Tips for Designing Your Dream Bathroom

Bathrooms are an essential part of any modern home. No matter what kind of home you have, you'll almost definitely have at least one bathroom. What's more, you'll most likely spend a lot of time in there, whether it be showering, getting ready for work, or just doing your daily business.

Since you'll be spending so much time in your bathroom, it only makes sense to want it to look nice. A well-designed bathroom is functional while also matching your aesthetic preferences and fitting with the rest of your home's interior design. But there's more to designing a bathroom than just picking a new bathtub and a few accessories. To get the most out of your redesign, it's important to plan carefully and choose wisely.

1) Things to Consider Before You Start

Before you can begin designing your new bathroom, you need to know what you want out of the redesign, as well as what you can and can't do. Outlining these things in advance will make planning the remodel easier and reduce the chance of making an expensive mistake later down the line.

Budget

As with any project, bathroom renovations cost money. Your budget dictates everything about your remodeling project — what materials are used in your new bathroom, how extensive the renovations are, and more. Before you begin redesigning, you need to know how much money you have to work with. This way, you'll be able to plan the renovation accordingly. Always try to leave a margin in your budget to allow for any unexpected costs. In the end, it's always better to be under budget than over.

Occupancy

Your remodeled bathroom should be able to comfortably accommodate everyone who uses it regularly. Keep in mind that the more people you have living in your house, the longer you'll have to wait for your turn in the bathroom. If you want to make your bathroom run more efficiently, consider investments that allow for multiple people to use it at once, such as larger mirrors and sinks. If you're the only one using the bathroom, however, you can stick with smaller appliances to save space and money.

Space

Unless you're planning to knock out a wall or two, the amount of floor space available in your bathroom is set in stone. However, mismanaged design plans can take the finite space you have and make it feel even smaller. Even worse, they can make the bathroom harder to use, especially if multiple people try to use it at once.

Inversely, there are plenty of design tricks you can implement to make your space feel bigger. Lighter colors, windows and even storage space integrated into the walls and appliances can help a small bathroom feel open. Of course, if there's room in your budget, you could also knock out a wall or two to make it even bigger!

Storage

Knowing how much storage space you want in your new bathroom will save you a lot of frustration down the line, as it's harder to add additional space once the bathroom is completed. Luckily, there are plenty of places where you can integrate storage. You can include cabinets behind your bathroom mirror, niches in your shower for soap and hair products, and even have soap dishes or toilet paper dispensers built right into the walls.

Obvious Changes

Before you begin tearing down your existing bathroom, look around and take note of anything that jumps out as particularly unpleasant or dysfunctional. Does your bathroom feel cluttered or lack storage space? Do you hate the shape of your bathtub or wish you had a bigger sink? Do you desperately want to cover the pre-existing wall color with some fresh new wallpaper? Make note of these things so you can prioritize changing them during the remodel.

2) Choosing a Theme

Once you know what you want out of your new bathroom, you can begin designing. Before you pick out specific colors and appliances, however, it's important to choose a design theme. While a cohesive theme isn't technically required, using one will help bring your design together and make your bathroom more aesthetically pleasing. Listed below are several popular themes, but it's your bathroom — if you prefer a theme not listed below, then use it!

Minimalistic

A minimalistic theme makes the most of out of a little and is perfect for a small bathroom. Minimalistic rooms use clean lines, unobtrusive colors and basic accents and accessories to create a calm, clean, uncluttered space. Here are a few features of an ideal minimalist bathroom:

Hidden storage: Integrating your storage units directly into your appliances or walls works very well with minimalist designs. They allow you to hide away any clutter without filling up the space with storage cabinets or baskets.
Simple appliances: Instead of large, obtrusive, or overly complicated fixtures and appliances, a minimalist bathroom makes use of smaller, sleeker or simpler designs. For example, a standing shower space with frosted glass walls will serve a minimalist space better than an elaborate claw-footed bathtub. Make sure the appliances are arranged to create open spaces and to flow seamlessly into the design.
Light colors: Darker colors can be used in contrast, but ideally, a minimalist design utilizes light or neutral colors, such as white or beige.

Rustic

A rustic theme may seem unpolished, but when done correctly it can add a warm, humble charm to your bathroom. Rustic decorations use purposefully rough and simple designs to evoke a sense of homey warmth and comfort. Here are a few features of an ideal rustic bathroom:

Natural textures: Eschewing chrome and marble and embracing rough, natural textures is the way to go with a rustic design. This can be in the form of natural wood, exposed brick or natural stone flooring tiles. If you like the look but not the texture or price of these things, you can use natural wood paneling or brick-patterned wallpaper.
Vintage details: A rustic room is the perfect place to use any vintage accessories or knick-knacks you picked up from your local secondhand store. Mirrors with wooden frames, homey light fixtures, and even charming wooden statues will make your bathroom feel warm and comfortable.
Warm colors: Warm browns, greys and golds are the way to go with rustic themes. It's harder to evoke a warm and cozy feeling when your bathroom is done in icy blue or sterile white, after all.

Elegant

If you have a little extra money to use, you can splurge to create a luxurious, elegant bathroom. Spaces like these make use of high-quality materials, elegant designs and rich colors to create their look. Here are a few features of an ideal elegant bathroom:

Patterns: Patterned wallpaper, towels, tiles or curtains are a quick way to make your bathroom feel fancier. Even a simple pattern will go a long way, but the more intricate, the more it'll engage your guests' eye. Just be sure not to have too many clashing patterns or patterns in overwhelming colors.
Metallic accents: What says elegance better than silver and gold? Using rich metallic accents in your bathroom, especially golden ones, will make it feel that much more luxurious.
Decoration: If you have the space for it, a few luxury adornments will make you bathroom feel rich and elegant. These can include wall art, plants and even statues. If the statues function as appliances in your bathroom, such as towel racks or toilet paper holders, even better!

