Then open your eye to reality! It isn’t as bad as it looks or sounds, designing your bathroom just takes some imagination, common sense and the ability to utilize the space you have effectively. Sounds easy, right? RIGHT! Most bathrooms have the basics: a vanity, tub, toilet and if you are lucky a linen closet but also TONS of wasted space.

Grab some paper and a pencil and draw the space you are working with without anything in it and you will see exactly what you should work with. Now mark the location of your water lines and drains so you have a rough draft of your new bathroom. If you are taking the room down to the studs you can move the waterlines and drains but if you are not you need to work with what you have.

Now that you know the space, you should decide on the amount you want to spend on this project. You can go big and easy and get a contractor but you will also pay a top dollar. The tradeoff is there is no work for you but to pick out the materials you want to use. You can cut some cost and put some sweat equity into the project by doing most of the work yourself (with the help of some how to videos). If you plan on moving lines and drains, adding in new lighting or moving the vents it might be better to get the help of a contractor.

Take very careful and precise measurements of everything the worst feeling in the world is to not measure correctly, go and buy something on sale then realize it is too small or too big and you can’t take it back or should pay a restocking fee. Go back to your paper and put the measurements down then draw or mark where you want everything located. Now you can go shopping! Keep in mind the space you are working with, take your measurements with you to get everything right.

The Devil is in the details! When you are shopping, you want all your finishes to match, your countertops to coordinate with your tile and paint. Do you want a standard bathroom sink or a vessel? Do you want a tub with the full spa treatment or will a shower do? Do you want the shower separate from the tub? These are all questions you need to answer before you walk into the store because you will be presented with multiple choices. It is best you go online and look, decide the style and brand you want, price shop and don’t be afraid to get quotes from multiple places to get the most for your money.

When it comes to flooring and lighting, you want your bathroom to be bright and inviting with warm tones. Natural stone tile has the richness you might be looking for, you can even get tile now that looks like hard wood.

So much to think about but it is better to do it before going shopping. Proper planning and designing will make this project fun and in the end, you will a beautiful bathroom space you can call your own!