Compact bathrooms are a reality in many of San Diego's most beloved neighborhoods — North Park bungalows, Hillcrest condos, and older Pacific Beach cottages often have bathrooms under 50 square feet. But limited space doesn't mean limited style. Here are ten strategies we use on small bathroom remodels across San Diego.
1. Go Floor-to-Ceiling Tile
Nothing visually expands a small bathroom like tile that runs from floor to ceiling on all walls. It eliminates the visual interruption of paint, adds a spa-like cohesion, and is actually easier to clean than painted drywall.
2. Choose a Floating Vanity
Wall-hung vanities expose the floor underneath, creating the visual impression of more space. They also make mopping infinitely easier. A 24-inch floating vanity in a well-chosen finish can anchor a small bathroom beautifully.
3. Install a Curbless Walk-In Shower
Removing the shower curb and the visual barrier of a shower pan makes any bathroom feel significantly larger. Pair with a frameless glass panel (no door swinging into the room) for maximum effect.
4. Use Large-Format Tile on the Floor
Counter-intuitively, larger tiles (12"×24" or 18"×18") make floors look bigger than small mosaic tiles. Fewer grout lines = less visual fragmentation.
5. Maximize Natural Light
In San Diego's sunny climate, a strategically placed frosted window or solar tube skylight can transform a dark bathroom. Light amplifies perceived space more than any other element.
6. Choose a Recessed Medicine Cabinet
A mirrored medicine cabinet set into the wall eliminates a protruding cabinet while doubling as a mirror. It's one of the best space-to-value upgrades in any small bathroom.
7. Go Monochromatic
Using one color (or very close shades) throughout — floors, walls, and fixtures — creates a serene, expansive feeling. Current San Diego trends favor warm whites, sand tones, and warm grays.
8. Add a Heated Floor
Radiant heating in a small bathroom tile floor is relatively inexpensive ($400–$800 for materials) and adds an outsized luxury perception.
9. Upgrade to a Comfort-Height Toilet
A modern comfort-height toilet with a sleek profile and concealed trapway looks far more expensive than it is and removes visual bulk.
10. Invest in Lighting Layers
Replace the single overhead fixture with layered lighting: recessed can lights for general illumination, vertical sconces flanking the mirror for task lighting, and LED strip lighting under a floating vanity for ambiance.
