As tiny houses have gained popularity in recent years as an affordable and sustainable housing option, one of the most common questions is: Are there bathrooms in tiny houses? The short answer is yes, tiny houses can and usually do have bathrooms. However, given the constrained space, bathrooms in tiny homes are typically quite small and designers must get creative with layout and features. There are a few main factors to consider regarding bathrooms in tiny houses.
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Bathroom Size and Layout
While bathroom sizes vary, a typical tiny house bathroom ranges from 25 to 35 square feet. That’s quite small compared to the average master bathroom size of 50 square feet in a regular home. Careful planning is required to configure fixtures and create a functional layout in such a tight space. Here are some common tiny house bathroom layouts and features:
- Shower only – Some tiny bathrooms forego a bathtub completely and just have a shower stall. This saves significant space.
- Toilet and shower combo – Locating the shower and toilet adjacent to each other, often in a wet bath style, maximizes the use of space.
- Loft style – Bathrooms are sometimes located on a loft level to allocate the main floor for living space.
- Fold down sink – A sink that folds against the wall or flips up when not in use can save precious counter space.
- Combo washer-dryer unit – Compact washer-dryers allow laundry facilities within the tiny bathroom.
While tiny house bathrooms take some creativity, they can include all the essential fixtures and functions of a full-sized bathroom in a scaled-down layout.
Toilet Options
Selecting the right toilet for a tiny bathroom requires some special considerations. Standard residential toilets are generally around 30 inches wide and protrude 2 feet or more from the wall. Tiny house floor plans often cannot spare that much space. As such, several more compact toilet options are popular for small bathrooms:
- Compact low-flow toilets – These are scaled-down models of standard toilets designed to fit in tight spaces and use less water.
- Cassette toilets – Containing their own waste tank, these completely self-contained units do not require any plumbing.
- Incinerating toilets – Instead of using water, these toilets burn waste to ash that can be disposed of.
- Composting toilets – Using natural processes, they convert waste to usable compost.
The right toilet can save inches of space versus a standard residential model. Many tiny home builders and owners opt for cassette or composting toilets to minimize the bathroom footprint and avoid the need for plumbing.
Maximizing Storage
Lack of storage space is one of the biggest challenges in tiny house bathrooms. With no room for large vanities or medicine cabinets, savvy solutions are needed. Some ideas for bathroom storage in a tiny house include:
- Built-in wall cabinets, shelving and niches
- Space under stairs or lofts converted to storage
- Freestanding narrow shelving units
- Over the toilet shelves
- Mirrored cabinets to replace traditional medicine cabinets
- Hooks, trays and baskets for wall storage
When designing a tiny house bathroom, utilizing every nook and cranny for storage is a top priority. Decisions like shelving over combo washer-dryers and converting under-sink space to drawers can make a big difference.
Tiny House Bathroom Fixtures
Standard bathtubs, showers, vanities and sinks will simply be too large for most tiny house bathrooms. Instead, downsized bathroom fixtures help maximize the usable space. Some options include:
| Fixture | Compact Options |
|---|---|
| Bathtub | Small corner tubs, tub-showers or shower stalls instead of tubs |
| Sink | Wall-mounted sinks, corner sinks, vessel sinks, fold-down sinks |
| Toilet | Compact and cassette toilets as already discussed |
| Shower | Stall showers, shower tubes |
| Vanity | Narrow floating vanities, pedestal sinks avoiding vanities altogether |
The tiny house community has responded to the need for smaller fixtures with a growing selection of bathroom-related products sized specifically for compact homes. While remodeling catalogs offer some options, specialized tiny home suppliers provide the widest selection.
Considerations Beyond Size
While small space design is the first hurdle, building a functional bathroom in a tiny house involves more than just going as compact as possible. As with any home, the bathroom should still provide comfortable use, storage and aesthetics. Some other considerations include:
- Lighting – Proper lighting is important in a small dark bathroom. Windows, skylights and vanity lighting help.
- Ventilation – Vents and fans are essential even in tiny bathrooms to control moisture and odors.
- Privacy – Tiny house layouts often have the bathroom doors opening into other living areas, so privacy is a consideration.
- Doorways – Doors generally need widened beyond standard sizes to allow moving fixtures like compact toilets into the bathrooms.
- Plumbing – Running drainage requires planning, often with pumps to avoid venting issues.
These factors help ensure tiny house bathrooms are not just small, but fully functional and comfortable no matter how compact the footprint.
Creative Tiny House Bathrooms
While fitting a bathroom into a tiny home presents challenges, many ingenious designs showcase the possibilities. Some creative tiny house bathrooms include:
- Utilizing space under a loft with a low profile toilet and stand-up stall shower.
- Building a combination bathroom and laundry with the washer-dryer under the bathroom sink.
- Installing a corner shower tucked out of the way of the main living space.
- Creating a sliding barn door for the bathroom to save space over a swinging door.
- Having a bathroom vanity that rolls aside or pivots up when not in use.
- Using a compact cassette toilet and freestanding sink for simplified plumbing.
- Building a cozy bathroom with tongue and groove wood paneling and accent tiles.
With some careful planning and custom touches, tiny house bathrooms can provide every feature needed in attractive and functional spaces. The key is making the most of every inch and seeking compact, multi-purpose fixtures and furnishings.
Conclusion
Bathrooms are certainly possible in tiny houses, though they require careful planning and compact layouts. Key factors to consider are:
- Using smaller fixtures like corner showers, wall-mount sinks and compact toilets
- Finding space-saving options like lofts, wet baths and sliding doors
- Incorporating storage with built-ins, under-fixture use and shelving
- Selecting space-saving options like cassette or composting toilets
- Considering lighting, ventilation, privacy and plumbing needs
- Getting creative with multi-purpose furnishings and unique layouts
With innovative designs and compact fixtures, tiny homes can have well-appointed bathrooms that offer all the necessities. While tiny house bathrooms take more planning, they allow minimal space to be used efficiently while providing an excellent showering and dressing experience.