Creating a bathroom – or any room in your home for that matter – is exciting, as you get to use your imagination to create your ideal space. Exciting as it is, however, the process can easily become overwhelming. When you are faced with seemingly endless options and don’t quite know where to begin, designing your bathroom becomes a stressful process. Although there is no “right” way to go about creating and designing a bathroom, it is helpful to have a general outline to follow.
The steps outlined below don’t require a particular order, but they can help relieve the pressure during your project. By breaking down the specific areas and fixtures that need to be decided upon, you can get a clearer picture of your plan and the bathroom you’re working toward.
To best prepare for your project, use our following tips on how to design your bathroom in five easy steps. Then, once you have chosen your theme, fixtures, tiles, cabinetry, and countertops, you’ll be ready to make your new bathroom a reality.
Create a Theme
Before you begin, deciding on a theme can help narrow your numerous design options. This doesn’t mean you have to create a themed bathroom, however. Instead, get a general idea of the look and feel of your bathroom. If you have a specific sink or bath fixture, cabinetry style, or tile that you want to include, you can build the rest of your bathroom around this style.
No matter what theme you choose, you want your bathroom to feel inviting. To create a specific mood, look no further than the color theme you choose for the walls. Do you want a space that makes you feel refreshed and invigorated, or a space that makes you feel calm and relaxed? To achieve the mood you want, research the physiological effects of different colors. Warm, earthy colors, for example, are more soothing. In contrast, lighter, cooler colors will give your bathroom an energizing and revitalizing feel. For more help with finding the mood and color, see the examples in our color blog.
If you can’t seem to decide on a theme, here are a few ideas:
- You can design your bathroom theme to match your bedroom or another room in your house.
- Do you have a piece of artwork, sculpture, or specific tiles or fixtures in mind? If so, you can use this element as the basis for your theme.
- Do you have a favorite spot to vacation? You may love going to the beach or the feel of being in a rainforest. If so, you can draw from these locations to develop your theme.
Select Your Fixtures
Once you have a theme, you can decide which fixtures — toilets, shower doors, baths, etc. — you’d like to incorporate in your bathroom.
Maybe you want to have a private space for the toilet. With this arrangement in mind, decide which fixtures you would like to incorporate. Then you can review the layout of your bathroom and decide where you want to place your fixtures. Keep in mind, the locations of some fixtures may be pre-determined, based on your home’s structure. In a majority of bathrooms, for instance, designers place the bathtub at the far wall, across from where you enter, because that’s where the plumbing is installed. When working with bathtubs, showers, and sinks, you may have to place your fixtures where the plumbing is located.
The shower door is another fixture you must choose. Depending on the space you are working with, you can choose a shower door that swings, slides, or stays. If you want to have a bathtub, and if you have the room for it, you can build the bathtub in a separate area of the bathroom, possibly with stairs leading up to it. Or, if you don’t have room for both, you can always combine the bathtub with the shower.
Then, once you determine their placement, decide on the specific fixtures you would like to install.
Choose the Tiles, Sinks & Cabinetry, and Countertops
Once you have chosen and placed your fixtures, start looking at and choosing the tiles for your bathroom. While there are hundreds of options available, use your theme to pick the tiles that will look best. To choose the sink(s) and cabinetry, first decide on the amount and size of the sinks you would like. Then, once you choose the sink, you can begin on the cabinetry. As you shop, consider the size of the space you are working with and the amount of toiletry you will be storing in the bathroom. As with the tile, you should choose a cabinetry color to match the theme you have chosen. For the final step, select countertops within your theme that have the look and feel you want most.
Put It All Together
Now that you have the theme, tiles, cabinetry and countertops, it’s time to connect your fixtures and accessories to your theme.
Let’s say you love the feel of a rainforest, and want to use this as your theme. For inspiration, use a picture, like the one to the right, to guide your decisions. You can incorporate the colors of the forest in the tiles, towels, cabinets, and other accessories, such as a rainfall shower head and green hand towels. For the color, you may want to incorporate the deep greens found in a rainforest. You can add green walls by painting all walls the same color, painting one green accent wall, or adding a wallpaper patterned with plants. You can even incorporate a vase with plants to further create the feel of a rainforest.
No matter the trend you choose, the only limit on your options is your own imagination.
Get Inspired
As with any project, looking at examples of other bathrooms can help inspire the look you want. To get an idea of the theme and direction you are looking for, take a look at these visuals for inspiration.
