Oshi Basin Mixer Tap, from BathEmpire

To help you make the right choice, we have listed the following steps and to help narrow down the options available:

Overall Style
Firstly, look at the overall decoration and style of the wider bathroom, and select a tap accordingly. A sleek chrome mixer tap, such as the Khone Basin Mixer Tap, would be a better option than trying to push a traditional style on a modern bathroom.

The Shape
It is always a good idea to match the shape of taps. So, if you are going for a bathroom with a rounded style overall, then match it with rounded taps. Similarly, if the shower head and bathroom suite have an angular design, make sure you purchase square taps. Generally, for traditionally styled showers, rounded bathroom designs suit better.

Bath or Shower Bath?
For the bath, there are a few more options – separate bath taps, bath shower mixers, and overflow fillers.

Basically, the bath shower mixers have a hand held shower outlet option connected to the main tap valve. The alternative to these are the bar mixer valves, or bar shower mixer valves; the only difference is that the bar shower mixers are thermostatic (only allowing the hot water temperature to reach 38 degrees Celsius). If you prefer, you can manually override this feature to allow hotter showers.

Overflow fillers can be fitted to straight baths; because you can use them to fill the bath, you will not need to purchase bath taps to install onto the bath. The overflow filler will let water trickle into the bath, and there are many styles available, some even with pop-up wastes. These fillers are great for a contemporary, minimalist finish.

Ease of Use
One thing you must look at is who is most likely to use the taps. If you have young children, or elderly persons using the bathroom who may have difficulty turning the tap on, then look for a lever operated tap. Another factor to look out for is ceramic disc technology. These ceramic discs have replaced the rubber washers, and so will prevent tight taps. A little consideration before the purchase ensures that everyone will be able to use the bathroom with ease!

I stumbled upon this article on hometohome.co.uk about traditional white bathrooms, and it reminded me that some of the very best bathrooms are incredibly simple, with a white suite and light walls and window dressings.

Whether you want to go for a roll top bath, or a built-in suite, if you’ve got a relatively small room in which to create your dream bathroom, then choosing white is often the very best option.

But how can you make sure it’s not boring. After all, a plain white room with no quirkiness or style isn’t going to make it into the pages of an interiors magazine.

Some clever ideas that will make all-white work really well include:

Inspirational white bathroom design from housetohome.co.uk

Adding drama

You’ll be amazed the impact an oversized ornate mirror can have in an all-white scheme. As you’ll see in this brilliant photo from housetohome.co.uk, placing candles in front of the mirror can make the whole room seem very grand indeed.

Adding texture

You could think about cladding the walls in tongue and groove, or pick tiles that have an interesting surface rather than the standard glossy smooth. Fabrics and textiles can also add texture – perhaps choose curtains with a self-stripe, or bath mats and towels with waffle or ridged textures.

Light the space well

Highlight the most attractive features of the room – whether that’s interesting architecture, or a particularly amazing bath. This will help draw the eye to the best bits and break up the monotony on the white.

Newlands floor-standing bathroom sink counter top from BathEmpire

Avoid clutter

For all white to work well, the mess has to be hidden. Install some bathroom cabinets like these sleek ones from BathEmpire, and make sure the only things that are on display are beautiful and white – or at least pastel shades. Display them on a glass shelf  if possible.

Make it ridiculously glamorous

All-white rooms an synonymous with glamour, so make sure you take the concept all the way. We’re thinking a chandelier, clear glass mosaic tiles on the walls, marble floor… the whole celebrity treatment!

Hopefully this post has inspired you to see all-white bathrooms in a new light.

But what about the wow-factor? What’s the ultimate dream bathroom that would leave you lost for words.

For some of us, a girlie bathroom, with luxury fittings, pinks and shimmering silvers is something that will really appeal to our feminine side.

Of course, it wouldn’t appeal to everyone – it’s the opposite of a Yorkie bar: it’s not for boys!

Roll-top bath fit for a princess

But if you’re a fairytale princess at heart, or just want to create one space in your home that’s all about unashamed prettiness and romance, then this could be the scheme for you.

So where to begin?

As with most bathrooms, start with the bath. It’s got to be a roll-top – ideally an old-fashioned and rather ornate one that’s fit for bathing in at length, not just taking a ‘quick dip’.

The shower should be as concealed as possible – perhaps go for a wet-room style with just a single sheet of glass (see below right) as lots of chrome or plastic doesn’t fit with this rather traditional scheme.

Wet room-style shower

The added extras in the room should be ornate – choose items that you’d normally have in a bedroom like a mirror with scalloped edges, a French-style cabinet, perhaps, and even a plush upholstered armchair if you have space.

