Try these tricks to create space in a small bathroom

How small can you make a functional bathroom?

A visit to a hotel room in a major city will give you plenty of ideas about how to conserve space yet offer luxury. I think back on one in a Washington, D.C. boutique hotel near the White House, where the shower stall was definitely confined to a minimum in which one could barely bend arms and lather up! What saved the day were high-end amenities.

An urban bathroom might begin life with a footprint that is half of the typical tract house.

There is most likely no room for a soaking tub or a long double vanity; function is analyzed and just the bare necessities are included.

So the obvious fixtures are included: toilet, sink, shower. If you can afford upgrades, focus your research on these three key elements first. Wall hung commodes enable a visual expansion because when they hang off the vertical surface, the floor runs underneath and is seen. This little detail adds a feeling of spaciousness to the design.

Next, give attention to how you might apply a seamless approach to a vanity. By seamless, I mean that there would be a flow between the bowl and the countertop.

There are no changes in the materials for each or in a backsplash, as might occur when there is a ceramic tile design for a backsplash feature. Simple and few. This might be your mantra when cooking up the design for a tight bathroom space. Another way to create a seam free design is to use the same material on the floor and walls. While this example demonstrates a contrast flooring color and product, the walls of the shower wrap one material right around to vanity wall. Avoid too much detail in homage to "less is more!"

Recently designed wall-mounted vanity sinks are compact and wall mounted. One model is only 24 inches long by 12 inches deep by 12 inches high. An angled front allows ease of use with an approximate 10-degree slanted face. The bowl is 13 inches by 8 inches by 4 inches. Its sister sink measures 30 inches long by 15 inches deep by 15 inches high, with a bowl that is approximately 15 inches by 11 inches by 5 inches. These particular models are made of an eco-friendly mixture of ground materials and high-performance resin that mimics the beauty of natural stone. Its non-porous surface is durable and stubbornly resistant to stain, mold and mildew.

Often with a very tight bathroom, it is useful to consider designing the entire space as a "wet room" where no glass partition separates the shower area from the rest of the space. However, when one prefers a water barrier, it is best to install a clear glass partition. Euro-style hinges are available in all major metal finishes and are used with tempered glass doors and partitions that range typically between 3/8 of an inch and 1/2 an inch of thick material.

Another quick tip is to keep any painted walls in the same tone as any hard-surface materials. For instance, if the shower walls are covered in a 16 inch by 16 inch light tan porcelain tile, you would be best served by selecting a light tan paint color that blends. In this way, even though the material composition shifts, the eye can move seamlessly over everything without interruption. This is the goal in a confined interior room with no window.

Finally, consider creating the sense of natural light with artificial light. I was in an elegant spa over the weekend where the shower room included a mosaic tile that began at the shower pan and reached up to the ceiling where a light cove had been built. A linear LED bar light was hidden there. When you stood away from the shower to view the space, the entire back wall was washed in light. This gave the 1-inch by 1-inch glass mosaic tile texture and dimension. Lighting design can add space without taking up a single inch of space.

• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.

© 2015, Creators Syndicate