17 tips for designing your dream bathroom from Caitlin Saul

Keep these bathroom design tips and ideas in mind when planning your dream space. Discover the best bathroom layouts and color palettes that will soothe you after a long day.

1. Plan efficiently

Even the cutest and dreamiest bathroom has to deal with water drains, water lines, and vents. Bathroom designs typically come with one, two, or three wet walls. A single-wall layout lines the sink, toilet, and shower along one wall, as in this bathroom. This is the most economical bathroom design, but it also limits your space devices.

2. Versatile bathroom layouts

A bathroom layout with two wet walls gives you more freedom. The sink and toilet can be installed on one wall and the tub and shower on the other. The three-wall layout is the most versatile, but also the most complicated and expensive. Working with a certified bathroom designer or architect can help you avoid costly mistakes and make the best use of your space.

3. Pay attention to the sink

Built-in bathroom sinks (one piece with a sink counter) make it easy to wipe dirt from the countertop into the sink. This option is the most practical, but far from the most budget-friendly.

4. Developing a bathroom lighting plan

The most important place when planning bathroom lighting is the mirror. Ideally, you should have wall lights on each side of the mirror at about eye level, and a third light should be above the mirror. This arrangement illuminates your face from both sides and above, eliminating shadows.

5. General bathroom lighting tips

Use ceiling lights for general bathroom lighting. Add style and mood with chandeliers or pendant lights. Enclosed showers and tubs usually require enclosed vapor-proof ceiling lights. Accent lighting can highlight a collection or architectural feature.

6.Accent the bathtub

Bathtubs are the natural focal point of bathroom design and have a strong influence on the design style. Freestanding tubs can rest on claw and ball feet or a pedestal (like this one), or they can be streamlined and straight like a sculpture.

7. Bathtub Design Tips

A platform bathtub has an unfinished appearance and flows into a supporting box-like structure. The top or decking is usually made of a waterproof material such as tile, marble or limestone, and the sides can be wood paneled or covered with tile or stone to match the floor. Whichever type you choose, you can opt for a regular or whirlpool bathtub to maximize your relaxation in the tub.

8. Spa Shower Design

Luxury showers recreate a spa-like atmosphere in a dream bathroom. Use a variety of spray heads. Ceiling-mounted tropical shower heads shower you from above, while body jets (vertical rows of shower heads) create a crisscross pattern for a water massage. Handheld shower heads allow you to direct the spray to wash your head, rinse or even clean the shower enclosure. Frameless glass doors showcase stunning tile, such as the marble shower shown here.

9. Enhance the impression with wood elements

The humble single-sink vanity has given way to a plethora of options, from double-sink vanities to custom storage drawers and wall cabinets. Bathroom cabinets combine form and function and reflect the style you want to create, whether modern, traditional, vintage or Old World style.

10. Bathroom Flooring Tips

Bathroom floors should be durable, impervious to water and non-slip. They should also be beautiful. The most luxurious choice is stone tile and ceramic tile, but carefully polished stone becomes slippery when wet. Choose a sanded floor finish for better adhesion. Smaller tiles with more grout lines also lie better underfoot.

11. Easy-to-maintain flooring for bathrooms

Ceramic tiles with a high water resistance rating are ideal for use in the bathroom. Tiles designed for floors are extremely durable; they are water, stain and wear resistant and easy to clean. Vinyl planks are also a good option for bathroom flooring.

12. Bathroom color design tips

Color has the power to energize, calm and awaken. Think about the mood you want to create with your room design before choosing a palette of materials. When designing your bathroom color scheme, remember that color is determined by more than just wall paint and fabric. The shades of cabinet wood, stone, or tile you choose for the floors and walls play an important role in creating the overall color personality. Even the sink and tub contribute to the color scheme of the entire room, whether they are made of white porcelain, stained concrete or stone.