Storage in a Small Bathroom: 6 Ideas from Real Projects

In a small bathroom, it's hard to fit the essentials: a shower, sink, and toilet, not to mention storage. But without it, there's nowhere to put cosmetics, household chemicals, and dirty laundry. Designers find solutions here — let's look at what ideas they offer.

Integrated shelving in the installation

The space between the wall-mounted toilet and the shower cabin in this bathroom is not left empty — designer Anna Malyutina used it for storage. The installation was extended and not tiled off. Instead, an open shelf with deep shelves was made. On these shelves, wicker baskets were placed — they're great for storing textiles and small items. Moreover, the baskets make the interior cozier and help avoid visual clutter.

Design: Anna Malyutina
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Countertop with open shelves and narrow cabinet

The bathroom is combined and small — only 3 m². By relocating the plumbing stack, all utilities, filters, and water heater were hidden. At the same time, many storage spaces were provided. For this, a beech countertop was installed along two walls, under which open shelves were made on one side and a narrow cabinet with doors — on the other.

Design: Ekaterina Kholodkova
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Suspended cabinet above the washing machine

In this single-room bathroom, designer Polina Lebedeva did not design a closed cabinet to hide the washing machine. She believes it's not worth doing so — it's just inconvenient since the door of the machine needs to be kept open periodically. But leaving an empty space above the washing machine was also not desired. An alternative was a suspended cabinet — it can be used to stack dirty laundry and store cleaning supplies.

Design: Polina Lebedeva
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Drying zone above the washing machine

Another functional way to utilize the space above the washing machine is to create storage and a small drying area for laundry. The result was a small utility block hidden behind a curtain. To prevent the curtain from drawing attention, it was chosen in the same color as the bathroom walls.

Design: Masha Yashina
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Side niches above the installation

Due to a ventilation shaft in this bathroom, the installation had to be pushed forward. The upper part above it was covered with cabinet fronts that were matched to the ceramic granite and the cabinet. This solution allowed access to utilities and organized storage. The side of the cabinet featured niches — compact but convenient for storing personal care items and decor.

Design: Julia Abramchuk
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Narrow ladder-style shelf

The area of this combined bathroom is 3.85 m², so the small space was not overloaded with furniture. For storage, the designer chose a vanity unit, and an empty corner was filled with a narrow shelf. Note how the ladder-style shelf looks visually light, not overwhelming, and enhances the interior. Moreover, such a model is functional: towels can be hung on the bars, and baskets, textiles, and bathroom accessories can be stored on shelves of varying depths.

Design: Oxana Oleynik
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