Start the weekend by replacing your bathroom taps. If yours leaks, drips, constantly squeaks or has the look of a bygone era, check out the models available today. They’re quiet and efficient, with no leaks or drips and there are bathroom taps available in every shape, size and colour. You simply need to decide on a style that suits you and your bathroom or the way you would like it to look and simply install it.

In a week or two, replace your shower. Today’s showerheads are marvels of engineering that make you feel like you’re in the middle of a tropical rain, when you’re actually conserving water. Some have thermostatic controls, so you’ll always get the temperature that’s right for you. A variety of finishes are available, so whether you’re looking for polished chrome, brushed metal or a specific colour, you’re sure to find the perfect showerhead.

A few weeks later, add a bathroom radiator to keep your new space warm. If you’ve never had a radiator before, look at the designer radiators that can hang flush on a wall or that also function as a towel warmer. Some radiators are thermostatically controlled and can be programmed to turn on and warm the bathroom before you rise in the morning. 

Little changes, done over a period of time, can give you a new bathroom without emptying your wallet.

In general, there are considered to be four distinct kinds of lighting in a bathroom – ambient lighting, accent lighting, decorative lighting, and task lighting. Ambient lighting lights the room but in a relaxed, soothing manner, with chandeliers, recessed lights and vanity lighting some of the options for creating the desired effect. Accent lighting is for atmosphere and what is termed ‘visual drama’, often using lighting to highlight specific areas or objects in the bathroom for decorative reasons. Track lighting is often the best for this particular purpose. Decorative lighting takes accent lighting still further, with the lighting fixtures themselves being a part of the overall decorative effect – chandeliers, candelabra, and candles (either real or electrical) being good examples. Task lighting, as the name suggests, is for more practical purposes – ensuring that a particular area or areas is sufficiently illuminated to carry out a specific purpose (such as shaving in front of the bathroom mirror).

Bathroom lighting is as important a part of bathroom design as the furniture and general décor.

This is when you need to consider adding a bathroom cabinet of some kind to your design. It doesn’t matter whether you have much space or not, you can always purchase a slim-line bathroom cabinet or perhaps even one that sits on the floor so you can move it around if need be.

If you only have a small medicine cabinet at the moment, you can easily add a bathroom cabinet into the mix. Once you have something you can put all those odds and ends in, you will notice how much less cluttered the whole room becomes and then will be easier to keep clean and tidy. Once you have used your shampoo you can simply pop the bottle back in the cupboard and keep the room a pleasant and nice place to be.

You will also notice how easy it is to clean the room, since you just have to wipe over the bathroom cabinet from time to time. All the other surfaces will also be easier to clean since they won’t have bottles and other similar items sitting on them. Buying a bathroom cabinet couldn’t be easier, since there is a wide range of designs to choose from and various bathroom suppliers such as UK Bathrooms who can provide expert advise about your purchase. Which one will prove to be the ideal solution for you?

Firstly you gain some versatility in that you can either have a shower or a bath. Even if you already have a shower over the bath, you will doubtless see the advantages and added pleasure you get from having a shower in a proper shower cubicle. Just imagine, no more wasted water shooting out the side of the bath or soaking the floor as you struggle to negotiate a wet shower curtain.

You can also make sure that everything you need to have a shower is kept inside the shower cubicle. As such you don’t need to find somewhere to keep your shower gel and other shower accessories when not being used. Instead you can simply close the door on the shower cubicle and leave them all in there out of the way.

It will also change the layout of your bathroom, since you will have to find somewhere suitable to put the shower. This may not be possible in some bathrooms as size can be a problem, but if you opt for a shower cubicle with one corner cut off to provide a doorway, you can sit a sink and a toilet on either side, which will minimise the space required. This could be an ideal solution if you have a smallish bathroom. Whatever solution you decide on, a bathroom supplier like UK Bathrooms can help you choose the right shower cubicle for your bathroom.

One of the easiest things you can do is install new fixtures. A new tap or showerhead can make a world of difference to the look of your bathroom. Find something that complements your décor, but lightens and brightens. Chrome is bright and not very expensive; brushed chrome or nickel often costs just a touch more, but can give a feel of luxury to your bath or washbasin. If your bath is small, consider spending a little extra money to greatly improve the look.

Simple things like a fresh shower curtain or a new soap dish and toothbrush holder can really perk up a tired décor. Just be sure they complement rather than clash with your wall colours. Little things like fresh hand towels or a new towel holder add that finishing touch and will draw a visitor’s eye.

While you may not be able to replace the entire toilet, how about a new toilet seat? This is a very inexpensive change that you can do yourself and it makes a huge difference. hen you take the old seat off, clean the toilet properly before attaching the new one. A few pounds and a little elbow grease and you’ll create a wonderful, welcoming addition to the bathroom.

