The bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in your home, but it actually requires more plumbing, fixtures, and lighting per square foot than others. Achieving your ideal bathroom can be expensive, and this is why you want to be sure with your choices every step of the way.
With space and budget in consideration, here's the designer's guide for your new bathroom according to Realty Times:
Accessibility
Your bathroom should be accessible to all - yes, including those with disability and injury - but that doesn't give you an excuse to settle for one that looks like a hospital's. Come up with a universally acceptable design without sacrificing aesthetic by making use of wider doors, roll-in showers, and door handles for cabinets.
Consider clearance: will the door bang an open cabinet, can you get out of the tub without the danger of hitting your shins to a cabinet edge, can you turn on the lavatory, shower and tub without injuring your wrist?
Safety
Your bathroom must be beautiful, but more importantly, safe. When choosing a flooring, pick one that is not only easy to maintain, but is also less likely to easily become slippery.
Design the flooring with a slope going towards the drain so water doesn't accumulate when you are in the shower. Have enough electric outlets so you don't need to have an extra wire to accommodate your use of electronic appliance. As much as possible, install an outlet in every corner; but make sure to avoid installing near the shower and tub.
Put grab bars in the water closet and above the tub to make sure that you can safely get up and down when the flooring is wet and slippery. To avoid common tripping accidents, avoid having steps in the bathroom especially around the tub.
Attractiveness
One of the high-traffic areas in a house is the bathroom, which is why it is important that you keep it clean and tidy, but also visually stimulating.
Have enough storage to place your towels, linens, grooming tools, as well as cleaning supplies. But don't just put up storage, think of a creative way to do it, like placing open shelves above the tank.
If you want to add drama and at the same time enhance utility, consider using vessel or pedestal sinks. For sinks, granite and porcelain are a popular choice, while a farmhouse sink is commonly found in high-traffic bathrooms.
A cheap way to up the ante is adding dramatic light fixtures, like one by the vanity mirror or right above the toilet.
