Best Sources for Small Bathroom Renovations

Dehlia’s tiny bathroom is typical of a city apartment: a 4 x 6 foot space that benefited from a functional, small-scale redesign. The floors are slate, the walls are seaglass, and the fixtures are well proportioned for the room. It can be difficult to find small tubs, toilets, and sinks for a bathroom renovation, but combing Dehlia’s source list as well as a few good posts from the Apartment Therapy archives, we’ve found some relevant resources.

Lacava
Dehlia’s sink (shown above) is a wall-mounted porcelain basin from Lacava, a Chicago-based company that specializes in contemporary bath fixtures. They have a really nice selection of small sinks, all available for order through their online store.

Hansgrohe | Axor
This Axor Modular Sink was designed by the Bouroullec Brothers and debuted for sale in the US in fall of 2011. Made of resin, it comes in a “kit of parts” and has tiered levels that can be placed anywhere on the sink.

AF New York
This New York showroom sells nearly every major high-end bathroom brand, and they have their own in-house design team as well. This Resin Sink is a one-piece model that projects only 12″ from the wall when fully recessed into a standard stud wall.

Kohler
Kohler is a good resource for a range of small bathroom fixtures, from sinks to toilets. Dehlia’s bathroom includes the extra-deep Kohler Greek Tub (starting at $1,500) and the Kohler Escale Toilet (starting at $1,000).

Century Shower Door
This California-based retailer sells frameless shower doors. By eliminating the metal framework around the glass, the shower seems more transparent and open. Their products can be purchased nationwide and they offer installation in CA, AZ, and NV.

Vintage Tub & Bath
If you’re looking for a more traditional tub, this online store carries 48-inch, 54-inch, and 57-inch clawfoot tubs designed to fit into small spaces. They also have a couple of 48-inch drop in tubs and a good selection of wall-mounted sinks.

Toto
They started out in Japan and have steadily grown in the U.S., offering small and efficient toilets for the luxury set. The Eco Lloyd Toilet (shown left) starts at 1,300, but there are more affordable options as well. Find Toto products at their showrooms, or through selected retailers.

Duravit
Their wall-mounted toilets are sleek and stylish (we especially love the look of the Starck collection), although they do require some special installation and there have been comments on Apartment Therapy about cleaning/installation problems in US homes.

Caroma
Caroma’s dual-flush toilets are good water savers if you’re looking to green your bathroom. They come in traditional and contemporary styles, and you can buy them through retailers like Green Depot and Amazon.com.

Grainger
Industrial supply catalog Grainger actually sells some nice medicine cabinets starting around $70. Made from steel frames, they’re durable and many of them come with safety locks. Both recessed and surface-mounted models are available online.

IKEA
IKEA has a lot of simple, Scandinavian wall-mounted cabinets in metal, wood, and glass. The Godmorgon line ($150 – $250) is a good option for minimalists.

Restoration Hardware
The prices are high, but the hardware is nice, especially if you’re looking for classic styles. We like the simplicity of their stainless steel medicine cabinets, which come in inset and wall-hung styles.

For more resources and recommendations, check the following lists:

• Best Small Toilets 2010
• Top 10 Space-Saving Sinks
• Wall-Mounted Medicine Cabinets

To see the full tour of Dehlia’s home, click here.

Photo: Dehlia / Small Cool 2009