Every princess needs space to hang her ball gowns and somewhere to put her precious lotions and potions when she’s getting ready, so set aside an area of the bathroom as a changing area complete with hooks and a dressing table or beauty cabinet.

As for colour scheme, well it’s got to be pink, of course.

Towels should be the highest quality you can buy and palest pink or white.

Bathroom chandelier from Gustavian

You can glam it up with a touch of sparkle – a chandelier would look amazing as long as you choose one that won’t rust in the humid atmosphere.

Stripped light wood flooring would complement the pale pink colour scheme, or you could create a castle atmosphere by using stone flooring – but make sure there are bathmats as princesses shouldn’t get their toes cold.

My own bathroom is really small, so I’ve had to employ a few of these tricks myself, and I’ve been trawling the web for other good ideas. I hope this helps you to make the most of the space you have.

1. Keep tiling simple. A continuous run of tiles in a light colour helps to create a spacious feel. If you can then use a similar shade of tile on the walls and floor, and even around a built-in bath unit.

2. If you’re refitting your bathroom, make a floor plan first so you can work out how to use wasted space. If you have awkward angles, small areas cut off behind the door or a particularly narrow room then working out the exact dimensions before searching for baths, showers, sinks and toilets that will fit may help.

3. Shower curtains can look untidy and block your eye-line. If you have to have one because you want to position a shower over a curved bath, then go for a transparent one. Otherwise, opt for a clear glass shower screen.

4. White bathroom suites are best. I know it’s old advice, and it’s not really questioned these days after people had to live through the avocado era, but if you want a quirky bathroom, create it with wall coverings and accessories, not the suite.

5. Pay attention to the little details. In large bathrooms it’s possible to over look chipped paintwork, mildew or cracked tiles. In a small bathroom, the flaws will be obvious.

6. If wall space is tight, consider positioning the sink or the toilet at the end of the bath, in a built-in unit.

Chrome wall mounted towel radiator, BathEmpire

7. And if floor space is your problem, but wall space is plentiful, then buy wall-mounted toilets, sinks and heated towel rails.

8. Talking of towels, while spacious bathrooms might look very nice with bundles of fresh towels stored on shelves, in small bathrooms this can close the room in. Store spare towels elsewhere in your home.

9. When choosing storage, it’s best to go for designs that have doors. If you have shelves then invest in a few baskets so everything can be hidden away.

10. I’ve already mentioned that having a white bathroom suite is best, but often a totally white scheme can have the effect of making the room look smaller, as there’s no definition or points of interest. So don’t be afraid to use colour, but do it cleverly. If there’s a particularly nice aspect of the room, then draw attention to it with a splash of coloured paint, and make sure there are accent colours here and there, perhaps in prints on the walls, or plant pots.

11. Make sure there’s a ‘place for everything’ so clutter doesn’t accumulate. Put hooks behind the door for clothes, for example.

12. Keep your laundry elsewhere. There’s no rule to say that laundry baskets have to be in the bathroom, so put yours on your landing or in your bedroom instead and free up space.

13. Ask yourself whether you definitely need a bath. Sometimes, in flats or ensuites, it’s best to stick to the basics of toilet, sink and shower enclosure and keep some floor space to make the room seem larger.

14. Conversely, if you bathroom is small, but you can manage to fit a bath in, it can be best to go for the most opulent-looking bath you can squeeze in. A roll top bath will not only give the impression that the bathroom is large and impressive – it’ll also allow people to see the flooring underneath, which makes the room look bigger.

15. A bathroom window makes an enormous difference to how spacious the room will feel, so you should always make the most of this feature if you have one. Blinds which can be rolled down for privacy when needed but then rolled up to reveal the view the rest of the time are best.

16. If you do have a great window and a view, then position a mirror to reflect it and it’ll create the illusion of having two windows.

17. As suggested in this article on a bathroom makeover featured on Channel 4′s 4homes site, introducing metallics, either on the tiles or on wallpaper that’s suitable for bathrooms, will mean the room reflects light, and also looks precious.

Rain shower head, BathEmpire

18. If you have run out of wall space altogether then BathEmpire has a corner sink and a corner toilet available so you can still fit everything in.

19. Have a focal piece that’s a real statement and then keep the rest of the room relatively plain. This could be a fabulous gilt-edged mirror or an attractive rain shower head.

20. Finally, let the light in. Nothing makes a bathroom feel small and dingy as much as lack of lighting – whether it’s natural, or from some carefully positioned spotlights.

The thing is, the bathroom is a tricky environment – it’s damp and gets a lot of use. You need to find a floor covering that’s up to the job.

