Small Bathroom Ideas & Space-Saving Bathroom Furniture

Even small bathrooms can be a real treat. After all, a great bathroom doesn’t require a lot of square footage—what it really needs are quality products and creative ideas for small spaces. Smart and clever solutions can make a small to medium-sized bathroom appear larger. Because of the limited floor space, the focus is on the essential elements and their thoughtful arrangement.

Key points at a glance:

Opt for an open and bright design: Light colors, large mirrors, and minimalist furnishings make small bathrooms feel more spacious.
Making smart use of space: Compact bathroom fixtures, storage furniture, and multifunctional solutions provide comfort even in small spaces.
Using light and materials to create focal points: Indirect lighting, natural materials, and thoughtful decor make a small bathroom feel more inviting.

5 tips for small bathrooms

Open-concept design:
A small bathroom should not be further subdivided but rather designed with an open layout to make it appear larger.
Make the most of niches:
Small existing niches can be put to good use as storage space for bathroom items with just a few shelves.
Natural materials:
The look of wood and stone adds to the cozy atmosphere of a small bathroom.
Make it look bigger:
Light colors and mirrors can make small bathrooms appear larger.
Less is more:
In small bathrooms, too much decoration can quickly feel overwhelming. Start by choosing high-quality fixtures and fittings—they make a statement on their own. A few carefully placed decorative elements can enhance the overall style.

Designing sink areas for small bathrooms

In small, narrow bathrooms, organization is key. For this reason, sink areas with storage—such as drawers—are particularly well-suited for small bathrooms. Wall-mounted units generally create a lighter, more airy look. Asymmetrical vanities with a side shelf and a matching base cabinet that combines drawers and open compartments—such as the D-Neo—are also particularly practical.

In particularly small sink areas, there is often not enough space for a vanity unit with drawers. In such cases, base units with doors, combined with a matching countertop washbasin, are an ideal solution for creating additional storage space, as seen, for example, with the Duravit No. 1.

Metal consoles with built-in vanities, whose open shelves also serve a decorative purpose, lend the small space a cozier feel. Duravit, for example, offers both floor-standing and wall-mounted metal consoles in its DuraSquare series, available in either matte black or chrome, with a matching vanity—even in compact sizes with a reduced overhang. With an integrated towel rack and glass shelves, this sink area solution offers practical added value.

D-Neo

Duravit No. 1

DuraSquare

Designing small bathrooms with showers

In a small bathroom with a shower, a flush-mounted shower tray paired with a glass shower enclosure creates a visually uncluttered look and appears as a natural extension of the room. Tempano, made of white sanitary acrylic, offers a seamless, comfortable shower surface with a minimalist design.

The matte finish of Stonetto shower trays made of DuroCast® UltraResist has an authentic, stone-like appearance and is available in a variety of natural colors. When the flooring and shower tray are color-coordinated, the space feels as spacious as possible. Even in a small bathroom, dark flooring can make the room feel even more open, giving the impression of a larger space. Light-colored floors, on the other hand, make the room appear flooded with light.

Tip: To make a small bathroom feel more spacious, consider using large-format tiles or avoiding tiles altogether.

Stonetto

Tempano

Small bathrooms with a bathtub

Generally speaking, it makes sense to skip the bathtub in small bathrooms to create more space to move around and avoid having bathroom fixtures crammed together. However, those who enjoy bathing can still do so in a small bathroom. Niches, for example, are ideal for this purpose, as a built-in bathtub can fit flush into them. Even freestanding bathtubs are available in slim designs and are therefore suitable for small bathroom layouts, depending on the layout.

Small bathtubs

Built-in bathtub

Corner bathtubs

Freestanding bathtubs

The perfect toilet for small bathrooms

Compact toilets for small bathrooms

Large fixtures take up space in small bathrooms. Duravit offers toilet models and bathroom furniture with reduced projections, specifically designed for small bathrooms ranging from 5 to 10 square meters. This saves valuable space without compromising on comfort.

This makes it possible, among other things, to design very small guest toilets. Space-saving pre-wall toilet units can also conceal the tank inside the wall, giving the bathroom a tidier appearance.

Toilets

Shower toilets instead of a toilet and a bidet

Practical 2-in-1 products save space in small bathrooms and offer added convenience, such as the SensoWash® shower toilets. This combination of toilet and bidet gently and naturally cleans with water.

SensoWash® shower toilets

Bathroom furniture for small bathrooms

Bathroom furniture, sink, and toilet in a small, compact bathroom

Storage furniture for small bathrooms

In small spaces, it’s a good idea to make the most of the ceiling height in the compact bathroom to create storage space. This can be achieved, for example, with tall cabinets.

To complement the sink area, Duravit offers a range of bathroom furniture for small bathrooms, from small shelves to rolling cabinets. A vanity unit, for example, provides additional storage space that would otherwise go unused.

Mirror

Small mirror cabinets

Making a statement in small bathrooms

Bright bathroom with DuraStyle bathroom furniture and bathtub

Lighting in small bathrooms

The right lighting, with different lighting zones, can also make small bathrooms appear more spacious. One example is bright lighting at the sink area and softer, more soothing lighting in the shower or tub. Indirect lighting allows you to create beautiful accents in the room that draw the eye and foster a calm and relaxed atmosphere.

In very small bathroom layouts, the mirror above the sink is often the only source of light. In such cases, dimmable mirrors are ideal, as they provide not only side lighting but also ambient lighting and focused lighting for the sink area.

Accessories for small bathrooms

When everything has its place, small bathrooms immediately look more organized. Choosing high-quality bathroom accessories enhances the entire space. With designs that complement the Starck series and materials that match the bathroom faucets, Starck T accessories ensure a harmoniously decorated small bathroom.

Thanks to the skillful combination of chrome, glass, and minimalist design, the accessories in the Karree series are highly versatile. Do you prefer more rounded shapes? Then the accessories in the D-Code series are the perfect alternative.

Small bathroom with Brioso vanity cabinet

Decorating small bathrooms: less is more

The same principle applies to decor as it does to furniture. Use them sparingly and thoughtfully to keep your small bathroom from looking cluttered. Invest in coordinating bathroom textiles, such as hand towels, bath towels, and bath mats, to add a touch of coziness to your small bathroom.

Color accents on individual items also help draw attention away from the room's limited space. Decorative items in the same color family complete the cohesive overall look, while plants give the room a fresh look.

Duravit Cape Cod bathtub, sink, and bathroom mirror in a bright bathroom

Light-colored walls for small bathrooms

To prevent small bathrooms from feeling cramped, it’s best to use tiles sparingly in small bathrooms to make the space appear larger, as bare wall space creates a more airy feel. Light pastel shades or light wood work just as well.

A well-thought-out color scheme can make a small bathroom feel inviting and, depending on the shade, more spacious and open. Soft tones that recede into the background are ideal here.