Tiny Guest Bathroom Redesign with Watercolor Blue and Grey Accents

689

Contemporary
HDB (Maisonette)
≥1,500 sqft
3 br
Couple Living with Kids

Featuring our guest bathroom for this week’s post! Designing a guest bathroom in a tiny 20-square-foot space can be tricky, but with the right choices, it can feel both stylish and functional! We centered our colour palette around a soft watercolour blue and light grey terrazzo, keeping things light and airy. The blue also ties in with the adjacent service yard and balcony, both of which feature blue patterned tiles. We used soft watercolor blue subway tiles on the upper half of the walls. This subtle hue can evoke a calming, airy feel in the tiny space. light grey terrazzo tiles on the lower half to add texture and character while keeping things visually light. We also integrated the grey terrazzo tiles for the flooring as these tiles are not only stylish but also low-maintenance, perfect for our guest bathroom.
Previously when we first got the place, this space was a powder room with a washing machine and a sink outside. This arrangement didn’t suit our needs as we plan to have a shower area. Large exposed water pipes and aircon trunking running across the guest bathroom. We also didn’t like the idea of having the sink outside of the bathroom. So we reconfigured the space and even hacked the wall, shifted the door to make it work!
Cost-Saving Tips & Easy Maintenance: We opted for standard-sized tiles in a subway tile pattern, saving on both material and labor costs since installing subway tiles usually requires more time and precision. The grout is ceramic and part of the design, so it stays clean and won’t turn black—a bonus for easy maintenance! Can you spot where the actual grout is?
This how an actual piece of tile looked!
With the space being so tight, making smart choices are key. Instead of a bulky vanity, we went for a tiny ready-made floating vanity which keeps the floor clear and give the illusion of more room, while still providing some storage for the essentials like extra toilet paper.
We still get 2 shelves at the side cabinet where we place toilet paper as we find the space too too tight to install toilet paper holder.
We decided against using a regular sliding door for the bathroom for several reasons. While sliding doors with bottom tracks are more secure, they can be inconvenient—especially for our young children, who might trip over the track. The track also tends to collect dirt and mould due to the moisture in the bathroom. A standard sliding door requires a wall of equal width for the door to fully open, which wasn't feasible for our space. Plus, some sliding doors have gaps that compromise privacy. After some research, we found the perfect solution: a slide-and-swing door! It doesn’t need much space to open and requires only half the width of a typical swing door.
When fully open, it neatly tucks away to the right side of the bathroom—just what we needed. As much as we love the look of louvred doors, the gaps between the slats aren’t ideal for blocking sound and odour, especially since the bathroom is right next to the kitchen and dining area. Tip to encounter this is to go for a 0mm gap louvre design! This option minimises our concerns while ensuring privacy and comfort for our guests. However still would't recommend it ensuite’s bathroom, because odour still can spread to a certain extend!
To make the tight space situation worse, there were multiple large exposed large water pipes. They not only stretch vertically beside the toilet bowl, but also horizontally across the entire bathroom. One of the biggest challenges we faced designing this bathroom. These pipes not only looked unsightly but also made cleaning more difficult in our opinion.
- #Bathroomremodel
- #exposedwaterpipes
We brainstormed countless solutions with our ID, boxing up will be the most ideal and long lasting solution. However during that time, we were also informed by HDB that our development will be undergoing HIP soon, and they will need to come over to do water testing in the nearing months. This had us stuck in between as in order for HDB to do water testing, we cannot box up the pipes, and if we wait till the scheduled water testing is done, renovation will be completed by then and hence it will be super troublesome to construct the box up afterwards. Luckily, after some coordination, HDB was able to schedule early water testing for us! We were super thankful and everything else went smoothly after that! With that being said, we were able to proceed with the box-up. We overlaid tiles not only on the vertical, but also the horizontal one which is not typical. We were grateful that our ID did this for us as it not only turned out beautifully, but also made it more durable. Lighting also plays a huge part in creating a light and airy space. By choosing the correct light, it makes the space feels cosy and even larger than it actually is! We installed warm LED strip lights in the horizontal box-up for ambiance and added a warm white downlight to illuminated the bathroom.
In the shower area, we went with an instant heater, as it was not only compact solution for the space, but also avoided the hassle of running pipes from our second-floor storage heater.
The bathroom is accessorised with matte black fittings, elevating the stylish modern look. A large arched mirror ties into the design language from our entrance mirror and the archway on our balcony. While many people worry about hard water stains on matte black fixtures, we’ve had similar issues with chrome ones. Hence it doesn’t bother us as long we have a good cleaning routine. So it this fits your lifestyle, go with what you love! Ultimately, we’re the ones using and enjoying the space every day! Seeing things we love really lifts our mood!
Last but not least, we added some finishing touches to the space with faux plants and artwork. The faux plants bring a touch of greenery, adding a fresh and lively vibe without the need for maintenance. To complement the modern aesthetic, we also added an artwork and a reed diffuser. These small details help create a more inviting and vibrant atmosphere, making the space feel complete and stylish! We didn't expect the post to be this long for such a tiny space! It just goes to show that even the smallest areas can be transformed into something amazing with thoughtful design. Hope you enjoyed our share, and be sure to check out more on our HipVan account, Instagram, and TikTok!