Bathroom Design_DibicoCreating a bathroom – or any room in your home for that matter – is exciting, as you get to use your imagination to create your ideal space. Exciting as it is, however, the process can easily become overwhelming. When you are faced with seemingly endless options and don’t quite know where to begin, designing your bathroom becomes a stressful process. Although there is no “right” way to go about creating and designing a bathroom, it is helpful to have a general outline to follow.
The steps outlined below don’t require a particular order, but they can help relieve the pressure during your project. By breaking down the specific areas and fixtures that need to be decided upon, you can get a clearer picture of your plan and the bathroom you’re working toward.
To best prepare for your project, use our following tips on how to design your bathroom in five easy steps. Then, once you have chosen your theme, fixtures, tiles, cabinetry, and countertops, you’ll be ready to make your new bathroom a reality.
Create a Theme
Before you begin, deciding on a theme can help narrow your numerous design options. This doesn’t mean you have to create a themed bathroom, however. Instead, get a general idea of the look and feel of your bathroom. If you have a specific sink or bath fixture, cabinetry style, or tile that you want to include, you can build the rest of your bathroom around this style.
No matter what theme you choose, you want your bathroom to feel inviting. To create a specific mood, look no further than the color theme you choose for the walls. Do you want a space that makes you feel refreshed and invigorated, or a space that makes you feel calm and relaxed? To achieve the mood you want, research the physiological effects of different colors. Warm, earthy colors, for example, are more soothing. In contrast, lighter, cooler colors will give your bathroom an energizing and revitalizing feel. For more help with finding the mood and color, see the examples in our color blog.
If you can’t seem to decide on a theme, here are a few ideas:
You can design your bathroom theme to match your bedroom or another room in your house.
Do you have a piece of artwork, sculpture, or specific tiles or fixtures in mind? If so, you can use this element as the basis for your theme.
Do you have a favorite spot to vacation? You may love going to the beach or the feel of being in a rainforest. If so, you can draw from these locations to develop your theme.
Select Your Fixtures
Once you have a theme, you can decide which fixtures — toilets, shower doors, baths, etc. — you’d like to incorporate in your bathroom.
Select Your Fixtures_DibicoMaybe you want to have a private space for the toilet. With this arrangement in mind, decide which fixtures you would like to incorporate. Then you can review the layout of your bathroom and decide where you want to place your fixtures. Keep in mind, the locations of some fixtures may be pre-determined, based on your home’s structure. In a majority of bathrooms, for instance, designers place the bathtub at the far wall, across from where you enter, because that’s where the plumbing is installed. When working with bathtubs, showers, and sinks, you may have to place your fixtures where the plumbing is located.
The shower door is another fixture you must choose. Depending on the space you are working with, you can choose a shower door that swings, slides, or stays. If you want to have a bathtub, and if you have the room for it, you can build the bathtub in a separate area of the bathroom, possibly with stairs leading up to it. Or, if you don’t have room for both, you can always combine the bathtub with the shower.
Then, once you determine their placement, decide on the specific fixtures you would like to install.
Choose the Tiles, Sinks & Cabinetry, and Countertops
Once you have chosen and placed your fixtures, start looking at and choosing the tiles for your bathroom. While there are hundreds of options available, use your theme to pick the tiles that will look best. To choose the sink(s) and cabinetry, first decide on the amount and size of the sinks you would like. Then, once you choose the sink, you can begin on the cabinetry. As you shop, consider the size of the space you are working with and the amount of toiletry you will be storing in the bathroom. As with the tile, you should choose a cabinetry color to match the theme you have chosen. For the final step, select countertops within your theme that have the look and feel you want most.
Put It All Together
Now that you have the theme, tiles, cabinetry and countertops, it’s time to connect your fixtures and accessories to your theme.
Put it all together_DibicoLet’s say you love the feel of a rainforest, and want to use this as your theme. For inspiration, use a picture, like the one to the right, to guide your decisions. You can incorporate the colors of the forest in the tiles, towels, cabinets, and other accessories, such as a rainfall shower head and green hand towels. For the color, you may want to incorporate the deep greens found in a rainforest. You can add green walls by painting all walls the same color, painting one green accent wall, or adding a wallpaper patterned with plants. You can even incorporate a vase with plants to further create the feel of a rainforest.
No matter the trend you choose, the only limit on your options is your own imagination.
Get Inspired
As with any project, looking at examples of other bathrooms can help inspire the look you want. To get an idea of the theme and direction you are looking for, take a look at these visuals for inspiration.
You can go with dark, cool greys. Photo Credit: Boscolo Interior Design
Or for a lighter feel, choose nude, natural, light colors. Photo Credit: Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC
