Making space

In order to outfit your decadent new bath with all those precious commodities - a steam shower? a soaking tub? his-and-hers vanities? - you'll need to find room for them first. The following are the most common techniques for creating bigger bathrooms:

Move out.

Bumping out an exterior wall is frequently an option, but it is an expensive one. Tearing out and replacing exterior walls in an older home creates complex design issues involving such problems as making the new construction blend architecturally with the old, matching the original building materials, and changing the roofline. If your bedroom is on the second floor of the house, however, you may be able to build a bathroom on top of an existing structure, such as a porch or sunroom, on the main floor. Such a move would save the cost of digging and pouring a new foundation, a hefty portion of the bill for any addition.

Move over.

Often, you can take space from the master bedroom and use it for a larger, adjoining master bath. Or, if a good-sized bedroom closet backs up to the bathroom, you could borrow this square footage. Can't do without the storage? Relocate the closet to a different bedroom wall if the layout allows. If you have a spare bedroom on the other side of the bath and you can afford to give it up-a common scenario with empty nesters-annex that space, and the sky is the limit as far as what you can then include in your new bath.

Another common move by remodelers is to take over a little-used room, turning it into a dressing area. Then, the existing closet-or any space used primarily for storage-in the master bedroom can be incorporated into the bath instead. The options abound; be creative and you--or your designer--may just find that space you want.

Making it work

No matter how much-or how little-room you have, you need to make the best possible use of your space. To alleviate traffic jams when two people share a bath, divide the room into "mostly wet" areas-the shower, tub, toilet, and bidet-and "mostly dry" areas-the vanity, sink, cabinetry, and dressing area. If there's room, you may want to sequester the toilet in its own room, but you can also create the privacy of a separate water closet simply by placing the toilet on the far side of a partial wall.

Privacy, in fact, is a major component of shared baths these days, says interior designer Liz Howard of the Howard Design Group in Honolulu, Hawaii. "The idea of a his-and-hers bath can be as simple as two sinks or as elaborate as two completely separate bathrooms," she explains.

Whatever route you take, you should be careful to contain clutter. A beautiful bath, after all, won't look nearly so great if tubes of makeup and dental floss clutter the marble countertop.

To ensure that you have enough--and the right kind of--storage, make a list of everything you plan to keep in the bathroom, and design cabinets that will accommodate it all. Workman suggests outfitting drawers with special inserts to accommodate different sizes of makeup containers and brushes. So that cleaning these inserts is a no-fuss chore, she says, they should be made out of a material like Plexiglass and designed to lift out of drawers easily.

Another tip from Workman is to get a little storage unit on casters that can be rolled around the room as necessary and tucked under a countertop when not in use.

Make good use of the medicine cabinet as well. Some models are now equipped with integral lighting fixtures that eliminate glare and shadows; built-in electrical outlets come in handy for charging an electric razor or curling iron. And even though the medicine cabinet is traditionally located above the vanity, some designers are now placing it elsewhere, on an adjacent wall, for example, to allow room for a triple-view mirror, perhaps, or one with a decorative frame.

Finally, think outside the box. Freestanding cabinets like armoires will bring the popular "unfitted" look into the bath, and they provide commodious storage for towels, linens, and paper supplies. They can also house large items like a TV, a stereo or exercise equipment. You can buy a piece new, or get an old armoire at an antique shop and have it retrofitted with the appropriate shelving.
On a grand scale, Workman recently completed a bath with a cozy sitting area for the lady of the house. The leather-clad walls were divided into panels, one of which pops open with a slight tap to reveal a television hidden inside.

Making it great

Now to the fun part. Equip your bath with a few--or an armful--of thoughtful touches and your new space is sure to rise above the fray. When planning, remember that the most important thing is that it reflects your personal style. Think about the overall style you prefer, and look through decorating magazines to find ideas that appeal to you. Clip out pages and assemble a file, then look through them again-chances are, you'll find one or two trends or at least a general color scheme repeated over and over. Use this style to guide you in your choices. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Consider unusual materials. While some surfacing options, like wood, won't work in a wet environment, many others will add interest to the space. Consider frosted glass for wall treatments and above-the-counter sinks, concrete for countertops, hammered metal for sinks and faucets and sparkly glass tile for backsplashes and countertops.

• Think color. A special hue can express your individuality -- semi-custom cabinets come in a wide range of colored finishes, as do fittings, fixtures and surfaces. For a less permanent jolt of color, use paint to brighten one or more walls, or the ceiling. Or, go for a light-reflecting absence of color by creating an all-white bath. If you use a variety of materials with different textures, the look can be utterly serene, yet visually interesting.
• Add whimsy. A few decorative accessories that you love to look at will make your bath someplace special. Family photos on a small table; a dressing area with silver-topped glass jars; even a flowering plant can lend just the touch of distinction this usually utilitarian room needs to shine.
• Remember lighting. Even though bright fixtures are a necessity at the vanity--where you'll be applying makeup, shaving, or shaping your eyebrows -- more subtle illumination will be appreciated elsewhere. Equip the general lighting with a dimmer switch and you'll be able to set just the right mood for a restful soak in the tub.
• Warm up. A towel warmer will keep you toasty on cool winter mornings, as will radiant heating coils installed beneath floor tiles.
• Drain away. Instead of the typical, unsightly drain in the shower floor, Workman suggests installing a recessed trough and slightly angling the floor in that direction.
• Sound machine. Wire the bath with speakers so you can listen to the morning news as you brush your teeth or a relaxing tune while you bathe.
• Shower power. Not a bath person? Opt for a deluxe shower instead. Howard recently completed one with several rows of built-in jets encircling the enclosure. "There are all these jets coming from different directions," she says. "My client calls it the car-wash shower."