A Guide to Incorporating Storage in your Bathroom Design

An effective bathroom design inspires you in the morning and provides a relaxing haven to unwind at the end of a long day.  It must be the perfect marriage of style and substance, creating a room that expresses your personality while also providing a well-organized space in which to get ready.

In addition to selecting the right tile, shower enclosure, and other features, storage is key to maximizing the benefit of your bathroom renovation.  With so many options available, every bottle, tube of make-up, and towel can have a designated place and your bathroom can always be clutter free.

Start by asking yourself these key questions when looking for the best storage solutions:

1. Who will use the bathroom? Is this a guest bath used infrequently, or a master bath used daily by more than one person? Is it a full bathroom, or a powder room mainly visited by guests to freshen up? The users of the bathroom will determine what supplies must be on hand.

2. What items need to be stored? Is it a full bath requiring a range of toiletries, make up, and bathroom electronics? Or do you only need to store a few guest towels? Of these, what items can be stored away for occasional use and which things need to be readily accessible near the sink or shower?

3. What is the size of your room? Any size bathroom can include excellent storage options, but the type and amount will depend on how much space you have available. Is this a small bath or powder room with limited space, or can it accommodate a large vanity and built-in shower storage?

Answering these questions will help you define your requirements and find the perfect storage solution.  Here are some of the options available:

Find the perfect vanity:  most bathroom remodeling projects incorporate a vanity, and there is a style and size to suit any bathroom.  For a powder room, a small, but stylish vanity like the one pictured here keeps hand towels and extra soap readily available for guests.

A larger bathroom can accommodate a bigger vanity or more than one vanity, as pictured below.  Vanities are a great solution for hiding away and organizing toiletries you do not want to be seen, but they can also include a combination of closed and open storage to allow some items to be on display.

Varying levels in your vanity allows you to maximize storage space, and create an interesting dimension in your design.  The bathroom design in Doylestown, PA pictured below frames the large window with vanities on both sides and a cabinet with more storage underneath.

Vertical Space: look to your walls for additional valuable storage, and add another visual layer to your design. The bathroom renovation in Yardley, PA below uses tower cabinets to divide the long vanity and maximize storage.

Wall mounted shelves or built in wall shelves like those pictured below are another way to get more storage out of your vertical space.

Medicine cabinets, particularly a recessed cabinet like the one below provide neatly hidden storage for all of your medical supplies.

Customized Accessories:  like any space in your home, there is no one-size-fits-all storage solution.  Customized accessories like specialized drawer organizers or the pull out inserts shown below left keep every item in your bathroom well organized and easily accessible.  A pull out laundry basket like the one below right provides an easy place to put dirty laundry.

Shower Storage: the last thing you want is to trip over soap and shampoo bottles while stepping in and out of the shower.  Built in shower storage can include corner shelves, a ledge, or a built in niche like those pictured here.

Designated storage helps to keep your countertops and bathroom floor clutter free and make it easier to find everything you need.  Enhance your daily routine with more bathroom ideas here or contact us to find out how to make the most of your bathroom storage.