No matter what theme you choose, you want your bathroom to feel inviting. To create a specific mood, look no further than the color theme you choose for the walls. Do you want a space that makes you feel refreshed and invigorated, or a space that makes you feel calm and relaxed? To achieve the mood you want, research the physiological effects of different colors.

Warm, earthy colors, for example, are more soothing. In contrast, lighter, cooler colors will give your bathroom an energizing and revitalizing feel. For more help with finding the mood and color, see the examples in our color blog.

Once you have chosen and placed your fixtures, start looking at and choosing the tiles for your bathroom. While there are hundreds of options available, use your theme to pick the tiles that will look best. To choose the sink(s) and cabinetry, first decide on the amount and size of the sinks you would like. Then, once you choose the sink, you can begin on the cabinetry.

As you shop, consider the size of the space you are working with and the amount of toiletry you will be storing in the bathroom. As with the tile, you should choose a cabinetry color to match the theme you have chosen. For the final step, select countertops within your theme that have the look and feel you want most.

Now that you have the theme, tiles, cabinetry and countertops, it’s time to connect your fixtures and accessories to your theme.

you love the feel of a rainforest, and want to use this as your theme. For inspiration, use a picture, like the one to the right, to guide your decisions. You can incorporate the colors of the forest in the tiles, towels, cabinets, and other accessories, such as a rainfall shower head and green hand towels. For the color, you may want to incorporate the deep greens found in a rainforest. You can add green walls by painting all walls the same color, painting one green accent wall, or adding a wallpaper patterned with plants. You can even incorporate a vase with plants to further create the feel of a rainforest.

This is the fun and final part of the design stage – you get to go shopping for materials for your soon-to-be new bathroom! Whether you visit a design centre or individual supplier showrooms, this is your chance to touch, see and experience a range of cabinets, countertops, flooring, tile and other fixtures.

This process shouldn’t be rushed, as you want to make the best product selections to suit your needs for the long-term enjoyment of your Bathroom. You should budget yourself one to two weeks to make all of your final product selections.