Small Condo Bathroom Renovation Ideas for Toronto: Maximize Space and Style

Most Toronto condo bathrooms are 35–55 square feet — physically small but often made to feel smaller by builder-grade design choices. The same footprint can read as cramped or surprisingly spacious depending on a handful of decisions made during renovation.

• Builder-standard floor-mounted toilets and vanities visually anchor the floor and shrink the room.
• Framed glass shower enclosures with metal trim create visual stops that interrupt sightlines.
• Dark or busy tile patterns absorb light and make ceilings feel lower.
• Mismatched fixtures (chrome with brushed nickel, etc.) add visual noise that makes small spaces feel cluttered.

Every one of those is fixable in a renovation. The ideas below are the specific moves we have used across dozens of small condo bathroom projects in downtown Toronto, Midtown, and North York.

The single highest-impact change in a small condo bathroom is removing the visual weight from the floor. Wall-hung fixtures keep the floor visible underneath them, which the eye reads as more floor area.

• Wall-hung toilet (the tank is concealed inside a Geberit or Grohe in-wall carrier).
• Floating vanity with at least 6" of visible floor beneath it.
• Open-shelf or wall-mounted storage in place of a tall built-in linen cabinet where space allows.

See our downtown Toronto condo bathroom remodel for a finished example — the floating vanity and floating toilet make the small footprint read as significantly larger.

Removing the bathtub and installing a frameless glass walk-in shower is the most-requested small condo bathroom renovation in Toronto. Three things happen visually:

• Sightlines extend across the full width of the bathroom instead of stopping at the tub.
• Light passes through the glass instead of being blocked by a shower curtain or framed enclosure.
• The tiled shower wall becomes part of the room, not a separate compartment.

If a tub is required for resale (most one-bedroom condos benefit from at least one tub in the unit), this idea is best for primary ensuites in 2-bedroom or larger condos where a second bathroom retains the tub.

Tile choice has more impact on perceived bathroom size than any other surface decision. Two principles:

• Large-format porcelain (12"x24" or larger) — fewer grout lines means fewer visual interruptions.
• Continuous tile from floor up the wet wall — eliminates the horizontal break where flooring meets wall tile, which the eye reads as a ceiling cap.
• Light tones (whites, light greys, soft warm beiges) reflect more light and make the room feel airier.

Marble-look porcelain is the most popular small-condo bathroom finish we install in Toronto — it has the visual softness of natural marble without the maintenance or cost.

Small condo bathrooms still need storage, but visible storage cabinets shrink the room. Solutions that work without crowding:

• Custom recessed niches inside the shower wall — store shampoo and conditioner without exposed shelves.
• Mirror-front medicine cabinet recessed into the wall above the vanity — adds 2–4" of usable depth invisibly.
• Tall, narrow linen cabinet fit into the available wall space (typically 12"–18" wide) — vertical storage uses unused wall area.
• Under-vanity drawers instead of cabinet doors — easier access in tight spaces.

Custom millwork costs more than off-the-shelf storage but pays for itself in usable space — often more important than any other finish choice in a small condo bathroom.

Most builder-standard condo bathrooms have a single overhead light. The result is harsh shadows under the eyes at the mirror and a flat overall feel. Layered lighting transforms the same space:

• Backlit LED mirror — diffuse light at face level, the single best upgrade for daily use.
• Recessed ceiling pot lights — general ambient lighting (3–4 lights for a typical condo bathroom).
• In-shower waterproof recessed light — eliminates the dark cave effect in a glass-enclosed shower.
• Toe-kick LED strip under the floating vanity — adds warmth and a sense of depth at night.

Lighting upgrades typically add $1,200–$2,500 to a small condo bathroom renovation in Toronto. The visual impact is disproportionate to the cost — well worth the spend.