Bathroom accessories may seem like little things, but they’re the fastest and easiest ways to give your bathroom a makeover without spending a fortune.

Bathroom mirrors can also be chosen for their decorative usefulness, with different styles, colours and types that can be chosen to match perfectly with the already existing décor of the bathroom. Add a frame to the mirror to help improve its match with the general design of the bathroom. If the bathroom is of a very ‘modern’ design, however, a frameless mirror is often a better choice in order to continue to reflect that choice of design. How large the mirror needs to be generally depends on the size of the bathroom cabinet (aka vanity cabinet), as bathrooms that use sidelights often go on outside the cabinet, so the mirror is almost always needed to be smaller than the cabinet.

In today’s world, the bathroom mirror is far more than just a practical tool. It can be a very important addition to the bathroom and help to further reflect the décor and general ambience that the consumer wishes the overall bathroom design to reflect. Visiting a bathroom suppliers website such as UK Bathrooms can provide you with some great ideas and the dimensions of mirrors so you can choose the perfect one.

Porcelain Victorian soap dishes are available in many antique stores. Porcelain accessories are a popular feature in vintage bathrooms and help to recreate the look of a bygone era. Vintage bathroom accessories can be accompanied by wooden towel rails and traditional bathroom radiators. If wooden accessories will not suit the style of the bathroom then these items are available in other materials such as chrome.

Some salvage yards will produce finds such as complete bathroom suites, often in good condition, for those who want the genuine article. If a reproduction suite or accessories is more suitable, then there are many online stores offering these items, although you may find that brand new reproductions are sometimes more expensive than the genuine salvaged article.

Finishing touches include reproduction bathroom linen, which can also come monogrammed. These linens are in Victorian style, in various colours, all with embroidered edges. Vintage style robe hooks help to complete the look, and are ideal for hanging bathrobes and other items on the back of the bathroom door.

Sight: this is possibly the easiest sense to please. Mood lighting can be created by using tea lights or votive candles strategically placed on a shelf in front of a bathroom mirror, on top of bathroom cabinets and around the bath edge. Flower petals floating in the water also give an exotic look and will help to create a very relaxing place to be.

Scent: lavender oil in an oil burner gives an extremely relaxing aroma. Lavender is well known for its calming properties, and drops of lavender oil can also be placed in the bath.

Sound: there is nothing more relaxing than the sound of gently running water so to recreate this an indoor miniature waterfall is ideal. If this is not possible then leave a tap slowly trickling in the sink.

Taste: chamomile tea is both delicious and relaxing; sipping tea while relaxing in the tub is the height of luxury and can help a person feel pampered and special.

Touch: fluffy towels and bathrobes help the warm relaxing feel to continue well after bath time is over.

For the person who has limited time alone this is the ideal way to relax.

A warm steam shower will increase the circulation of the blood in the body and leave you feeling and looking healthy. The metabolic rate also increases and users have reported that they sleep better as well as having more energy to get through the day.

Steam shower units can be ultra modern with all those stainless steel buttons, or nozzles, or traditional looking, just like a standard shower cubicle but with the addition of the steam feature. You can even have your steam shower unit fitted with a seat so that you can really relax.

At the other extreme there are purpose built steam showers complete with audio systems, telephones and even TV built into the unit. Of course, it all depends on how much you want to spend, but there are a number of combination shower and steam units if you fancy something a bit different to the plain simple shower unit that we are all familiar with.

Perhaps the most common type of bathroom furniture is the vanity.  A vanity provides essential counter space for toiletries and soap, and usually features a sink and bathroom cabinet.  A single vanity may contain multiple sinks, and can be constructed from any number of natural or artificial materials.  Styles range from antique replicas to contemporary and everything in between.  

Not all vanities include a sink.  A separate vanity is a nice piece of bathroom furniture, if space allows, because it keeps clutter away from the sink and provides extra space for storing hair styling products, cosmetics, and perfumes.

Bathroom cabinets are closely related to vanities.  Cabinets provide storage space for towels, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and other bathroom necessities.  Like vanities, bathroom cabinets come in a variety of styles and finishes.

Medicine cabinets are another common type of bathroom furniture.  These small cabinets are generally mounted on the wall above a vanity and usually include some kind of bathroom mirror.  The convenient placement lets you store medications, first aid items, shaving needs, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and other items high up, safely out of reach for small children or pets.

Bathroom accessories like clothes hampers, stools, shelving units, and organisers can also be considered bathroom furniture.  Choosing these items in finishes and styles that compliment you decor will add beauty and practicality to your bathroom.