Which flooring would look best with the Victoria Bath from BathEmpire?

Carpet is out, for the obvious reason that it will start rotting and smelling if it’s allowed to get wet too often.

Wooden flooring, while lovely in the rest of your house, is also not brilliant for bathrooms because splashes from the shower, bath or sink can cause it to swell and warp.

So what are the options available?

The first thing that springs to mind is tiling, and this is the option that most of us actually go for in the end.

Personally I’ve opted for a slate-effect ceramic tile in my small bathroom and I’m really pleased with the look.

Tiles have lots of advantages – they’re waterproof, easy to clean, durable and are available in a vast array of shapes, sizes, colours and finishes.

If you’re thinking of going for tiles, check the packaging or ask somebody whether they are suitable for use on the floor. Some are only recommended for walls as they’re not tough enough for the wear and tear of being walked on.

Porcelain tiles are typically more durable that ceramic ones, but are apparently harder to cut. Before you buy, it might be worth talking to your tiler about the pros and cons of each, and how much the labour will cost for a various different tiles.

Prices for tiles can vary widely, but you can expect to pay upwards of about £10 per sq m.

Rubber stud flooring from The Rubber Flooring Company

I’ve noticed in interior magazines lately that there’s a trend towards having rubber flooring in bathrooms.

It’s easy to see why it’s taken off… it’s soft, warmer under-foot than tiles, non-slip, easy-to-clean, waterproof and very hard-wearing.

You can buy it in smooth designs or with a stud effect. We love the range of colours and designs available from The Rubber Flooring Company.

It’s pricey though. You will usually pay around £40 per sq m. It’s also a very modern, utilitarian look, so it might not suit you if you want a traditional bathroom, or something vintage-inspired with a roll-top bath.

If this is out of your budget, then you can achieve a similar look with vinyl. It’s come on in leaps and bounds since the 80s when you might remember it being something that stained easily and peeled up at the edges.

Nowadays you can buy quite hard types of vinyl which are durable enough for bathrooms and are wipe-clean. You do need to be careful about getting vinyl too wet though, and you certainly shouldn’t leave water lying around on the surface.

Plus, you have to lay vinyl on a completely flat surface, which may mean you have to have your floor repaired before laying it.

Cath Kidston vinyl for Harvey Maria

You can pay as little as £5 per sq m but the really funky, hard-wearing designs tend to be more like £40 per sq m (like this darling floral Cath Kidston design for Harvey Maria – left – which is £39.95 per sq m).

Other options include lino – made from natural materials but susceptible to tearing; and stone – which is very stylish and looks luxurious but is expensive and will need sealing if it’s porous.

Which flooring do you think is best for use in bathrooms?

We’d love to know what you’ve used and whether you’re happy with the result.

A few foreign references in your home will make you look well-travelled, and will help to ensure that your rooms are unique – after all who wants a bathroom that’s just like the neighbours’?

One of the cultures which offers lots in the way of interesting design ideas is that of the Japanese. It’s full of tradition and ritual, which we think makes it the perfect source of inspiration for bathrooms.

So what are the key elements of the look?

One of the main considerations is that Japanese designs are typically very grounded in nature.

Bonsai trees are a simple way to create a Japanese look

Natural materials like wood, pebbles, stone, sand and plants can all be combined to create a relaxing ‘zen’ space where you can retreat to. Isn’t that something we all want in our homes?

You can have a plain white bathroom suite, as this is practical and the best idea if you’re ever planning on changing the look of your bathroom. Choose baths and sinks with stream-lined, modern, simple shapes for best effect – anything too ornate won’t work.

Then you can then make the accessories work hard to create the Japanese atmosphere. Set to work on decorating the room with dark, atmospheric colours – perhaps choose a dark wood floor, deep red walls or black tiling.

Keeping plants in your bathroom is one of the easiest ways to get a Japanese look – the obvious candidates are bonsai trees, bamboo or cut cherry blossom branches (or even some faux ones, we won’t tell anyone).

The Cahora bath from BathEmpire has a shape inspired by pebbles

You can choose to take the look one of two ways – either make it all very earthy, light and spiritual, or take it darker, make the surfaces glossy and create a more grown-up vibe. Which one is right for you will depend both on your home and your lifestyle.

If you want to make the look really authentic, you could recess the bath and have a ‘moat’ around it containing smooth black pebbles.

Another option, and much cheaper, is to have simple colourful paper lanterns which you can light when you want the bathroom to become a relaxing rather than practical environment.

Then all you need is a Yukata robe (a light cotton Japanese robe) hanging on the back of the door, and you’ve created your very own Japanese bathing temple.