How to Make a Small Bathroom with a Walk-In Tub Look Bigger

Installing a walk-in tub in a smaller bathroom is absolutely achievable - and with the right design choices, the room can feel open, bright, and welcoming rather than cramped. Here are 12 practical tips that make a real difference.

1. Use Light Colours on Your Bathroom Walls

Light, neutral tones - whites, creams, soft greys - reflect light and make spaces feel larger. Dark colours absorb light and make walls feel closer together. This single change has one of the biggest visual impacts in a small bathroom.

2. Coordinate Your Colour Palette

A harmonious, tonal colour scheme - where walls, floor, and fixtures are in the same colour family - creates a seamless look that makes the room feel more expansive. Busy contrasts visually "chop up" a small space.

3. Choose a Smaller Vanity

A floating or wall-mounted vanity exposes more floor space, making the room appear larger. A pedestal sink takes up even less visual space. Reserve under-sink storage for only what you truly need.

4. Install a Glass Panel or Enclosure

If your walk-in tub includes a shower feature, a clear glass panel rather than an opaque curtain or frosted glass keeps sight lines open and makes the bathroom feel more connected and spacious.

5. Use Large-Format Tiles

Fewer grout lines mean fewer visual interruptions. Large floor and wall tiles create a sense of continuity that reads as more space. Diagonal tile layouts can also make a floor appear wider.

6. Reduce Furniture and Clutter

Every item sitting on countertops or floors competes for visual attention. Keep surfaces clear, store toiletries inside cabinets, and limit decorative items to one or two intentional pieces.

7. Install Large Mirrors

Mirrors reflect light and effectively double the visual depth of a space. A large mirror above the vanity - or a full-length mirror on one wall - is one of the most powerful tools for making a small bathroom feel bigger.

8. Prioritize Bright Lighting

Good lighting eliminates shadows that make spaces feel smaller. Combine overhead lighting with vanity lighting at eye level to ensure the whole room is evenly lit with no dark corners.

9. Use Corners Strategically

Corner shelving, corner sinks, or even placing the walk-in tub in a corner alcove can free up central floor space and improve traffic flow through the room.

10. Consider a Skylight

Where structurally possible, a skylight floods a bathroom with natural light and creates a strong sense of height and openness that no electric light can fully replicate.

11. Choose a Pedestal Sink

A pedestal sink reveals more of the floor and wall around it, keeping the room feeling open. Pair it with recessed wall niches for storage rather than a bulky vanity cabinet.

12. Declutter and Simplify

The single most effective thing you can do in a small bathroom is remove everything that doesn't need to be there. A decluttered bathroom always feels larger, calmer, and more functional.