5 things not to do when decorating your bathroom

Towel rails, hooks, toilet roll holders and shower shelves are often left to the end, and then there is no free wall or space for them. Make the list at the start of the project and mark each accessory on the plan, with its measurement.

• Towel rail: near the shower or the bath, within reach as you step out.
• Toilet roll holder: beside the toilet, within reach of someone seated.
• Hooks: behind the door or next to the basin.

With little floor area, use the height of the walls: shelves and niches above the toilet or inside the shower store things without taking up floor. Accessories can also be designed to measure, in the same materials as the rest of the bathroom. More ways to create storage are in the guide How to make the most of space by creating storage.

A bathroom has a lot of moisture, and standard particleboard swells when moisture gets in through the joints and edges. However good the finish, it does not last.

Choose materials made for damp areas, such as moisture-resistant MDF, with a sealed finish, lacquered or melamine, and well-sealed edges. Keep furniture off the floor, wall-hung or on legs, so that cleaning water does not reach the base.

A central ceiling light lights the bathroom, but not your face: at the mirror, it casts shadows on the eyes and chin. Combine 2 types of light:

• General light: on the ceiling, for the whole room.
• Mirror light: on both sides of the mirror, at face height, about 150 to 165 cm from the floor. It lights the face evenly, without shadows.

In a bathroom, light fittings must be protected against water. In Portugal, the rules for electrical installations (RTIEBT) divide the bathroom into zones measured from the shower and the bath. Within 60 cm of the shower or the bath, choose fittings rated IP44 or higher; above them, IP65. If in doubt, check with your electrician. The light for each room is in the guide How to match lighting to each room.

In a bathroom, the floor gets wet every day. Choose a non-slip covering, especially where you step out of the shower and the bath. Polished, glossy finishes are the most slippery when wet. Ask the supplier for the covering's slip-resistance rating before choosing it.

Measurements decide a bathroom before the decoration does. There are minimum spaces for using each fitting comfortably, and a tall person needs more than the minimum.

• Toilet: the centre of the toilet about 40 to 45 cm from the wall or the fitting beside it, and at least 60 cm clear in front.
• Shower tray: at least 80 × 80 cm; 90 × 90 cm is more comfortable. With enough space, a rectangular tray allows sliding doors.
• Basin: the size depends on the basin and the tap you choose.

With space, choose the fittings first and design the bathroom around them. With little space, do the opposite: measure first and choose the fittings to suit the measurements.

For colours, see the guide Colour combinations for your bathroom. And to make a small bathroom look bigger, the tricks in the guide Small spaces work here too.