The Simple Shower Curtain Hack That Instantly Makes Your Bathroom Look Bigger

Got a tiny bathroom? Join the club. Whether you're bumping elbows during your morning routine or just wishing your shower didn't feel quite so claustrophobic, you're not alone in wanting to make your small bathroom seem bigger. The reality is that big bathrooms are a more recent design phenomenon — historically, the room was designed to be super practical, not super spacious.

But while a full-scale bathroom renovation might be off the table (at least for now), the good news is that you don't need to knock down walls to make your bathroom feel bigger. With a few smart design hacks, you can completely change the way your space looks and feels. One of the easiest (and most overlooked) fixes? Switching up the height of your shower curtain. By raising the curtain rod closer to the ceiling, you elongate the shower. The effect is instant — suddenly, the entire room appears loftier and taller.

The shower curtain rod trick works because it draws the eyes farther upward (rather than having them get caught between the ceiling and a lower rod). This creates the illusion of more space, and gives the whole room a more tailored look. It can work in any bathroom, but it's especially effective if your bathroom ceiling is on the shorter side.

If you already have an adjustable tension shower curtain rod, you can simply adjust it and lift it closer to the ceiling. With a fixed rod, you'll have to uninstall it from its current location, and reinstall it higher up. Keep in mind that you may need to also adjust the shower curtain and the inside liner, depending on their current heights. Choose the correct shower curtain size by making sure it at least hits the top of the tub so that the eyes can easily flow over the whole space and keep the visual illusion alive. In the case of the liner, look for one big enough to protect your floor from shower splashes. Depending on the height of your ceiling, you may need to shop for ones that are extra long. The adjustment is quick, but can go a long way in helping you make the most of a small bathroom.