Bathroom Design Ideas

by Mary Wynn Ryan
In home designs, bathrooms are often given low priority. During a remodel, the bathroom may fall by the wayside behind more public spaces like the kitchen.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Every popular decorating style can be interpreted for the bath. On the other hand, the bath is one place you can indulge in styles that depart from those used in the rest of the house.

So why not make your bath a romantic refuge or your kids' bath a tropical aquarium? You may even want to treat the powder room to a more adventurous or opulent look than in the rest of your home, indulging in ornate mirrors, lavish tile work, vividly colored wall-covering, or an unusual sink.

Whatever styles you love, you're sure to find ideas worth adapting in this article. The pages that follow explore several different bathroom design ideas:

Style Considerations
Any bathroom project, big or small, will benefit from careful planning. Take some time to think about these practical points before you begin.

Ranch Style
Natural materials give texture and depth and luxury to any room, but particularly lend themselves to the bathroom. Learn how to incorporate wood, stone, and tile into the perfect ranch-style bath.

Artistic Styling
Blending different styles together with safety and accessibility features will give you a bath that will serve you through all stages of life. Find tips to help you design a bathroom that's both safe and appealing.

Pan-Asian
A treasured item or heirloom can form the basis of your entire bathroom design. See a good example with this Pan-Asian bath, which was inspired by a Japanese jewelry box.

The Lodge Look
Don't be afraid to use bold colors in your bathroom design. Take a look at these rustic bathrooms to get an idea of how a splash of color can highlight the unique features of your room.

The Middle Ages
Ancient Roman bathhouses project a timeless elegance. Find ideas for capturing that spirit while maintaining all the comforts of the modern era.

Low-Key Luxury
A bathroom with a single-color design and carefully chosen accent pieces can become a tranquil oasis. Check out this beautifully blue bathroom, and find inspiration for your own bathroom color scheme.

White-on-White
This white-on-white bathroom design is anything but boring! With carefully chosen accent pieces, the white theme pops with crisp clarity.

Finding a Focal Point
Using a distinctive architectural feature or piece of furniture as a focal point is a great way to unify your bathroom design. Get ideas and tips to help you define a focal point in your own bathroom.

French Flair
You don't have to kiss a lot of frogs to create a bathroom with the charm and spirit of a fairy tale. Explore this French-style room to find ideas for imbuing your own bathroom with inimitable character.

Romantic Retreat
Love is in the air in this opulent and flattering bathroom. No matter how small your bathroom space may be, you can always find room for romance. Get inspired to capture the essence of romantic style in your own bathroom.

Classic Design
Want to capture the grace, symmetry, and dignified look of an ancient era? Find your muse in this bathroom design influenced by the Empire of Napoleon and the Roman Empire.

Contemporary Styling
Modern bathroom designs encompass several different styles, including California spa, Scandinavian, Art Deco, and retro looks. Learn the hallmarks of contemporary styles to help you narrow the focus of your bathroom design.

Glamor
A modern, airy bathroom with sleek lines and urban design isn't only for large spaces. Find out how you can get the same look and feel, even if your bathroom is small.

Bringing Nature In
The use of hardwood and other natural materials has long been a great way to bring the outdoors inside. In this magical grotto bathroom design, you'll find dozens of ways to inspire your own bath décor.

Creating Warmth with Color
To give your bathroom a warm glow, try using soft complimentary colors. Check out this contemporary soft yellow and plum bathroom design for a great example of the way color choice defines the character of your bathroom.

Cutting-Edge Design
Far from being cold, these ultra-modern, minimalist designs use Asian inspirations to create a zen-like tranquility in the bathroom. Embrace the serenity of these designs as you choose aspects that could work in your own space.

Playful Color
If you're working with a limited budget, the most economical way to make a big impression is by using color. Learn how using a limited range of a favorite color can turn your bathroom into a standout sensation.

Creating Drama
The materials you choose for your bathroom remodel can make a big difference. See how natural tiles and wood like those used in this bathroom add rich color, striking texture, and drama to the room.

Minimalist Strategies
To keep a minimalist design from looking too cold and sterile, add a few accents in a couple of different colors. Find tips to help you bring more personality into your minimalist bathroom without overwhelming the design.

Modern Art
In these bathrooms, the toilets, sinks, and tubs are the art! With flowing lines and sculptural curves, these bathrooms are out of the ordinary, yet make you feel right at home.

The Clean-Cut Look
Natural tile meets the minimalist hallmark of function, but with an incredible style that's infinitely varied. See how different tile can set the mood you want to achieve in your bathroom.

Stone Styling
More like a castle than a cave, this impressive stone-filled bathroom makes excellent use of another natural material. Find inspiration, and ideas for incorporating stone in your own bathroom design.

Using Glass
It's not just for windows anymore! Get several ideas for using glass to make a small bathroom feel larger and brighter.

Incorporating Sunlight
Take advantage of any sources of natural light to accent your bathroom design! Find ideas for window styles if you're remodeling, and see how the light can create a relaxing bathroom retreat.

Cool Blue
You can't go wrong using sea-inspired blues and greens in your bath décor. Turn your bathroom into an aquatic paradise with this minimalist bathroom design.

Streamlining Tight Spaces
Bathroom design doesn't have to suffer just because the room is small. Learn how a streamlined design can help you make the most of your available space.

Adding Visual Features
Give your bathroom a more interesting look by adding a few arresting focal points. Explore the possibilities, including a mosaic tile feature.

Bright Colors and Light White
White fixtures -- almost every bathroom has them, because they're classic and coordinate with everything. Make the most of your white bathroom fixtures by adding strategic brightly colored features.

Mixing Traditional and Contemporary
Merging your favorite elements of traditional and contemporary styles to create a transitional style allows you to personalize your bathroom design. Learn more about transitional styles.

Streamlining a Vintage Look
For a look that's crisp and fresh, try using traditional style in a mostly white bathroom. Mix and match pieces, with carefully chosen accents.

High Art
A traditional bathroom can achieve transitional style with the addition of some modern artistic features, like the aqua tiles in this bathroom. Find ideas to help you bring your traditional bathroom into today's style.

Refined Rusticity
Have a traditional rustic-style bathroom but aren't sure what to do to bring it up-to-date? Get inspiration from this transitional style bathing retreat.

Balanced Design
Finding a balance between classic and contemporary styles is what transitional design is all about. If you lean more toward a style like Art Deco, you can use that style to set the tone in your bathroom design.

European Charm
Mixing Old World elegance with stylish modern touches is a hallmark of European transitional bathroom design. Learn how to adapt the best of these ideas into your own bathroom.

Using Patterns
Bold geometric patterns can take a traditional bathroom to the next level. Find tips to help you use patterns in your bathroom without overwhelming it.

Take a look at the style considerations on the next page for some tips and ideas that will factor into your bathroom design, no matter what style you choose.