search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!
Bath & Kitchen Pro

Small-space bathroom trends

Homeowners can still have spa-like experiences with streamlined, multi-tasking fixtures.

By Kelly Faloon
small slide 1

A popular aging-in-place trend is functional yet stylish grab bars. Photo credit: American Standard

small slide 2

 A handheld shower is a great product for universal design.Photo credit: Delta Faucet Co. 

small slide 3

 Space-saving, compact elongated toilets are an alternative to wall-hung toilets.Photo credit: Gerber Plumbing Fixtures 

small slide 4

 One option for smaller bathrooms is to split the lav/toilet from the tub/shower area.Photo credit: Hansgrohe 

small slide 5

 Multigenerational homes are including more bathrooms but smaller in size.Photo credit: Kohler Co. 

small slide 6

 Wall-mounted faucets provide extra counter space and more room under the sink.Photo credit: Moen 

small slide 1
small slide 2
small slide 3
small slide 4
small slide 5
small slide 6
July 18, 2013

A few years ago, we wrote in Plumbing & Mechanical about the building of large homes with three to four bathrooms, sometimes even a separate bathroom for the kids or grandkids complete with kid-sized fixtures. Master bathrooms were large and had all the amenities — soaking or whirlpool tub, large shower with multiple shower heads or a steam shower, matching toilets and lavs, luxurious faucets and tub fillers.

Today, after the Great Recession, there is change in the way homeowners view their bathrooms.

“Multigenerational homes are including more bathrooms but smaller in size,” notes Diana Schrage, senior staff interior designer at Kohler. “In highly populated urban areas, space is a premium and sometimes limits opportunities. Homes where frequent entertaining is the norm may still live large and the spaces will reflect that lifestyle.”

Lars Christensen, director of product development at Hansgrohe, adds: “Now that the U.S. economy is beginning to improve, we have finally started to build homes again. We are finding these homes to be larger in size, 3,000 sq. ft. and up, and the bathrooms are pretty large. The bathrooms do in many cases keep the same square footage as before, but the soaking tub has been replaced with a larger shower area and more demand for spa-products, such as steam and or a sitting/relaxing area.”

Homeowners may look at smaller bathrooms for the rest of the house, but still prefer a larger space for the master bath.

“We do often see larger, spa-like bathrooms remain part of an overall floor plan as it relates to the master bathroom,” says Kevin McJoynt, vice president of marketing at Danze and Gerber Plumbing Fixtures. “This tends to be the room to escape to and many times still is the place for customization and luxury.”

Many homeowners, especially baby boomers, are “right-sizing” their homes to fit their needs, says Brad Crozier, senior product manager at Moen. That is true whether building a new home or remodeling. And he agrees with Christensen about homeowners still wanting amenities in their bathrooms.

“While the bathroom spaces may be getting a little smaller, consumers are still looking for a spa-like experience — and ‘upsizing’ their amenities,” he explains. “Consumers are using their space more efficiently, creating custom showers, such as vertical spas, which include multiple showerheads, in a smaller footprint.”

Boomers and millenials are making the move from suburban areas back to the city, notes Gray Uhl, director of design at American Standard. They want the urban amenities such as smaller yards and walking to the grocery store or a local restaurant.

“Even with the economy today, no one wants fewer bathrooms,” he says. “Homeowners are looking for acceptable luxury. En suite areas, such as the master bath, are becoming popular. No one has to share. But something has to give, and it’s usually the square footage of the bathrooms.”

Create an illusion

When reducing square footage, streamlined fixtures can help create the illusion of a larger bath area.

“People are learning to use their space more efficiently, which has driven the development — and recent popularity — of streamlined faucets and multi-tasking showers,” says Allison McKinney, product manager at Delta Faucet. “In small bath spaces, especially, single-handle faucets are a perfect choice because they take up less room near the sink than other faucet configurations.”

Using visual tricks can make a space seem bigger, Uhl notes, such as wall-hung toilets and wall-hung lavs. He adds that freestanding tubs are trending higher. Not only can you see the floor beneath, but freestanding tubs hold less water.  “The more floor you see gives the illusion of a bigger space,” he says.

The same is true of showers and wall space, he says. Clear glass shower doors and even shower walls, where you can look to the back of the shower, transmit a sense of space.

If wall-hung toilets aren’t an option, many manufacturers offer compact, elongated toilets. “The configuration of these toilets can save several inches in space by shortening the depth of the toilet, which is perfect for small bathrooms where the door swings in,” McJoynt explains.

Another option for small-space bathrooms is to split the toilet/lav and tub/shower areas.

“In some cases, clients see the wisdom of including a very small bathroom sink along with the toilet for each of the bedrooms but the tub showering areas are the shared areas,” Schrage explains. “The grooming functions which do not require water may be moved to the bedroom space itself, as in a small dressing table, which may be multifunctional for homework or other personal use.”

A continuing popular trend is creating custom showers. Crozier notes that homeowners are “looking to maintain the same amenities and level of indulgence of a larger bathroom in less space.” Homeowners seem to be foregoing the larger, whirlpool-style tubs and substituting them with a shower and a soaking tub within the same footprint.

“Most smaller-space bathrooms typically reflect more of a ‘powder-room’ feel — a sink/toilet combination,” McJoynt says. “However, when a full-bath layout is required, we often see stand-up shower units being installed more and tubs falling by the wayside.  Soaking tubs and jetted tubs remain popular in oversized master bathrooms, but are less prevalent in these smaller second and third bathrooms.”

