When you are trying to sell your home, you want each room to make the best impression possible. Bathrooms in many of the older homes in and around Grand Rapids can be pretty tight. Between the actual square footage of most bathrooms and the general size of the many features needed in a bathroom, it makes sense that they can feel scrunched!
The good news is there are some little tricks to making your bathroom seem, like the objects in your car’s rearview mirror, larger than they appear. Check them out!
1. Avoid darker colors as much as possible
Darker colors will shrink the room. Paint your walls as bright as possible to give the illusion of airiness and spaciousness. Along with paint color, pick accessories that are lighter shades as well and avoid objects that appear heavy. Also, make sure the paint is high gloss. The light will bounce off it and trick the eye.
2. Consider adding a pocket door
Because swinging doors take up so much room, adding a pocket door can make your bathroom door, 1) difficult to maneuver around, 2) make the bathroom appear and feel even smaller. A pocket door will make your small bathroom feel luxuriously large!
3. Brighten it up with light, lots of light
Whether it is natural light with windows or light, airy light fixtures, make sure you brighten up the space. If you can avoid window coverings without flashing the neighbors, do it! If you can add lighting to a wall above the mirror and lighting in the bathing, vanity, and toilet areas, by all means, do it. It will give the bathroom a sense of spaciousness that it will lack otherwise.
4. Let light in
If you don’t have any natural light, you might consider a glass block window or a skylight. Of course, weigh the cost versus reward before you put a hole in your wall!
5. Match accessories
With your toilet paper holder, trash can, towel racks, etcetera, consider using the same material, and the lighter appearance, the better. And take out any objects that aren’t useful or don’t add to the overall aesthetic of your bathroom.
6. Install glass shower doors
Glass shower doors will open up the bathroom space a great deal. If you are using a curtain or smoky doors, you should consider replacing them to open up your bathroom. Glass will always give the illusion of room, whereas solid objects will close up the space.
7. Downsize the tub
If your tub is in need of replacement anyway, you might look into a smaller bathtub. This can be more of a major remodel, so make sure that you ask your 616 REALTY agent for their advice on whether it will make a difference.
8. Consider a pedestal sink
A pedestal sink makes sense for making a space look larger, but before you rip out the vanity that has a lot of storage, consider how much other storage space there is in your bathroom. If you have large medicine cabinets or other storage in your bathroom, then by all means, replace that bulky, space-stealing vanity and put in a pedestal. Also, a sneaky way to add a little more counter space for that shaving kit or one’s make-up is to use a wall-mounted faucet. Home buyers will be looking for usable space and storage, so that is as important as the appearance of a larger room.
9. Maximize with large mirrors
Using large mirrors for the sink area and even the wall behind it will reflect light and give your bathroom a cavernous feel. Another way to make your room look bigger and more luxurious is to add a backlight to your mirror. If you use a flat mirror or recess the mirror into the wall, that is even better. It will give users a bit more room.
10. Avoid Patterns
Get rid of any patterns; they will close up a small space. Try for simple lines, small tiles, and simple backsplash in order to complete the illusion.
Getting the most for your home is important. Putting a bit of sweat equity and a few dollars into your bathroom may get you thousands of more dollars. Contact 616 REALTY today! We can help. We are West Michigan’s leading experts on what buyers want and what sellers should do.