Tiny bathroom? No problem — well, okay, maybe a little bit of a problem. But it doesn’t mean it can’t be stunning and designed for your convenience! Living in a Vancouver condo means making every square foot count, and trust us, those square feet don’t come cheap. So consider this your guide to turning that small bathroom into a space that feels bigger, looks amazing, and works for you — not against you.
View the Pender Bathroom project
- Got a bathtub taking up half the room? Consider replacing it with a walk-in shower — add a niche or a shower ledge to keep things sleek, a bench seat for those long shower moments, and a frameless glass door to keep the space feeling open and airy.
- Don’t overlook your vanity and medicine cabinet. Drawers beat doors every time when it comes to storage — they’re easier to organize and make better use of the space. Pair that with a large custom medicine cabinet, and suddenly you’ve got serious storage without sacrificing an inch of floor space.
- Rethink your doorway. While some things in a bathroom can’t — or shouldn’t — be moved, the doorway is worth reconsidering. Shifting it over by even a few inches, or a few feet, can completely change what’s possible in the rest of the space.
If you need help to understand your bathroom’s space and get ideas to optimize it, consider hiring an interior designer, a professional who will analyse your room and bring the best ideas considering your budget and needs.
“In one of our recent Vancouver condo bathroom renovations, simply shifting the bathroom doorway a few inches to the right made a world of difference. That one small move gave us room for a large walk-in shower, a bigger vanity, and a tall linen closet — proof that sometimes the biggest transformations come from the smallest adjustments.”
— Katerina Vastardis, Interior Designer
Check out the full project here.
Storage Solutions
Storage is one of the biggest challenges in a Vancouver condo bathroom — and one of the most satisfying problems to solve. The good news? With the right approach, you can have a bathroom that’s as organized as it is beautiful.
Medicine Cabinets
If there’s one upgrade that makes the biggest difference in a small bathroom, it’s the medicine cabinet — and we don’t mean a small one above the sink. We’re talking about stretching it across the full span of that wall, right over the toilet, too. A well-designed medicine cabinet gives you more useful, organized storage than your vanity ever could. And here’s a pro tip: incorporate an outlet inside the cabinet to create a discreet charging station for your toothbrush, water pick, or electric shaver. Functional, tidy, and a little genius.
The Shower
A niche in the shower is a great start, but if space allows, why not take it further? A pony wall that transitions into a shower ledge is a beautiful and practical upgrade. Pair it with a floating bench — not only is it a luxurious touch, but you can slide a plastic basket of shower essentials underneath it, keeping everything hidden and within reach. Bonus: This approach can also help you avoid the headache and cost of relocating a drain.
- LINK of a niche
- Video Link about bench seats
Floating Shelves
Think of floating shelves as the finishing touch that ties the whole bathroom together. A few well-placed shelves near your medicine cabinet can hold light storage items — rolled hand towels, cotton balls, Q-tips in cute little vessels — while also giving you a spot to bring in some personality. A candle, a small plant, a framed photo. It’s the difference between a bathroom that’s functional and one that feels like yours.
Light It Up
Never underestimate the power of good lighting in a small bathroom. Bad lighting doesn’t just make the space feel smaller — it makes it inefficient. You know the drill: you start getting ready in the bathroom and end up migrating to the nearest window in another room just to find that bright, forward-facing light you need to, well, pluck those hairs. Good lighting keeps you in the room and makes the whole space work harder for you.
The secret to great bathroom lighting? Layers. Different light sources serve different purposes, and the best bathrooms use several of them together.
Vanity Lights & Wall Sconces
Vanity lights are forward-facing, which means they eliminate shadows and give you that clean, even light you need when getting ready. Wall sconces do the same job but with a little more personality — and the bonus of being able to use them on their own for a softer, moodier glow. In a powder room, especially, a well-placed sconce creates a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes guests feel comfortable. A small touch that makes a big impression.
LED Strip Lights
LED strips tucked under your medicine cabinet or floating shelf provide just enough soft task lighting for those late-night hand-washing moments when you don’t want to flood the room with light. We also love positioning LED strip lights in the toe kick of the vanity — set on a motion sensor, they cast a gentle glow that guides you to where you need to be in the middle of the night without overstimulating your senses. Practical, subtle, and a little bit luxurious.
Pot Lights
Ceiling pot lights provide the bathroom’s overall ambient light and are a staple in any renovation. Add a dimmer switch, and suddenly you have full control over the mood — bright and energizing in the morning, soft and relaxing in the evening. One small addition, a whole lot of flexibility.
Colour Strategy for Small Bathrooms
Colour choices can completely change the vibe of a space — they affect how you use it, how you feel in it, and the impression it leaves behind. Light and soft, colourful and fun, or bold — I honestly can’t pick a favourite. What I can tell you is that your bathroom can be a true reflection of you. Let’s break it down.
Light & Soft: Modern Med and West Coast Modern
At Designs by KS, we call this aesthetic “Modern Mediterranean” or “West Coast Modern” — and it’s one of our most beloved looks. The idea is simple: pull from nature and bring it inside. Think natural wood tones, marble or travertine-style stone counters, tiles with a beautifully imperfect pattern, and warm earth tones for your grout — the kinds of colours you’d find in sand or soil. It’s calming, timeless, and feels right at home in a Vancouver condo.
- Our Pender Project
- Our Duval Project
Colourful & Fun
Here’s a little secret: the bathroom might actually be the perfect place to have some fun with colour. It’s a compact space that we don’t spend as much time in compared to the rest of the home, so why not be a little bold? And colour doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Done right, the impact can be surprisingly subtle. It’s all about balance.
My personal favourite way to introduce colour? Tiles. A soft pink or terracotta tile is a natural, understated way to bring warmth into the space without it feeling like too much. And don’t sleep on your sink — it can be so much more than a basic white undermount. Consider a concrete sink, a black sink, a copper sink, or something in nature’s neutral tones: burnt orange, burnt yellow, terracotta pink, sage green. Suddenly, your sink becomes a statement.
Pattern is another great tool — terrazzo, or subway tiles with a pop of colour in the grout, can add personality without going overboard. The options really are limitless. It comes down to one simple question: how much fun do you want to have with it?
- Our East 5th Bathroom project
- Our Jervis St Condo Renovation
- A Pop of nature and pattern in our Blueberry Powder Room
Next Steps to Renovate Your Small Bathroom
A small bathroom renovation doesn’t require a massive budget — it requires good ideas, smart solutions, and a little creativity at every phase, from planning all the way through to execution.
Start by listing your priorities. What matters most to you?
- More storage?
- A space that feels bigger and brighter?
- A relaxing shower experience?
- A bathroom that actually reflects your personality?
Once you know what you’re after, you can focus your budget where it counts most and make high-impact changes that transform the space.
That said, tight spaces leave very little room for error. One wrong move with plumbing or layout can turn a small project into a costly headache. Vancouver condos also come with their own set of building requirements and permits that are worth understanding before you start swinging any metaphorical hammers.
That’s where we come in. At Designs by KS, we love taking a cramped, underperforming bathroom and turning it into something you didn’t think was possible in that square footage. If you’re ready to stop squeezing past your vanity and start actually loving your bathroom, let’s talk.
Book your consultation today — we’d love to see what we can do with your space.