Small bathrooms in your rental properties can be made to look bigger and keep tenants happier with small, affordable changes in this maintenance checkup from Keepe
Being able to enjoy a spacious bathroom is on the wish list of many tenants,.
However many properties – especially rental unit clusters – are designed to optimize space. That means that the sheer size of a property’s rooms might have to be reduced to squeeze in extra storage space or living areas.
While an extra small bathroom or powder room is certainly better than having one less bathroom in the property, it can be a hard point to sell, especially when a small bathroom is a property’s only bathroom.
A room expansion or remodel is expensive, labor intensive and time-consuming. It is also unlikely to be feasible for units that have been purposely designed to host certain numbers and types of rooms of specific dimensions.
10 ways to make small bathrooms in your rentals look bigger and better
No. 1 – Opt for white on white
Avoiding dark, overly bright or coordinated color schemes is a must. Avoid contrasts and colors from emphasizing how small a space is by highlighting where the walls and/or ceiling end. White creates a spacious and airy feel. White also allows natural and/or artificial light to illuminate the space as opposed to being absorbed by dark colored paints or wallpapers.
No. 2 – Match tiles, walls and ceiling
Matching the color of painted walls, tiling and ceiling erases the visible contrast that would result if they were of different colors. Uniformity and continuity of color makes the space look significantly larger, thus making more elaborate tiling patterns or color schemes an element to avoid.
No 3 – Extend tiling
If showers and other areas are surrounded by tiled walls, it’s ideal to extend tiling all the way up to the ceiling to avoid trims to “mark” a clear point on the walls and “shorten” them as a result.
No. 4 – Lengthen the space with vertical tiling
Instead of opting for regular or square-like tiles and laying them horizontally, choosing longer tiles and laying them vertically tricks the onlooker to perceive the space as being taller or wider than it really is.
No. 5 – Save space with a new door
Regular doors demand a certain radius of space available at all times to adequately swing open. This forces the layout of all elements within the space to accommodate the clearance. Sliding doors give back this space as they slide open without taking up space from the room.
No 6 – Use bright lighting in small bathrooms
Poor illumination can make a small bathroom look dark and claustrophobic. The combination of bright lighting with the white color scheme of its surroundings creates an airy, fresh look.
No 7 – Use mirrors to your advantage
Large mirrors can create an optical illusion that makes the room look larger. You can almost double the perceived space with them. Larger mirrors can be pricey, but generally still cost less than a tiled wall. This makes them an advantageous substitute.
No. 8 – Invest in sleek fixtures and furnishings
Elaborate design elements are distracting and overwhelming is a small space. Modern bathroom fixtures and furnishings showcase sleek and harmonious lines, which work well with the minimalist look of uniform white paints and tiling to create an elegant space.
No. 9 – Go with glass
Instead of boring and cheap-looking shower curtains, opt for a glass panel for your shower. It modernizes and opens up the space by allowing for greater visibility past the “visual wall” that a shower curtain would create. For added privacy – if preferred – glass paneling can be tinted or frosted.
No 10 – Be smart about storage
In small bathrooms, any extra room made available by eliminating “bulky” furnishings goes a long way. Adding floating vanities, shelving and wall cabinets maxmizes storage space while still maintaining a neat and polished look.
About Keepe:
Keepe is an on-demand maintenance solution for property managers and independent landlords. The company makes a network of hundreds of independent contractors and handymen available for maintenance projects at rental properties.
Keepe is available in the Greater Seattle area, Greater Phoenix area, San Francisco Bay area, Portland, San Diego and is coming soon to an area near you. Learn more about Keepe at https://www.keepe.com.
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