5 Bathrooms Under 40 Square Feet Delivering Big Design Ideas

These five 40 square-foot (and smaller!) bathrooms by Sweeten prove that limited space doesn’t mean limited style.

Living with smaller spaces is a reality for many city and apartment dwellers (and even owners of older homes). Sweeten sees thousands of renovations that range from large townhouses with spa sanctuaries, to studio apartments with tiny-but-functional baths. What we’ve learned is that it’s not the size that really matters, but how homeowners and their Sweeten general contractors use it!  Check out these bathrooms, all 40 square feet and under, that serve as a testament to the functionality of smaller baths.

A West Village wet room-style bathroom

As the homeowner Ali put it about her 12-square-foot bath: “I’ve been in showers larger than our entire bathroom.” To make this tiny space less claustrophobic, she and her husband Mark decided to make it a wet-room style with a gently sloping floor. Bold, geometric tile brings a pop of color and cheer to the windowless space, too.

A leak leads to a luxe remodel

After building management discovered a leak in this homeowner’s bathroom she decided to go through with a full renovation. Measuring in at just 40 square feet, there wasn’t a lot of flexibility in the layout. The renovator and contractor decided to stick with the arrangement, but reduce the shower size to gain more room for a vanity. Her best tip? Place a sink to the side, instead of the center of the vanity, to maximize counter space.

A glam bath with sleek storage and stunning floor tile

Everything about Angela’s bathroom is classic New York, from the subway tile to the square footage. At just 36 square feet there wasn’t a ton of room to play, but her goal was simply to refresh the fixtures anyway. For more storage, her contractor created inset wall niches next to the sink and in the shower, plus used some wall space behind the shower to build marble shelves.

In Gramery, goodbye bathtub; hello glassy & green

Removing the bathtub was the best way to make 35 square feet feel bigger. So that’s exactly what Charon and Lex (who’s 6’ 2”) decided to do when renovating their Gramercy Park bathroom with a Sweeten general contractor.

A barn door bathroom opens up extra square footage

Erin and Chris’ bathroom can’t be any more than 15 square feet, but their contractor succeeded in making it feel light, bright, and dare we say open? The all-glass shower door across from the window, as well as the white walls, help reflect light streaming in and prove the transformative power of light.

These 40 square foot bathrooms were truly transformed, thanks to Sweeten contractors. Ready to start your own bath reno?

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Find out how much it costs to renovate a bathroom in New York City.

Originally Published June 24, 2019
Updated on October 07, 2023

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.