Your New Bathroom Design

It's the room we spend as little time in as possible:  So why is it so important to have an outstanding design for the bathroom?  Precisely because it's the room we neglect so much.  If you truly want to impress guests who visit your home, you must create a bathroom that is modern, stylish and clean.  Here are some suggestions for "wowing" people with your bathroom.

1. Creating an entrance area for the bathroom just outside the door will do two things:  It will make the bathroom seem larger and more luxurious than it might actually be.  More importantly, it gives people some privacy when they have to visit the room.  You can place sinks in this area and give people some room to wash and dry themselves.
2. Install a nicer window.  This will go a long way toward brightening up your morning when you make that first bathroom stop of the day. One large window is nice (discreetly covered, of course); two windows is better.
3. Remember that the intimacy rule applies to bathrooms.  This means, the things that require the most privacy should be placed the furthest from the door.  Following this rule, the sink is closest to the door. Next is the bath tub or shower, with the toilet furthest away. (In some cases, it's okay to switch the position of the shower and toilet).
4. Leave plenty of room for the toilet area.  You don't want anything crowding you as you use it, so keep other items, such as the sink, at least a couple feet away.
5. If you want to create a roomier look to the bathroom, incorporate a ceiling of various heights, making it highest in the middle of the room.
6. A generous use of mirrors in the bathroom will give the illusion of a larger lavatory than you actually have.
7. Use finishes in the bathroom that are water-resistant.  Ideally, this means using ceramic tile.  If you install it correctly, it will provide you a surface that is both water-resistant and easy to clean.  Ceramic tile is perfect for the floors, walls as well as the shower enclosures. If you're worried about the tile being cold in the winter time, just put down an area rug or place a heat pad under the tile to solve this problem. Another possibility is to use linoleum flooring in the bathroom.
8. Make sure you have fixtures that actually work.  This means enameled cast-iron fixtures for your bathtub and china fixtures for the lavatory. Cast iron and china fixtures are both quite affordable, and there's not much difference between the prices of the two.
9. Remember to accessorize.  This means using contemporary, attractive light fixtures, medicine cabinets, towel bars, shower doors, furniture, and other accessories will go a long way toward upgrading the look of your bathroom.  Remember, though, not to sacrifice quality for the sake of a bargain.  You need items that are going to last you a good, long time.  Also, try to match these accessories as much as possible, in both color and style.
10. Why not buy all new wash cloths and towels?  Although this is not necessary, you can accent the stylish new decor in the bathroom by buying and displaying towels that match with the overall look of the bathroom.