How to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Bigger with Design

Small bathrooms can be a challenge—but with smart design strategies, even the tightest space can feel open, bright, and functional. If you're tired of feeling cramped in your current bathroom, a professional remodel can dramatically transform the room without needing to expand your home’s footprint.

At Star Remodeling, we help homeowners across Orange County, NY reimagine their bathrooms with thoughtful layouts, space-saving features, and modern finishes. Here’s how to make a small bathroom feel bigger—without tearing down walls.

Use Light Colors to Create an Open Atmosphere

Color plays a powerful role in how we perceive space. In small bathrooms, where square footage is limited, strategic use of color can make the difference between a cramped environment and one that feels bright, airy, and comfortable. Light colors are key—they reflect more natural and artificial light, helping to open up the space visually.

Recommended Color Choices

When selecting a palette for your bathroom remodel, focus on tones that enhance brightness and continuity:

• • Soft neutrals like white, beige, and light gray are timeless choices that brighten a room and create a clean, modern aesthetic.
  • Pale blues and sage greens add a subtle pop of color while maintaining a tranquil, spa-like feel that doesn’t overwhelm the senses.
  • Off-whites and warm taupes can add depth and warmth without closing in the room the way darker hues often do.

These colors work particularly well with a range of finishes, from natural wood accents to matte black fixtures, making them versatile for a variety of bathroom design styles.

Monochromatic Color Schemes

A monochromatic design—where the walls, tiles, and fixtures are all within a similar color family—can help minimize visual boundaries and reduce contrast. This creates a seamless appearance that allows the eye to move freely through the space, making the bathroom appear larger and more cohesive.

For example, pairing soft gray floor tiles with matching wall paint and light gray cabinetry can help unify the room. You can still add interest and texture through subtle variations in materials (such as using a matte vs. glossy finish) without breaking the visual flow.

Consistency in Wall and Tile Colors

Another proven technique to open up a small bathroom is to use the same color—or similar tones—for the walls and tilework. When there’s no stark contrast between the floor, walls, and shower enclosure, it eliminates the visual “breaks” that make a room feel compartmentalized.

For homeowners in Orange County, NY, where natural light may vary depending on the season and layout of the home, using light colors ensures your bathroom feels bright year-round—especially in bathrooms with small or no windows.

At Star Remodeling, we help clients choose colors that not only suit their style but also maximize the perception of space. Whether you’re remodeling a master ensuite or a compact guest bath, choosing the right palette is one of the most important decisions in the design process.

Use Modern Fixtures, Open Designs, and Smart Lighting to Expand the Space

In a small bathroom, smart design decisions make all the difference. The right fixtures, layout, and lighting can transform a cramped space into one that feels open, functional, and luxurious. At Star Remodeling, we use these proven strategies to help homeowners in Orange County, NY make the most of every square foot.

Choose Floating or Wall-Mounted Fixtures

Traditional floor-mounted vanities and bulky cabinets can visually shrink a bathroom. Swapping them out for streamlined, wall-mounted options helps open the room and reveal more usable floor space. These upgrades create a modern look while improving everyday function.

Consider the following space-saving features:

• • Floating vanities – Expose more floor area, making the room feel larger and easier to clean
  • Wall-mounted toilets – Add a sleek, contemporary appearance and free up floor space
  • Open shelving – Replace enclosed cabinetry with floating shelves or recessed niches for towels and toiletries
  • Recessed medicine cabinets – Combine storage and mirrors without crowding the wall

These design choices also make cleaning easier and contribute to a more organized, airy aesthetic.

Upgrade to a Frameless Glass Shower Enclosure

Showers are one of the largest visual elements in a bathroom, so the design of your enclosure plays a major role in how spacious the room feels. Replacing a shower curtain or framed glass door with a frameless glass shower is one of the most effective ways to reduce visual boundaries and open up the space.

Benefits of frameless glass showers include:

• • Uninterrupted sightlines – The eye can move freely across the room, making it feel larger
  • Enhanced lighting – Glass allows both natural and artificial light to pass through easily
  • Modern aesthetic – Clean, simple lines offer a spa-like feel
  • Easy maintenance – With fewer crevices and frames, they’re easier to keep clean

If you have an underused bathtub, consider converting it to a walk-in shower. Not only does this free up floor space, it also improves accessibility—an increasingly important feature for many homeowners planning to age in place.

Layer Natural and Artificial Lighting

Lighting is essential in any bathroom, but it's especially critical in small spaces. Poor lighting creates shadows and dark corners, which can make the room feel even more confined. A layered lighting plan brightens the entire space and enhances the atmosphere.

Here’s how to do it:

• • General lighting – Recessed ceiling lights provide overall illumination without taking up space
  • Task lighting – Add sconces or LED mirrors near the vanity to eliminate shadows while grooming
  • Ambient lighting – Soft backlighting behind mirrors or under vanities adds warmth and depth
  • Reflective materials – Glossy tile, large mirrors, and chrome fixtures help bounce light around the room

If your bathroom includes a window, maximize natural light by avoiding heavy curtains. Instead, use:

• • Frosted glass for privacy without sacrificing brightness
  • Light-filtering roller shades or sheer panels
  • Skylights (if feasible) to bring in overhead sunlight

Together, these lighting techniques and materials can make even a small, windowless bathroom feel bright and open.

Use built-in and vertical storage

Keeping clutter off the countertops is essential for making a small bathroom feel clean and open. To achieve this:

• • Install built-in niches in the shower or walls for storing toiletries
  • Use tall, narrow cabinets that utilize vertical space
  • Add mirrored medicine cabinets to combine function with visual expansion

At Star Remodeling, we often design custom storage solutions during our bathroom renovation projects to help homeowners stay organized without sacrificing aesthetics.

Create visual continuity

Minimizing contrast and keeping finishes consistent throughout the room helps create a cohesive flow. Tips include:

• • Matching the floor tile with the shower tile
  • Using one or two metal finishes (like brushed nickel or matte black) for fixtures
  • Limiting the number of textures and patterns in a small space

The more visually continuous your surfaces are, the less "busy" the room feels—leading to a more expansive and relaxing environment.

Towns We Serve in Orange County, NY

Star Remodeling proudly offers bathroom remodeling and full home renovation services in:

• • Middletown
  • Monroe
  • Warwick
  • Chester
  • Goshen
  • Newburgh
  • Washingtonville
  • Montgomery
  • Cornwall
  • Florida

If you're located in or near any of these towns and thinking about upgrading your bathroom, we’d be glad to help you bring your vision to life.

Ready to Make the Most of Your Small Bathroom?

Let Star Remodeling help you transform your space—no expansion required. Our design-build approach ensures that your new bathroom will look and feel larger, function better, and align with your home’s overall style.

Call us today or request a free consultation to get started on your bathroom remodel. We serve homeowners throughout Orange County, NY with custom kitchen, bathroom, and basement renovations that combine beauty, comfort, and smart space planning.