Special Events

News Releases

MILWAUKEE/NARI OFFERS 10 BATHROOM STORAGE SOLUTIONS
March 22, 2011

MILWAUKEE, WIS. – Although it’s a lot of fun to see the latest and greatest in bathrooms (TV– mirrors, towel warming drawers, multiple showerheads, heated marble floors, etc.), most of us just want our bathrooms to be clean, comfortable, stylish, and uncluttered.

Tips for making a small bathroom seem larger include having good lighting, choosing glass around the shower and for shelving, and having a color scheme of basic white, pastels, or neutrals. Items out on the countertop should be reduced to what is really needed to have handy, and the rest should be stored.

Members of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council, Inc., the area’s leading home improvement and remodeling resource for more than 49 years, have 10 tips for addressing storage in the bathroom. Themes to keep in mind are tall, thin, and built-in.

10 Bathroom Storage Tips

• Shelves: Over the toilet is one of the most popular places to add shelving. For extra convenience, some wall shelving systems are adjustable. On a larger vanity, a skinny storage unit can be placed on the countertop. Surrounding a window with shelving creates a focal point. It’s also possible to build storage space into a bathtub surround.


• Into the Wall: Mirror-fronted medicine cabinets that are built into the wall are a typical bathroom feature. Why not take that a step further and build shelves or a full column of drawers into the wall. This is especially useful for bathrooms with a wall-hung or pedestal sink and no vanity. Niches can also be built into showers.


• Bathroom Door: Consider it unused wall space. Install hooks and bars for hanging everything from towels and bathrobes to shower caddies and baskets. Another idea is to replace the door with a bi-fold or sliding pocket door to free up floor space.
• Magnetic Paint: With this paint, bathroom walls, doors, and even the ceiling can hold all things metal.


• Shelf Baskets: There’s only so much that can be fit on a small bathroom shelf (or toilet tank). Placing a decorative basket or large, slide out basket drawers on the shelf will multiply what it can hold.


• Get Narrow: Often, floor space is limited. Scale down fixtures and replace furniture – vanity, storage cabinets, even closets – with taller, narrower alternatives to make the most of the available space.


• Corners: Have an unused corner? Fit in corner shelving or a corner plant stand to hold rolled bath towels, toilet paper, or decorative bowls stocked with toiletries.


• Partial Wall: Ask the remodeling contractor if a partial wall that blocks off the toilet and doubles as a medicine cabinet (and ledge) would work with the bathroom. If the bathroom already has a half-wall, consider creating cabinets inside it.


• Drawers: Some vanities function better than others. Investigate available designs and drawers, including a skinny pullout drawer that stores (read: hides) damp hand towels or the garbage can.


• From Other Rooms: If tired of the usual bathroom options at the local store, look outside the bathroom. A metal rod intended for hanging kitchen accessories can be used in the shower. An office desktop organizer can hold toiletries atop the bathroom cabinet. A TV tray folds up in the linen closet when it isn’t needed next to the tub. What could be done with a spice rack or vase?

The Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council was chartered in July 1961, as a Chapter of the National Home Improvement Council. In May of 1982, the National Home Improvement Council merged with the National Remodelers Association to form NARI – the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

The Council's goals of encouraging ethical conduct, professionalism, and sound business practices in the remodeling industry have led to the remodeling industry's growth and made NARI a recognized authority in that industry. With over 800 members, the Milwaukee Chapter is the nation's largest.

For more information or to receive a free copy of an annual membership roster listing all members alphabetically and by category, and the booklet, "Milwaukee/NARI’s Remodeling Guide," call (414) 771–4071 or visit the Council’s Web site at www.milwaukeenari.org.