Minimalist Bathroom Design: Less is More

Minimalist principles dictate that grandiosity and excess are unnecessary trappings of the modern-day phenomena of consumerism run amok and that by transitioning to a low-scale degree of possessions, you can live happier, healthier and with less ‘stuff’. 

When it comes to your bathroom, it is fairly easy to perform a bathroom renovation with minimalism in mind, as you don’t have to be overly exuberant in your choice of decor, lighting fixtures, bathroom appliances and so on. When renovating your bathroom, be conscious not to fill all the empty spaces with soap holders, mirrors, pictures or other trinkets and trappings of overexuberant design. 

Choosing a minimalist look in your bathroom can be achieved when doing a bathroom renovation by understanding that less is more: more space, more light bouncing around the room, better functionality and an overall more relaxing and peaceful vibe in a space that should be all about getting away from the world for a few minutes.

The Benefits of Minimalism 

Adopting a minimalist approach to interior design can be tricky, especially across a busy household filled with children or other adults who seem to be a ‘thing’ magnet. Companies like Wish and Amazon have made it almost too easy to buy and receive things nearly immediately, making minimalism difficult to achieve. 

Minimalism must be a mindset you adopt and persist with continuously. Consider what you want to get out of your new bathroom during a bathroom renovation with minimalism in mind. Simplicity is the key to a minimalist bathroom renovation. 

Minimalism in the bathroom also reduces the time it takes to clean the space, as there are fewer individual items to wipe down. Fewer things in a room also mean less clutter, offering a greater feeling of zen, a highly desirable trait in a bathroom.

Simplicity in Design 

Minimalist bathroom designs offer great simplicity, little flourish and flair, and more practicality and utility. They favour clean design lines – such as straight tiling and straight-edge vanity countertops with hard lines and a simple showerhead or bathtub without much by way of complex fixtures. 

Typical minimalist bathrooms include basic shapes using natural materials over synthetics, including repurposing materials. Colour palettes in minimalist bathrooms tend to be neutral and lacking in exuberance. Think greys, cream whites with brass fittings or forest green walls with granite countertops.

Decluttering and Organisation 

One of the main draws of minimalism is that it provides an opportunity to declutter and organise your bathroom. When adopting minimalism in the bathroom, efficient storage spaces are key. Keep the vanity clear of unnecessary items like extra (unopened) soap bars, and avoid storing things atop cupboards or leaving towels lying around. 

Using a small laundry hamper for dirty towels tucked neatly in a corner is a good idea. Organise your cupboards by keeping things together like clean towels, face cloths, or bath mats. Ensure you keep your toiletries in a separate drawer or a cabinet beneath your vanity. 

Plan efficient storage into your bathroom renovation to maximise open space and clean countertops. A monthly audit of what you have in the bathroom cupboards is a great way to minimise clutter and efficient organisation.

Selecting Functional Fixtures 

In a small, minimalist-style bathroom, space-saving and functionality are key. When selecting fixtures for your bathroom, consider how you’ll navigate your space. Where will you turn to use certain things? Would a wall-mounted cupboard system above the vanity, with a minimalist mirror in between and simple light, be a better use of space than a large, sprawling vanity? 

Consider making your shower space small with recessed shelving to make better use of the space with simple tiling that’s straight and simple in its colour pattern. You could incorporate technology into the functionality of your sink by choosing a motion-activated tap rather than having large taps that you turn on and off manually. 

A few minor considerations during your bathroom renovation can offer fantastic functionality without sacrificing space.

Natural and Sustainable Materials 

Using natural materials during your bathroom renovation is a fantastic way to increase the longevity of your bathroom by creating a sense of connectedness to the earth. Using stone wall tiles or real wood during the construction of the vanity or cupboards, rather than synthetics. These materials tend to be waterproof and generally more durable. 

Using warm wood tones will help add to a sense of calm. Combine that with soft, warm lighting fixtures to create a relaxing ambience.

Minimalist Lighting

Minimal lighting means thinking small during your bathroom renovations. Decide on a simple over-sink lighting fixture, perhaps a spot-light system in the ceiling over the shower or bathtub area, combined with another one over the sink featuring bright, warm bulbs.

Additionally, you could add motion-sensor dimmable switches to maximise lighting flexibility and dim or increase the luminosity to match your daily mood. Motion sensor switches also allow you to save money by not having to remember (or constantly ask your kids) to turn off the bathroom light. 

When doing any electrical work, find an electrician licensed for bathroom renovations in Sydney.

Texture and Contrast 

Using contrast in colour palettes and creating textures using natural stone materials is a fantastic way to add visual space to a minimalist bathroom without increasing square footage. Renovating bathrooms in Sydney allows you to use natural light to create contrast between shadows and bright spots. Consider using skylights or large windows to take advantage of Sydney’s nearly 2,600 peak hours of sunlight per year. 

Maintenance and Cleaning 

One of the main benefits of having a minimalist bathroom space is that maintenance and cleaning become simple and quick. You can easily vacuum, mop and wipe down a small, minimalist bathroom space in under an hour. As things are stored efficiently, and the space is kept pristine by dutifully putting things away where they belong, there is less cleaning to be done regularly.

Final Thoughts

If you want to ‘go small’ with your next bathroom renovation, consider adhering to minimalist principles by using less space, having less stuff and minimising clutter and mess. You may not need to expand your bathroom space if you can come up with a minimalist design, or you may have the square footage to fit two bathrooms into one house if your bathroom renovations include a minimalist second bathroom aside from your master bathroom. 

When doing bathroom renovations in Sydney, always run your plans by licensed professionals like those at Crystal Bathrooms. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff would be happy to set up an initial consultation to discuss your minimalist bathroom design, allowing you to live in a space where “less” really is “more.”