Hidden Spaces in Your Small Bathroom

In a tight space, it's extremely important to consider visual balance. Too much art on the wall or too many decorative items on a shelf and the room will feel cramped. "For a healthy mental environment, you need to keep at least 40% of the room as negative space," Barnard says. "That means empty walls. No art, no towel racks, no cabinets."

In this bath, for example, a quiet, soothing tile rather than a busy pattern counts as negative space. A mirrored medicine cabinet in addition to the over-sink mirror produces the illusion of depth, but the lion's share of wall space is free of ornament and restful to the eye.