5 Great Bathroom Design Tips

Ready to reno the bath? Make it perfect with these top tips.

1. Increase the sense of space by taking the vanity off the floor. In this Whistler, B.C.-based bathroom, designed by Falken Reynolds Interiors, “floating vanities make the space feel bigger,” says designer Chad Falkenberg—like this one, which is about nine inches above the tile floor. 2. Take advantage of dead space in the walls to create sculpture niches. When the homeowner of this Calgary, Alberta-based bathroom takes a long soak in this Hydro Systems bath, she won’t be staring at the (albeit lovely) silver walls. Designer Kevin Mitchell of Cridland Associates punched into the archway over the bath, creating pockets in the walls for two sculpture niches. 3. Make a large space feel intimate with a darker ceiling. The homeowners have two young children, so the shower space was designed to be large enough for mom and the kids to get ready in the morning. In this Calgary bathroom by Rockwood Custom Homes, the darker tiles on the ceiling help the large space feel cozy. 4. Don’t feel you have to choose between shiny or matte finishes. Shiny materials tend to feel formal, while matte is more casual and natural. Here, the bathroom is mostly matte—stone, tile, wood and paint—offset with polished chrome for a touch of sophistication. 5. Pay careful attention to the placement of sconces. There may be no room more important than the bathroom for proper lighting. “You want lighting to be equally spaces in the middle of where you’re standing,” explains designer Kevin Mitchell of Cridland Associates. “If you have light hitting you on one side, you start to look different, and it affects how you do your makeup.”