Your bathroom should be a place of comfort; a haven for relaxing in the tub and an efficient hub for getting ready in the morning. Most bathrooms are cramped, awkwardly designed and difficult to work with, but even the simplest changes can make the tiniest bathroom seem spacious.

While a bathroom might not be the first room a potential buyer asks about, it truly can make or break the sale. To ensure buyers’ interest in your house, follow these seven strategies for updating your bathrooms.

Maximize Light

Like any other room in your home, you want to bring in as much light as possible into the bathroom. Bright rooms will always feel more spacious than dark ones. Most bathrooms only have one small window that allows a limited amount of natural light, so opt for sheer window coverings to maximize light. (Ditch those heavy drapings!) Install additional light fixtures as necessary to bring even more light into the room.

If you are able to, paint walls and ceilings in the bathroom the same color. This will help the room feel like it’s doubled in size, as multiple colors can chop the room into sections. Use grey and white palettes to give the room an updated, modern feel. Additionally, even if your walls and ceiling are light and bright, a dark floor can negate their effect and close the space in. Keep the flooring light, too, to create a space with an open flow.

Add (Large) Mirrors

Your bathroom probably already has at least one mirror over the sink, but installing additional mirrors to the space will allow light to reflect and open up the space. Replacing that tiny cabinet mirror with an oversized mirror will also help the room feel more spacious.

Streamline Storage

Once you know how your bathroom is going to be used, (Is it a powder room? Master bathroom? High traffic area?), planning the room’s storage should be next on your list. Planning ahead will help prioritize function, so clutter doesn’t begin to collect and therefore make the room feel smaller.

Keep all storage as close to the wall as possible, as anything that sticks out will chop up the space. Use recessed shelving and medicine cabinets to your advantage. Anything that is not needed on a daily basis should be stored elsewhere in the home. Keep in mind that a bath mat on the floor all the time can make the room feel smaller. Store bath mats away when you’re not using them to expose the flooring and make the space appear larger.

Raise the Bar (Literally)

Raising your shower curtain bar all the way to the ceiling will create the illusion of a larger space. It will draw the eyes up and make the ceiling seem taller. The same goes for any window treatments. Raising sheer curtain panels to the ceiling will also create the illusion of a larger window, making the small bathroom feel larger.

If your show has a swinging door, consider replacing it with a sliding barn door or a pocket door. (Swinging doors can take up almost half the room!) A sliding door won’t invade your precious space. Additionally, opt for clear glass shower doors instead of frosted glass shower doors. Clear glass makes the room appear larger, while frosted glass breaks up the space. The same can be said for frames around the glass. (A frame can make the area seem choppy.) Like with paint in the room, install the same shower tile from floor to ceiling. The seamless look from top to bottom emphasizes cohesiveness and openness.

Whether you’re remodeling a new home or preparing to sell, you want to put this advice to work. Utilizing just a few of these tips in your small bathroom can make a world of difference in feel and appearance. Once you’ve tried these tricks in the bathroom, apply them throughout your home! The principles are totally transferable to any room, and simply create the illusion of space.

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