Shower Tray for a Small Bathroom: Sizes and Space-Saving Tricks

In a small bathroom, the shower tray decides almost everything. Get the size wrong and you lose space where it’s needed most; get it right and the shower blends in and the whole room breathes easier. Here’s what actually works when space is tight: the sizes that perform best, why going made-to-measure changes things, and a handful of tricks to make a cramped bathroom feel bigger.

The sizes that perform best in a tight space

You don’t need a huge shower to enjoy a good wash. In small bathrooms there are four formats that nearly always come out on top:

70×70: the classic for tight cloakrooms. Square, discreet and plenty for one person. It works very well in corner alcoves.
70×90: the sweet spot. You gain elbow room lengthways without eating into the walkway. It’s probably the most useful size for a small-to-medium bathroom.
80×80: when the alcove allows it, those extra ten centimetres a side make a real difference inside the shower.
70×100: ideal for replacing an old bath. The 100 cm length makes use of the typical gap a bath left behind, while the 70 cm width keeps that sense of openness.

For reference, at Aquatit the range runs from 60×60 to 100×200, so you’ve room to go snug or generous as your bathroom dictates. You can see the detail on the first two at 70×70 and, if you want a roomier shower where the bath used to be, at 80×100.

Why made-to-measure squeezes out every centimetre

Small bathrooms are rarely perfect. There’s a column that sticks out, a kink in the wall, a hidden pipe, or an alcove that measures 68 cm rather than 70. With a mass-produced tray, those few centimetres are lost: either it won’t go in, or you’re left with an ugly joint that causes grief sooner or later.

That’s the beauty of going made-to-measure. If your alcove is 68×112, that’s exactly the tray you get. No cutting on site, no filler silicone, no compromises.

In tight spaces, gaining two or three well-placed centimetres isn’t a luxury: it’s the difference between a comfortable shower and one where your elbow’s pressed against the tiles.

As manufacturers of mineral-filled resin trays, any exact size is on the table: irregular alcoves, L-shaped corners, spaces under a low window. Tell us on made-to-measure and you’ll get a piece calculated for your bathroom, with its waste trap and grille included.

Low-profile and flush: the bathroom looks bigger

There’s a visual trick that works almost every time: the less the tray gets in the way, the bigger the bathroom looks. So in small spaces it’s worth going for a low-profile tray and, if the install allows, fitting it flush with the floor.

A tray level with the floor does away with the step, carries the line of the flooring through, and lets the eye travel across the bathroom without snagging. The result is a room that feels roomier and, into the bargain, easier to clean and more accessible. The Smooth finish suits this idea well: a clean surface, no pronounced relief, perfect for letting everything flow. If you’d rather have something with more character but just as flat, the Slate finish brings texture without adding height.

Light colour and screen: the details that add up

With the size and tray sorted, there are two decisions that carry more weight in a small bathroom than you’d think:

Light colour for openness: white, sand or pearl grey tones reflect the light better and stretch the space visually. A dark tray looks elegant, but in a tight bathroom light almost always works better.
A screen that doesn’t steal space: forget panels that swing outward and eat into the walkway. A sliding screen or a panel that folds inward keep the through-route clear. In very narrow showers, even a fixed panel with no door can be the most open solution.

Small touches, but together they mark the difference between a bathroom that feels claustrophobic and one that, small as it is, feels comfortable.

Quick recap

If your bathroom is short on space, go for a snug size (70×70, 70×90, 80×80 or 70×100 are usually safe bets), choose a low-profile tray, fit it flush if you can, lean on light colour, and sort the screen with a sliding or inward-folding panel. And above all, measure your alcove well: if it doesn’t match a standard size, making it to measure is what truly lets you gain every centimetre.

Got an awkward alcove or a size you can’t find in any catalogue? Tell us the exact dimensions on made-to-measure and we’ll make the perfect tray for your bathroom, with waste trap and grille included and shipping across Europe.