11 Ideas For Your Downstairs Cloakroom
Transforming The smallest Room
Harness the power of your cloakroom, and make it a cherished area with these inspirational ideas. It can often be difficult to decorate this small corner tucked beneath the stairs because of limited space. Still, you can transform it into an inviting venue with some creativity and resourcefulness!
Unleash your creative side and make daring decisions; when it comes to small bathrooms, you have plenty of choices! In order to maximize this limited area, it's important to strike a balance between style and practicality. With the right ideas in mind, transforming your downstairs lavatory into something special is within reach.
When sprucing up your bathroom, you should start with the loo downstairs. Cloakrooms and ensuites are no longer treated as an afterthought but instead play a major role in how we inhabit our homes - so why not give them the attention they deserve? Experimenting on this smaller scale can make it much easier when going for something more ambitious later!
‘The cloakroom and downstairs toilet are often places where many visitors will spend time, so why not make them stylish havens too? Use bold colours, textures, and materials to link this area with the other rooms in your house. Try introducing bedroom or living room accessories into these compact areas for a unique aesthetic that you'll love. Utilize these ideas today and watch as they immediately transform your crucial space!
1. Turn it into a cloakroom come gallery
Transform your downstairs lavatory into an inviting area for residents and visitors with meaningful touches that link it to the rest of your home. Often segregated, a cloakroom can feel disconnected from its surroundings, but with personalized accents, you can make this bathroom truly part of the house.
After you decide on the perfect gallery wall ideas, adding art and photos enhances your space with a splash of colour and allows you to express yourself. Furthermore, everyone loves getting an intimate look into someone else's family history!
Consider utilising identical frames for your array of artwork for a unified look. Even if the pieces themselves have various styles and hues, uniform framing will produce cohesion in the room. However, when displaying artwork in bathrooms, ensure to ventilate correctly as humidity can accumulate behind framed works without proper air circulation.
2. Keep It classic
This stylish cloakroom is artfully framed by tongue-and-groove wall panelling and the top shelf acts as a mantelpiece to display some glass vases. The calming eau-de-nil colour paired with the period tiling creates an exquisite ambience in such a small area. Aside from its visual appeal, the textural interest of this panelling accentuates even when it adopts more neutral hues, making it remain a focal point no matter what.
3. Opt for a space-saving sink
Maximise the potential of any small cloakroom by introducing smart, space-saving solutions. For example, an aptly designed corner sink can free up much room for movement within tight quarters. Additionally, if your entrance opens directly onto this area, a modestly styled option will offer more freedom than you could imagine! Additionally, adding a corner storage unit beneath the sink to get even more use out of that precious real estate is highly recommended and guaranteed to provide additional organisational capabilities with no extra bulk or clutter.
4. Use bold and beautiful wallpaper
The downstairs toilet isn't exposed to the same kinds of moisture as your upstairs bathroom, so you don't have to worry about wallpaper peeling or bubbling due to condensation. This presents a perfect opportunity for you unleash all those creative and maximalist ideas that just wouldn't work in the upstairs restroom! So go ahead and experiment with whatever bold wallpaper designs come to mind; there's no need to shy away from pushing boundaries here.
Don't be fooled into believing that a small room means you must choose light, bright and simple walls - patterned walls can create an illusion of space and provide extra depth. Far from being limited to expansive spaces, patterns reap rewards even in the most restricted areas!
5. Install heated towel rails
During the winter months, it is essential to have a warm downstairs toilet. A heated towel rail can be an excellent option for small spaces and come in various shapes, sizes, and styles that fit perfectly with your bathroom ideas. Underfloor heating also proves beneficial since it prevents radiator placement issues freeing up wall space for storage solutions.
‘By mounting a wall hung towel rail in your downstairs restroom, you can save greatly on floor space while conveniently stowing away towels that remain warm and dry. If you're looking for the illusion of a bigger bathroom, try opting for a mirrored radiator! This will disperse light across your room, in turn making it seem more spacious. Mirrored radiators are ideal even when space is limited.
