Advice on Storage for Small Bathroom

2 years ago

Hello,

Looking to get advice on a current remodel of a small bathroom. Below is picture of current bathroom with a small medicine cabinet (17" wide) flanked by 2 sconce lights on each side and some shelving on the right above the toilet.

I do like having a lot of storage, so was thinking of replacing the shelving with a 23" wall cabinet, removing the 2 sconce lights and putting a dual light fixture above the medicine cabinet (would also replace the medicine cabinet with a newer one). Am concerned it might seem a little too cramped or busy on the wall with both a medicine cabinet and a wall cabinet? What's everyone think?

Featured Answer

kandrewspa

2 years ago

Sconces provide the best lighting for grooming in a bathroom. Just replace the existing fixtures with skinny ones. Retro looking ones are available that would fit the style of your bathroom. If the cabinet over the toilet goes with the medicine cabinet the wall won't look crowded, it will look coordinated. I also think in such a small bathroom where storage is at a premium function comes first.

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Comments (24)

shirlpp
2 years ago
Heck Yeah - That is too busy?

Show the entire bathroom please.
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Molly
2 years ago
I would do a medicine cabinet across the sink and toilet. I have that in my bathroom with a light bar above it. (Not my bathroom)
Mike A
Original Author
2 years ago
Here is the rest of my bathroom per the person asking to see. You can see the toilet here at the left. The wall in question is the one directly above the toilet.
arcy_gw
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

Teeny bathroom. This one your toes hit the tub when on the thrown!! DD's solution to storage. Go vertical is your answer!!!! Lose the side sconces they are TOO LARGE. Go with something skinny over the mirror..
PRO
JAN MOYER
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
First, which is the entry door? Is one door a linen closet?

"Remodel"....... what is changing and how far are you going with the "remodel"? Clarify remodel, from simple addition of more storage, and the lipstick on the little piggy.

The entrance and passage at the vanity is way too tight.

Draw this whole thing, accurately, walls, window, tub, doors, all exact inches and I'll assume this to be a roughly 5 x 8 bath.

Do that, while you put a new roll of TP at the "loo"; you're fresh out.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I need a to scale floor plan every measuremnet clrarly marked , all the fixures that are stying. BTW I do not agree that sconces are the best way to light a bathroom IMO really good lighting can come from above the mirror or even in the ceiling. Yes we need to know how much you are willing to spend to get this right. If you have alinen closet what is stored in there ? I need more info
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shirlpp
2 years ago
I agree - what are you doing to remodel?

You need a proper sized mirror and lighting. There is too much visual clutter(right in your face) with that shelf over the toilet.

Over the door storage that is not right in your face:
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Mike A thanked shirlpp
Mike A
Original Author
2 years ago
The plan is to have all the existing tile removed floor and wall and retiled with something more modern, am thinking maybe marble. I would also get a new medicine cabinet and potentially a new wall cabinet as well that is approximately 23.5" wide and 8" deep. The main concern is that with the width of the new wall cabinet, it would come within 1/2" to the right sconce light, which seems like it might look cramped.
PRO
JAN MOYER
2 years ago
For heaven sake! You don't want to be hemmed in by two sconce lights.!! Nor dictated to , by those

Point is .hold off until you can do this right. And right means please show all the walls and dimensions..

OF Everything. Two dimensions, graph paper is fine. Bold enough to read and neat.
shirlpp
2 years ago
@Mike A - Are you seriously thinking about keeping the sconces that you're showing in the pics?
violetsnapdragon
2 years ago
We had a similar bathroom and put a cabinet next to the medicine cabinet. It looked fine, probably because, though the one over the toilet was somewhat wider than the medicine cabinet, it was the same height. Just close the toilet before you open the cabinet door--LOL. We learned our lesson after dropping several items accidentally into the open toilet! Good luck!
Mike A
Original Author
2 years ago
@shirlpp Definitely plan on replacing the sconce lights whether it's removing them altogether and moving lights above medicine cabinet or getting new ones. I only mentioned them with respect to a new wall cabinet to reference how close a new wall cabinet would be yo them now.
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shirlpp
2 years ago
So the bottom line @Mike A is.....Those shelves look ridiculous above that toilet. Do not put a cabinet above it either, because it would look ridiculous as well.

The tile installation stops awkwardly on the wall in question which makes placement of a medicine cabinet with lighting above it challenging.

You're saying you want to remove the tile and put in something more modern, then for sure the sconces need to go as they are not modern.
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PRO
JAN MOYER
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
"I only mentioned them with respect to a new wall cabinet to reference how close a new wall cabinet would be yo them now."........................

That's the small piece of the comment that says to any of us:

You are seeing the bath as it is. .......not as a different bath. Post a drawing with dimensions.

Why? Because I'm pretty sure it's a 5 x 8 bath. Because it has two doors. Because it has a very deep wall at the tub. One of the doors is entry, and the other is ...what? A linen closet. ? And what is behind both those doors?
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PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
2 years ago
Some options for the wall with medical cabinet
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PRO
Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
2 years ago
deb s
2 years ago
Figure out what really needs to be stored in the bathroom and what can be moved to other areas of the house. The sink is not pictured but if the sink is a cabinet consider moving most storage under there and install pull out tiered shelving in cabinet to maximize space and make retrieval easier. A hand towel over the toilet gives me the heebie-jeebies yucky ! As noted in photos below move the light to above the mirror and have mirror same width as sink to feel more expansive. You could also do the whole space with a mirrored cabinet vs a mirror and cabinet so its one cohesive expanse doing a mirror and a cabinet may be choppy
Mike A
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks to all for the feedback and input. I have some good ideas to run with and some more clear options to consider. Also good for me to view it as redesigning the space instead of just tweaking the existing space.
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mojavemaria
2 years ago
Mike I think moving to an over the medicine cabinet light and over the toilet cabinet instead of open shelves will make your bathroom look less busy and cluttered.

Im with Jan on wanting to know about the second door. It liiks like navigating around that area is a tight squeeze. what is it?
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User
2 years ago
My friend put in storage between the studs in her small bathroom,
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Mike A
Original Author
2 years ago
@mojavemaria The second door is to a small linen closet with 5 or so shelves. Currently, I'm using it for storing mostly toiletries, typical medicine cabinet type of items.
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PRO
Beth H. :
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
can you get into this wall? (the one w/the beadboard)

Also, what is behind this tile wall area? linen closet?

since you're redoing everything, can you remove it completely to enlarge shower? Are you keeping tub?

the wall area behind the beadboard, you could try any of these ideas.

DIY ideas for inset storage shelves. if you can go deep, great! If not, and you only have 4" or so, you can still do it

on the outside of the wall. you could do both (4" inset, another 2-4" built outward)
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Mike A
Original Author
2 years ago
@Beth H - Thank you for the ideas. I love the idea of inset storage behind the beadboard.

Behind that tile you referenced is the linen closet, which currently is kind of like a cutouot of the bathroom if it were a square. Hadn't thought about knocking that out entirely, but that might open up many possibilities and would make the bathroom more of a square.