countertops a light, neutral color, they will balance the dark color on the wall.  Doing this makes the room a lot more interesting and gives it a lot more depth than keeping everything in light tones.

Reflections
Doubtless you've also heard that mirrors are a great way to make a room feel bigger.  They not only add perceived space, they help bounce the light around the room, making it feel bigger as a whole.  Most bathrooms have mirrors over the vanity, but that doesn't mean you're done.  Multiple mirrors, especially mirrors on different walls, work together to further increase the perceived size of the bathroom.  Also, don't settle for the standard mirror over the vanity.  Find a mirror with a broad, solid frame. 

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