6. Use wall-hung toilets
With wall-mounted units and toilets, which look wonderful and slim down the room. Furthermore, cleaning is a breeze when they're placed on walls - you can even store baskets underneath to conceal any chaotic clutter. With this design choice, you won't have to sacrifice style for practicality!
To create an illusion of space in a more modest cloakroom, making the most out of the visible area on the floor is essential.
Wall-hung toilets and basins are an ideal choice for a small bathroom. Don't let the size confine you to dull bathrooms - add metallic touches to create a striking focal point that adds structure and elegance to your scheme.
7. Utilise an awkward corner
Transform that hard-to-reach corner with a sloping ceiling into an incredibly convenient extra bathroom; all you'll need to do is locate where your waste pipes are and - viola! - installing the toilet won't be much of a hassle. Especially if it's near your bedroom, having another loo will make life easier.
8. Double up on tiles
By using the same tiles for both walls and flooring will create a unifying effect, creating the illusion of expansive space with no disruptions in its flow.
‘The same tiles all around invoke a feeling of spaciousness and grandeur. With fewer grout lines, maintaining and cleaning will be a breeze. For the most luxurious look, opt for large-format designs such as slab tiles that can make even small rooms appear larger with their cohesive appearance!
9. Don’t be afraid to use furniture
Even if your downstairs toilet is limited in space, you can still fill it with stylish furniture. Establishing storage solutions like shelves and drawers will help keep the room organized and avoid overcrowding. Opt for pieces that are proportionate to your area so as not to overpower the room or make things appear cramped.
Furniture is the ideal complement for spaces with limited space, allowing you to store toiletries, extra rolls of tissue and cleaning supplies out of sight. A WC unit and storage cabinet will not only conceal any plumbing pipes but will also provide the freedom to position your pan wherever desired!
10. Choose a sliding door to save space
Look for space-saving designs like this sliding door solution to maximise limited spaces. While an outward opening door can make a small cloakroom appear larger if there is enough room, it may not be feasible in areas such as beneath the stairs or within hallways. When space is at a premium, consider using a sliding door; this will not take up any room on either side of the doorway.
11. Make a strong statement on the floor
Wanting to showcase your creative flair, but feeling too shy to make the leap? This humble corner of your home is the perfect place to experiment with something extraordinary.
An opportunity to take a risk and explore styles and colors that you'd generally shy away from is here! For spaces tending towards the small size, we suggest incorporating interesting elements in the floor as opposed to covering walls as this will avoid creating an overwhelming atmosphere.
How much value does a downstairs toilet add?
Installing a downstairs toilet could add as much as 5% onto the market value of your home. Not only is it convenient, but it can increase its appeal to potential buyers! Homes with ground-level toilets are particularly attractive for those planning on making their purchase into a "forever home," or those who have elderly relatives and wouldn't be able to access the upstairs bathroom without difficulty. Investing in this amenity now may pay off later when you decide to sell your property!
An added benefit of your downstairs bathroom projects is that they typically don't require planning permission - except when it's part of an extension - so you can dive right in without waiting for any authority approval.
What are space saving measures I can include in my downstairs loo?
In smaller bathrooms, use every bit of space available. To create the feeling of a larger room and draw attention to corners, mount your toilet and vanity unit with additional storage underneath. Before deciding on this set-up, ensure it meets all your storage requirements.
To efficiently store smaller items such as extra toilet paper, select a small storage unit - avoid bigger units if they are not needed. Furthermore, contemplate the size of your tiles compared to the measurement of your bathroom. Fewer grout lines can give an illusion of more space and make it appear larger. Penny tiles work well on floors, but walls desire vivid hues for added personality!
Want To Find Out More?
Pop into our showroom to see the latest in design, colours and trends. If you’re after advice on any aspect of your design, we’re here to help.
Call us today or pop in and see us in Cranleigh. 01483 272727.
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