The 8 Things You Need to Design an Amazing Bathroom

Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.

If you’re thinking about redecorating your bathroom (or starting from scratch and designing the best bathroom you can imagine), you’ll want to take a look at the 8 tips below to start. Designing a bathroom can be a daunting task, but with the right ideas, wherewithal and resolve, you can design an amazing room with moderate effort.

1. Geometric shapes

Geometry is a great design element because it plays tricks on our eyes and creates optical illusions that we can use to our favor. For example, designing a white bathroom with an overlapping square pattern that starts on the floor and moves up the walls can promote continuity in the room and create the effect of receding walls. In addition to having a very “Alice in Wonderland” feel, it creates an illusion that makes a small bathroom appear larger than it is.

2. Rethink the sink

The sink is probably the most-used feature of any bathroom. The one you choose doesn’t have to be run-of-the-mill or standard or boring. There are plenty of vintage sinks available at local garage sales or secondhand hardware shops that you can refinish or even repurpose for your unique bathroom. You can get commercial sinks or even repurpose an old metal wash tub to get an earthy rustic vibe.

3. Go elegant

The bathroom is not always the most glamorous of rooms but that doesn’t mean it can’t be. You can add elements of class, glamour, style and elegance to any bathroom by adding a few significant accent pieces. For example, adding an oversized mirror or one with very ornate framing can add a Victorian-esque flavor to the room. An added benefit is that a large mirror can also make a small bathroom appear larger.

4. Get artsy with it

Adding a bunch of art to the walls (or floors or ceiling) can add a lot of personality to your bathroom. Choosing different – or similar – frames can be fun and an easy way to complement the rest of the room, regardless of the overarching style you choose. Another idea is to save shopping bags from your favorite designers (Chanel, Prada, etc.), cut them into squares and then frame them. Voila! You have custom art that oozes class.

5. Embrace regional style

Give your bathroom a style of its own by assigning a regional décor. You can add southwest flair with some terra cotta flooring, a clay vanity and warm colors throughout the room. If you can wrangle up a steer skull decoration from a local vendor, it also adds that southwestern style.

6. Neutralize

Neutral tones are often an overlooked element that can add a cool, calm and collected look to any room. Browns, tans, greys and beiges are a nice touch to keep things simple yet stated. Making beige or an eggshell tone the base color and then accenting with deep browns and greys can add flavor to your bathroom without going overboard.

7. Bring the outdoors in

There’s no better place to merge outdoors concepts with inside design than in the bathroom. Whether you add wood-framed pine branches, a majestic palm tree or just some maple branches in a vase, adding some green to the room literally freshens it up. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the types of plants and flowers you feature in your bathroom.

8. Mix white with light

The best combination for any bathroom is white and light. While adding color is never a bad thing when designing a room, keeping it all white can be a nice touch, too. This is especially true if your bathroom gets lots of natural light. By pairing that natural light with a white background, you are actually emphasizing two elements that can make a small bathroom appear larger.

Choosing the style in which to redecorate your bathroom doesn’t have to be difficult. Use one or all of the ideas above to transform a blasé bathroom into an amazing space. If you have a cramped bathroom, some of these tips can make that bathroom look larger. If you have a basic bathroom that needs sprucing up, you can use more than one of the tips above to add character and class.