Modern

Modern designs are crisp, fresh and stylish. They pair well with minimalist designs but don't necessarily have to embrace minimalism to be appealing. Modern bathrooms use clean lines, modern furniture and minimal color. Here are a few features of an ideal modern bathroom:

Geometric patterns: Geometric patterns are a staple of a modern room. These can come from patterned curtains or wall art, or be more subtle in the shape or mirrors and other bathroom fixtures.
Neutral accents: Instead of bright accent colors, keep things cool with neutral base colors and white or grey accents.
Modern lighting: Good lighting is important in any room, but in a modern bathroom, it'll ensure that your guests can see how crisp and clean your edges are. This light can come from modern light fixtures or from a skylight if you want to add some visual interest.

3) Choosing Important Bathroom Features

Once you have a basic idea about your bathroom's theme, you can begin designing your new bathroom in earnest. The first things to focus on are the essential bathroom features — the things you'll be using most in your day-to-day life. Making sure these features are both functional and aesthetically pleasing is crucial to being satisfied with your remodel.

Sink

Your sink is most likely where you'll stand every day when you're doing your hair, putting on makeup, or simply brushing your teeth. You can get a single minimalist sink to accommodate one person or splurge on a trough-style sink in order to keep up with the morning hustle of multiple people trying to get ready at once. You can choose a classic wooden cabinet to go underneath, a whimsical skirted cloth, or even a sink without an attached cabinet.

Bathtub

The bathtub is one of the most important aspects of the bathroom. You might think that your only options are a few slightly different plain white tubs, but there are a wide variety of shapes, styles and colors to choose from. Some bathtubs are small and only suitable for one person, while others are large and luxurious, with optional hot-water jets. You might even decide not to have a bathtub in your bathroom at all!

Shower

A shower is another crucial aspect of a bathroom, even more so if you don't have a bathtub. If you don't, then you can get a shower stall with windows, curtains, or even no door at all. On the other hand, if you do have a bathtub, you can connect your shower to that. From there, you have to choose showerheads, which come in a wide variety of styles and functions.

Toilet

It may be called a bathroom, but the toilet is arguably much more important than the bath. Similarly to the bathtub, there are many more options for a toilet than plain white porcelain. A colored or laminated lid is a great way to add a pop of color. In addition to aesthetics, you can also invest in practical, water-saving toilets to save yourself money down the line.

Flooring

You may not consider the flooring an essential bathroom feature, but considering you'll be walking on it whenever you use the room, it's important to keep it in mind. Do you want plain tiles? A patterned mosaic? Natural stone? The choice is yours, so long as whatever option you choose is sufficiently water-resistant and preferably slip-proof. You can even splurge on a heated floor to keep your feet warm on cold days.

4) Adding Decorative Touches

Finally, one you've outlined your basic design, you can add decorative touches to your bathroom to make it pop. This is where any leftover budget money you have will be particularly useful. Here are a few of the extra options to consider when finishing off your dream bathroom:

Mirror: If you plan to use your bathroom to get ready in the morning, chances are you'll want a mirror to go by your sink. How big or small your mirror is usually goes hand-in-hand with the length of your sink, but there's no rule saying you can't have a standard sink paired with a wall-length mirror, either. You can also consider shape, trim or whether or not you'd like the mirror to house a cabinet. They aren't just good for looking at yourself, either — mirrors can also open up a room and make them look bigger.
Shelving: While hidden storage spaces can help keep a bathroom open, there's nothing wrong with some visible shelving space either. Visible shelves can break up a blank expanse of wall, as well as making it easier for your guests to find towels or other things they might need.
Curtains: This doesn't just refer to a shower curtain, either. If you have any windows in your bathroom, a pair of curtains can make them into a fun focal point. There are a wide variety of colors, patterns and even textures to choose from. You can even have them match your shower curtain to tie your room theme even tighter together.
Light fixtures: While you'll presumably have a light fixture in your bathroom regardless of theme, there are lots of ways to customize it. If you have a minimalist bathroom, for example, you might have a basic light fixture attached firmly to your ceiling, or something hanging but unobtrusive. If you're going for a more elegant look, you could get a gilt fixture, or even a small chandelier if you're feeling particularly fancy.
Wallpaper: While you can leave your bathroom walls as they are or simply paint them to change their appearance, wallpaper allows for more intricate colors and patterns.
Molding/accents: Wall and window molding, as well as accent colors, are a subtle way to really make your bathroom's design pop. If you don't want to spend too much extra money, the accents can be as simple as the color towels you hang up. A little color goes a long way!
Window film: Window films can make an excellent addition to a bathroom window. Not only can they reduce glare and slow fading caused by sunlight shining on your curtains, they can help to hold shattered window glass together as well.

Finding a Dealer

Remodeling your bathroom is a fun, exciting project. With just a theme idea and a few tips and tricks, you can breathe new life into your bathroom's design. One simple, easy way to enhance your bathroom's design is by adding film to the windows. Window film helps you maintain your privacy, while also cutting down on sunlight and helping hold your window together if it cracks.

If you're interested in window film for your bathroom, consider Madico. Madico film dealers are located throughout the US and offer film for both interior design and automobile windows. Our dealers will help you find the best option for your home and make sure your window design is one you're proud of. Contact Madico and find a window film dealer near you today!