He adds that smaller bathrooms are “a great creative palette” for choices in lavs and faucets. Homeowners may opt for a pedestal lav to give a room a larger feel, as long as storage space isn’t an issue. Again, exposing more floor to help create the illusion of a larger space. If storage is a concern, 24-in. furniture/vanity options are available.

Wall-mounted faucets are a “great solution” for smaller baths as they “provide unique design, versatility, extra counter space and more room under the sink,” Crozier says.

Christensen says that Hansgrohe has noticed an increase in sales of single-hole faucets compared to regular 4-in. and widespread faucets. McKinney adds that single-handle faucet configurations have grown in popularity to downsize clutter and streamline countertops.

Universal design

“In my opinion, universal design is just good design and should always be considered a factor in your design,” Schrage says. “When done well, it should be invisible. There are myriad ways a space can be made more accessible and it is most cost-effective to take a good look at what your options are at the time you begin your design.”

Jason McNeely, sales training manager at Hansgrohe, adds that universal design concepts work exceptionally well in smaller bathrooms.

“Utilizing wall-hung sinks to open the space up also makes it easier for someone in a wheelchair,” he says. “Removing old bathtubs and creating barrier-free showers gives the feeling of more space and makes the showering area easier for everyone in the household to enter.”

Handheld showers and shower panels that allow the shower head to be moved up or down are great products to look at when considering universal design.

“Universal design blends function with style to create a space that’s beautiful while also offering security,” McKinney says.

Uhl believes the prevailing trend is aging-in-place.

“Homeowners tell us that they would trade five years of living longer with staying longer in their homes,” he explains. “They’re looking for products that don’t look institutional, that are more upscale but functional.”

Walk-in tubs and grab bars are product categories where the institutional look is being replaced by more stylish options.

 “Aging-in-place is a factor homeowners consider when designing spaces throughout the entire home and especially in the bathroom,” Crozier notes. “They not only want product that assist with day-to-day activities, but they’re also looking for style and space-saving solutions.” 


HELPFUL LINKS:

  • Contact Plumbing & Mechanical
  • Follow PM on Twitter!
  • Find PM on Facebook!
KEYWORDS: bathroom bathroom design trends plumbing fixtures

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Kelly june 2015 200

Kelly Faloon was a former editor of Plumbing & Mechanical as well as the BNP Media Plumbing Group’s Integrated Content Development Specialist. She also was a former editor of the Radiant Comfort Guide the Radiant & Hydronics Report — both official publications of the Radiant Professionals Alliance — and twice-monthly Radiant & Hydronics eNews, an enewsletter for anyone interested in the world of heating with hot water.

Her editorial specialties included women in plumbing, recruiting for the trades, green construction techniques, water conservation, water treatment, hydronic heating, radiant heating and cooling, snow melt, solar thermal and geothermal.

After a 3½-year stint at sister publication Supply House Times, Faloon joined the PM staff in December 2001 as senior editor. She was named PM’s managing editor in 2006 and editor in 2013.

Previously, she spent nearly 10 years at CCH, a publishing firm specializing in business and tax law, where she wore many hats — proofreader, writer/editor for a daily tax publication, and Internal Revenue Code editor.

 A native of Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, Faloon is a 1986 journalism graduate of Michigan State University. 

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Worker using the Milwaukee Tool SWITCH PACK drain cleaner

    Pipeline profits: Drain cleaning, pipe inspection create opportunities

    Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative...
    Green Plumbing and Mechanical
    By: Nicole Krawcke
  • Uponor employee, Arturo Moreno

    The reinvestment in American manufacturing and training

    Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke and...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke and Natalie Forster
  • March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

    Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

    Celebrating Women's History Month and Women in...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Plumbing & Mechanical audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Plumbing & Mechanical or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • J.J. Keller CMV vehicles on road
    Sponsored byJ. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

    The dash cam game-changer for small business safety

Popular Stories

Underfloor heating installation with drain sewer hole in bathroom close up on water floor heating.

Using hydronics to leverage time-of-use electrical rates

Watts Nexa mobile image

Behind the Wall: Where smart plumbing gets smarter

Six tankless water heaters that feed the nutraceutical manufacturer’s operations.

How to deliver large volumes of hot water quickly and intermittently

PMCE Home-X April 29 Free Webinar: From Legacy to Leadership: Preparing Your Home Services Business for the Next Generation

Events

November 13, 2024

Future Proofing MEP: Navigating the 2026 High Efficiency Water Heating Standards

Join our deep dive into DOE’s new standards so you can future-proof your MEP practice.

EARN: 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU*; 1 PDH

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Will business be up or down in 2025?

Do you anticipate business in 2025 to be up or down in comparison to 2024?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Water Came To A Stop

The Water Came To A Stop

See More Products

Download the FREE Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook: Plumbing Trends Increasing Safe Water Availability

Related Articles

  • Delta Faucet Co.: Powder rooms; remodeling, universal design, aging-in-place, bathtub, toilet, shower, NKBA

    Remodeling for small bath spaces

    See More
  • Green Kitchens & Baths
    Big Savings In A Small Package

    See More
  • Plumbing Trends: Stylish Lavs

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • lessons-learned.gif

    Lessons Learned: Connecting New Boilers to Old Pipes

See More Products
×

Keep your content unclogged with our newsletters!

Stay in the know on the latest plumbing & piping industry trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Supply House Times
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing