In an ideal world we'd all have gleaming white, spacious bathrooms, but the reality for many of us is a slightly cramped, occasionally damp room where we dash in for a quick tooth brush or slip and slide our way into the shower.

However, even if you're not exactly spoilt for space, there's no reason why you should forget about interior design when it comes to the Smallest Room in the House, as a stylish bathroom is actually not that hard or expensive to create.

According to Tim Wood, director of Merewaybathrooms.co.uk, when it comes to the bathroom, the key is to utilise the space you have rather than worry about the space you lack.

"Bathrooms can sometimes be the smallest room in the house and so space can be at a premium," he says. "Clever design can both maximise storage as well as creating a sense of an airy, uncluttered room."

By following a couple of simple steps and investing in a couple of space-savers such as modular furniture, hanging racks and rails, and storage baskets, you may be surprised at the extra pockets of space you can create

Tim suggests: "Mirrored wall cabinets reflect light and help create the illusion of a larger space, whilst providing valuable shelving for storing toiletries, while wall-hung cabinets and compact basins give an open feel."

And if you're still lamenting the design opportunities denied to you by lack of space, then it's time to start concentrating on the smaller details. While you may not be able to squeeze in that free-standing bath or put up a power shower, you can include other smaller attractive design features such as chrome towel radiators or wall mounted taps.

Even modest changes such as these can instantly update your bathroom and create an modern, chic feel with the added bonus of not putting too much of a strain on your bank balance.