For the most striking look, choose two widely different colors, such as royal blue and lime; for a more subtle sense of depth, choose two adjacent colors like royal blue and violet or lime and leaf green. Built-in lighted wall niches are architecturally striking as well as practical for storage and display. Eye-catching attributes on secondary pieces also help you create balance in the room so one wall doesn't appear too heavy. In one, a skylight window floods the space with light, and a dramatically angled wall shelters the tub, creating strong areas of light and dark. Frameless mirrors are proven winners in creating a more spacious, brighter atmosphere; here, a row of mirrored medicine cabinets offers storage as well as dazzle. In a space like this, sculpturally inspired fixtures and mirrors are icing on the cake. A pristinely simple pure white sink and light fixtures in the same spirit make a fresh contrast to the colorful surroundings. Universal access has come to mean not just access for people with traditional "handicaps" but increased livability for children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and others who have had to make do with uncomfortable or dangerous fixtures. Because so much of a bath is dominated by modern fixtures anyway, many people simply choose contemporary style, regardless of what they're using in the rest of the house.

You'll surely find ideas that work in the rest of your closets, too! But it also exhibits the intelligent use of design concepts that can work just as well in a smaller room. To make a concept like this work takes careful planning of every detail and meticulous placement of every tile. The warm color palette gives this Empire-inspired bath a great dignity and vigor that would make any owner feel like a prince of the realm. Pink, green, and white is a perennial favorite palette with girls of all ages, but the unexpected elements and sharp black touches make this an adult's room without a doubt. A home spa with attitude, this bath has cubbyholes and cupboards aplenty to make basic bath storage part of the design of the space rather than something that intrudes on it. Keep only what meets basic functional needs, what you really love, or what you know has heirloom value. ­So, take a little time to learn about basic bathroom layouts, including plumbing and mechanical considerations that may affect your choices - and their costs. Your installer has a legal obligation to comply with building codes, which keep changing to reflect new understanding about hazards in the built environment - in this case, your bathroom.

You'll also need to know how to apply for building permits and plan for inspections by building code officials as well as at least understand the basics of each function, so you'll know if a job is going seriously awry. Modern design doesn't necessarily need to have an urban look and feel. Meticulous preparation of these surfaces is critical, but these treatments are an economical way to improve the look of your bath, fast. Befitting this extraordinary bath, a wardrobe gives ample storage (and a bit of privacy for the toilet area.) The natural graining of the wardrobe's fine hardwood is enhanced with a gleaming protective finish; the top, where condensation might collect, is a thin slab of granite. Tumbled marble tiles, slab marble tiles, and handmade tiles that look like elegant natural stone all pay tribute to the beauty of nature in this handsome bathroom design. Embrace hydrotherapy in your bathroom.

Another good way to introduce warmth into a bathroom is with color. For the surfacing materials, a color scheme of aqua, antique gold, and rich brown was chosen for its timeless appeal. The confident complementary color scheme of yellow and violet is rendered here in a luscious cantaloupe and plum. Semi-gloss walls in tangerine and plum add depth and richness to the color scheme, making the bath look larger without feeling remote. This bath is obviously large, but even a small space will look bigger if you keep the vanity, walls, and flooring in the same light tones and smooth textures. Plan to put all bathroom fixtures on perimeter walls, and offset the door to allow space for one or two pieces of exercise equipment in the free area. The fine-grained maple cabinets and knotty cedar walls, along with the deep-tone, tiles create a symphony of natural colors and textures in this masterful bathroom. Or choose deeper colors that will give your bathroom more energy and a vibrant feel. Here, the handsome wood construction and open design of the cube unit give it an airier look than conventional closed storage. If you've left the cubicle for a modern-decor home office with a bit more floor space, consider employing a different sort of cube -- one that recalls the friendly cubbyhole compartments of your kindergarten days but with grown-up style.