Designing a great bathroom requires careful planning while considering a mix of elements, materials, lighting fixtures, and other factors. The bathroom, much like the kitchen, is one of the most essential rooms in the house.

If it’s not fully functional, then everybody is affected. Functionality is the main driver in every design, but that doesn’t mean that style should suffer. 

The following guide takes into account all the factors that matter to design a top-rated bathroom.

Start with the layout plan

Even the most stunning bathrooms need to face vent stacks, plumbing drains, and water lines. Most bathroom plans consider the one-wet wall, two-wet wall, or even three-wet-wall layouts. 

If you are considering the one-wall layout, then the shower, the toilet, and the sink line up on one wall. This is the most affordable of all designs, which also limits your options.

The two-wall layout provides you some breathing space and flexibility in terms of design. You can do plumbing the tub and shower on one wall, while the toilet and the sink on the other one. 

A three-wall layout is by far the most flexible style that allows you all sorts of combinations within the three walls. However, this flexibility comes with a high price tag attached to it.

Choose a motif

The motif should be a reflection of your ideas and preferences. It is up to you to decide whether the prevailing motif will relate to a specific style (Asian, bohemian, classic English country, contemporary, etc.), or maybe you want to deviate from the standard design and follow your instincts.

Deviating from the standard practices can be somewhat risky, but if you are confident in your vision and you got the budget to support it, then there is nothing stopping you. 

Select flooring

The ideal bathroom floor needs to be impervious to water, durable, slip-resistant, and at the same time, feature an attractive pattern or color. The typical choices are ceramic tiles or stone tiles. Polished stone can be somewhat slippery when wet. 

Ceramic tiles are waterproof and are commonly used in bathrooms. Plus, they are very durable and come in all sorts of styles, sizes, and patterns.

Add some drama with the fixtures

Fixtures come in all types of styles and finishes, from bronze to metal and pretty much everything in between. Mind your motif as you select your new bathroom fixtures. They can have the same effect on space as jewelry to an outfit. 

Consider the lighting

The correct lighting can set the mood in the bathroom. For example, incandescent bulbs have yellowish radiance, while fluorescent lighting features bluish light. If somehow you end up combining blue-hued fluorescent lighting with a blue wall, expect someone else when you look at the mirror. 

Pendant lights or ceiling-mounted lighting fixtures work nicely in bathrooms. Vapor-proof downlights are usually used with enclosed showers. 

Consider the bathroom vanity

Last but not least, the bathroom vanity is usually the centerpiece in almost any bathroom. Choose one that is in line with the main motif, but at the same time serves your needs, as well as the needs of the other members of your household.

The trick here is to be persistent in your search and not buying the first bunnings vanity you come across. Nowadays, there are bathroom vanities in all styles, designs, and for all budgets.