How to Expand Your Bathroom

Reorganize Clutter. Get rid of all the products and toiletries taking up space on your counter top. You don't want company to see your personal items anyway. If you don't have a shelving area in your bathroom, install several rows and place products in small bins with a matching color scheme as your bathroom. Make use of any drawers and storage cabinets to store extra towels, washcloths and cleaning supplies. The goal is to have as little items out in plain view as possible. A clear bathroom counter automatically makes the room feel more spacious and clean.

Tile your bathroom shower area. Large, light-colored tiles will give your shower an expanded look. If your shower area already has tile, as many bathrooms do, find tile as close to the original tile and take it all the way to the ceiling. White tiles will give a clean and spacious look, but you can also install rows of colorful tile to add a splash of color or an intricate design.

Re-paint the bathroom. Use light-colored paints to give the bathroom a fresh look. Select a glossy paint in colors such as tan, cream and pale yellow that will reflect light, making the room seem bigger. Avoid dark colors, which do not reflect light and will make a room look much smaller.

Add more mirrors. Mirrors are instrumental in giving a bathroom depth. If you have a small mirror over the sink or vanity area of your bathroom, remove it and replace with mirrors that go from the ceiling down to the vanity. Add another mirror on the opposite wall or in a place where it will reflect the image of the first one. If you are pressed for wall space, cover a cabinet or closet with mirror tile.

Enhance the bathroom lighting. Upgrade dismal bathroom lighting with decorative, soft lighting to enhance the look. Remove any harsh, fluorescent overhead lighting, and install recessed lighting around the bathroom instead. It is also necessary to have proper vanity lighting around the mirror for makeup application, other grooming purposes.

Replace some hardware. If you have a shower with big, frosted, glass sliding doors, get rid of them. They look bulky and oversized. Replace them with sleek, clear glass that goes from the ceiling to the floor, giving the bathroom more height and depth as you can see all the way to the wall of the shower. Replace any faded, unattractive fixtures with smaller, classic or modern pieces, such as faucet fixtures.

Move hardware around if necessary. In some instances, the bathroom furniture may have been arranged in such as way that space is taken up unnecessarily. A tub may fit better where the toilet is, for example. You will need to consult a plumber before attempting to move things around to ensure you will not affect the plumbing.