How to Make a Small Bathroom Functional for Multiple Kids?

Preview
Preview

Bathroom at a Glance

Who uses it: Three sisters ages 7 to 9, plus guests
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 60 square feet (12 feet by 5 feet); 5.6 square meters
Designer: Lieve Saether of Turnstyle Design

Before

A narrow, beige, windowless bathroom with an awkwardly sloped ceiling, a single sink, and minimal storage space presented a challenge (or should we say an opportunity?) to designer Lieve Saether. She was tasked with making the space inviting and functional for three sisters — two of them twins — who often use it simultaneously.

After

Rather than blow the budget on moving any walls, the homeowners invested in high-quality, resilient materials and used new lighting, mirrors, and frosted glass on a widened door to add a sense of spaciousness and brightness. Since this family and the designer herself are big fans of color and pattern, they went big in these areas, bringing in geometric-pattern ceramic tile designed to look like cement tile, as well as matching Calacatta Gold marble hexagonal floor and wall tiles.
Saether also replaced the shower-tub combination with a walk-in curbed shower with a glass door, to make better use of the space. A new quartz-topped double vanity painted in Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball adds a much-needed second sink and deep drawers for storage. Next to it, a linen cabinet bought on Houzz and painted in Flamingo Pink by Benjamin Moore offers additional storage, including space for items that the couple might want to keep out of reach of the younger girls.
Among the quirkier elements of the room are the vanity mirrors. Saether installed the top halves of the two vanity mirrors on the ceiling, to bounce light around the windowless room and add a playful element.

Family-friendly takeaways

  • Use deep drawers instead of cabinets to improve visibility and accessibility.
  • Keep items out of reach of young children by adding high shelving.
  • Prioritize organized storage in small spaces with multiple users.
  • Use mirrors to bounce light around and make a space feel larger.
  • Embrace a “more is more” mentality if your family has a big appetite for color and pattern.