In France, the average size of a bathroom is 6m2 . So we consider a bathroom as small when it is less than 4 m2 . Between the shower, storage, doors and others, a small bathroom is constricting to develop, and many parameters are to be taken into account.

- The use of mirrors. The reflection and depth effect of a mirror makes it possible to visually enlarge a room. On a door, on the walls, above the sink, the mirror has its place everywhere in a bathroom. Tip: the bigger the mirror, the more it will enlarge the room. We think to put a mirror anti-fog above the sink because in a small bathroom, ventilation is not always reliable.

- The doors . To prevent the door from slamming into the walls of the small bathroom, the preferred type of door is the sliding door. It saves space.

- The storage . Not easy to install storage in a small room. Tips: focus on hanging furniture. We choose cabinets with little depth. For a total optimization of the room, we equip an entire wall of storage up. To open the doors of the cabinets, the push-lash system makes it easier to open its doors and not to use a handle.

Tip : we can fix pegs on the walls to put his towels and even baskets to store his products.

- Shower or bath? If you have a small bathroom, every square centimeter counts. It is therefore preferable to install a shower with hinged doors inside or outside the cabin or pivoting doors that fold against the wall which allows to clear space on the ground. To put an Italian shower, great trend of the year, it is necessary to provide 80 cm wide to place the shower and a passage space. We also think of installing the taps.

- The lighting . For all lighting in a bathroom, it is imperative to look at the IP44 protection rating, which protects the bulb from splashing water. The lighting must be functional. So we think to illuminate around the mirror with LED ribbons. In addition, some change colors, which allows to create different universes.

Another expanding market is built-in speakers . This allows you to listen to music or radio more audibly. The speakers can also be fixed in the shower head with bluetooth.

In showers, the lighting protection rating should be IP65, which protects the bulb from strong water jets.

- The ventilation . This is the essential element, especially in a small bathroom where you choke quickly under the humidity of the room. The best is to invest in point mechanical ventilation (VMP) that starts when the humidity is too high or when someone enters the room.

Thanks to Nathalie Lirot, Merchandising Manager Leroy Merlin.