HGTV Star Lyndsay Lamb's Smart Tips For A Perfectly Spaced Bathroom

Bathroom design is not just about visuals — the layout and placement of items can also impact functionality. There are important rules to follow when designing your bathroom that should not be overlooked. Spacing needs to be kept in mind so everyone can move around the bathroom freely, and the room is optimized for easy use without feeling cramped. Each fixture requires ample space, which could be a challenge in a small bathroom. Lyndsay Lamb, one half of HGTV's "Unsellable Houses" hosting duo, took to Instagram to share precise measurements that homeowners should remember for their bathroom space.

"These are measurements you don't want to forget!! TRUST ME, you will be thanking me later," Lamb captioned the video. "What may seem like just a few inches here and there can actually make a HUGE difference in the day-to-day functionality of your bathroom!!" And this applies to features big and small, beginning with the basics that are a necessity in every bathroom. When determining how much space you should set aside for a toilet in your bathroom, don't forget to consider the placement of the toilet paper holder. Lamb advised that the toilet paper holder be 26 inches from the floor and 8 to 12 inches in front of the toilet. Lamb said the placement of the shower head "needs to be at least 80 inches from the floor so no one's hitting their head." She insisted, "This is one you don't want to mess up."

In the bathroom, which is often the smallest room in the home, you'll want to optimize the space. Lyndsay Lamb's measurements for common bathroom items mean you can utilize the space wisely. She started by noting the best placement for fixtures that will hold towels. According to Lamb, the towel bar where your towel can be easily accessed as you're in the shower should be 48 inches from the ground so that towels will not drag on the floor. The towel hook where your robe or towel lives long term should be between 60 and 70 inches from the floor for the same reason. The towel ring that holds the hand towel by your sink or vanity should be placed 52 inches from the floor, Lamb said. This is to prevent things from hitting your counter while still keeping your hand towel close enough to grab when you need to dry.

Next, she addressed the mirrors above the vanity and noted the point where the height and width of the mirror intersect in the middle. "For mirror height, you want to make sure your mirrors are 60 inches from the floor to the center of your mirror." This could be hard to pinpoint on mirrors that are particularly long, so it's worth busting out a tape measure and making sure of the exact measurements. Lamb added that there should be "at least 5 inches from the countertop to the bottom of the mirror."

Lyndsay Lamb discussed measurements for modern upgrades that homeowners may want to add to their bathrooms, such as powder rooms or a wet room. "To make sure you have room for everything in your powder room, it needs to be at least 30 inches wide and 60 inches deep," Lamb advised. Sconce lights should be installed 65 to 70 inches from the floor, according to Lamb, "so the sconce lands somewhere right in the middle of your face" when you look at your mirror.

You'll need to make sure there's enough space between your toilet and shower in the bathroom, and spacing is equally as important if you're planning to have a wet room. "If you want to do a wet room where the tub and shower are both behind the glass, you need to make sure your tub is at least 12 inches from the glass wall," Lamb said. This is likely for functionality as well as safety concerns.

A detached tub may require a spout that lives outside the perimeter of the bathtub. Lamb recommended the tub spout measure 4 inches taller than the rim of the tub — a smart way to utilize space vertically rather than on the floor. If you have a shower instead and want to add a bench inside it, the HGTV star said to "make sure it is 18 inches off the ground and 15 inches deep" so it can be sat on comfortably.