Bathroom Design

Most bathrooms are notoriously tight on space, so the first task is working out an efficient layout. In this opening chapter, we'll share tips for getting the most out of limited bathroom square footage and also offer advice on keeping your bathroom budget in check. You'll learn how to remodel a bathroom for accessibility and find invaluable information on curbless showers, floating vanities, wall-hung toilets, and the endless options for bathroom sinks. In the final section, we’ll show you how to plan for various bathroom fixtures and share creative strategies for better bathroom storage.

This chapter is all about inspiration, with an up-close look at 30 spectacular finished bathroom projects. Bathrooms come in many different styles, and you'll find everything here from traditional to contemporary, Japanese-inspired to midcentury. Standouts include a sun-splashed bathroom with views of rolling fields, a steam spa bathroom makeover, a gut remodel of an old bathroom in a Dutch Colonial…actually, they are all standouts, whether opulently luxurious or as quirky as a bathroom squeezed into just 9 square feet!

Cabinets and fixtures largely define the look of a bathroom. In this catchall chapter, you’ll find advice on choosing cabinets (and vanities) and directions on how to build your own bathroom vanity. Veteran cabinetmaker Nancy Hiller demonstrates how to build a floating vanity, while restoration expert Justin Fink walks us through the construction of a Shaker-inspired vanity. We’ll introduce you to some of the latest bathroom fixtures and wrap up the chapter with information on the all-important topics of bathroom ventilation and lighting.

OK, so far we’ve largely concentrated on the design side of bathrooms, but what about the actual building of a bathroom and the installation of sinks, showers, tubs, and faucets? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered on that, too. In this chapter, we’ll take you into another of our project guides, this one on Plumbing, where you’ll find all the information you need to plumb a bathroom, as well as a lot more valuable information. Click on any link and you'll be in that guide. Just don't forget to come back to the Bathroom Design guide!

In this final section of the guide, we’ll take you into another of our project guides: this one on Tiling. Beyond the actual installation of the tile, there’s a lot more to consider, including waterproofing, installing a leakproof shower pan, and building a shower niche. Feel free to explore the rest of the Tiling guide, where you’ll also find great information on tiling bathroom floors and walls. Between the Tiling guide, the Plumbing guide, and this Bathroom Design guide, you’ll be ready to create the bathroom of your dreams.