What to keep in mind when designing your bathroom

• Style and function are equally important.  “Interiors should be receptive to the architecture of the house as well as an expression of its inhabitants and the way they live,” says Alice Williams of Alice Williams Interiors in Hanover. “Seek to design a bathroom that accommodates your individual needs and bathing preferences. We start and end our days in the bathroom, so having a space that is both pleasant and functional is important.”

• Stick with timeless materials. In order to keep a bathroom fresh and clean, and to foster the home’s resale value, Susan R. Crupi, of David R. Crupi, LLC in Hollis, advocates the use and installation of timeless materials and décor. “Products made out of chrome or in the color white are budget-friendly, always in style and easy to maintain,” she says. These
durable pieces will help create an inviting and hardworking bathroom that can be enjoyed for many years.”

• Research is essential. “Leave yourself enough time to research what is out there in terms of styles, materials and prices,” says Cynthia Shreve of Cynthia Shreve Interiors in Derry. “Consult the Internet, meet with designers and contractors, get quotes and don’t be afraid to ask questions. This research and guidance from professionals will help you select the most appropriate and cost-effective materials for your bathroom.”

• Have all materials on hand. “Do not start construction with missing pieces or fixtures,” Alton designer and artist Margery Thomas Mueller advises. “One of the greatest and timely setbacks you may face in doing a bathroom is not having your  materials on hand. Make sure everything is in working order and that you have all the pieces, even extras—especially extra tiles. I always suggest ordering between 10 percent and 15 percent more tiles than the estimated amount.”