Design your own bathroom floor plan

Setting style aside for a moment, your bathroom redesign or install will definitely benefit from the use of a bathroom layout planner. This is one space in the home where you definitely don't want to wing it—space is at a premium for most bathrooms, and proper planning should allow you to create a space that's efficient, but also allows for some useful and attractive extras.

Before you begin thinking about a floor plan for your bathroom, you'll have two primary questions to answer: Who will use the bathroom, and how will they use the space?

If your plan is to use existing plumbing hookups, a large portion of your planning may be done already. But if moving plumbing (while staying up to code) is in the cards, you could be starting with a blank slate.

Speaking of code, be sure to investigate the International Residential Code (IRC) as it applies to bathrooms, in order to make sure you're complying with regulations as well as taking into account their helpful design recommendations.

One smart investment you can make, particularly if you're planning to stay in the home for a long time, is to implement universal design. This approach incorporates "user friendly" aspects such as wider doorways, taller toilets and curbless showers.

Lastly, lighting is an extremely important aspect of any bathroom design. There are four types of lighting to pay attention to: task, ambient, accent and decorative. The correct combination of these styles will ensure that you're planning a bright and functional bathroom space.