Come up with smart and stylish bathroom renovation ideas

Whether you're doing a bathroom remodeling project immediately after moving into a new home or after years of putting up with tile that you despised, there are a lot of directions you can go in once you undertake the project. You can do a standard remodeling project to redo the plumbing, replace the fixtures, add cabinets and restyle the space, or a more customized job to expand your bathroom and give your family double sinks.

But regardless of which method of bathroom renovation you choose, there are hundreds of different directions you can take your new bathroom to make it exactly what you've been imagining. If you need some help brainstorming bathroom remodeling and renovation ideas, here are some popular styles that many people in the U.S. have made their own.

Light and bright
Whether it's the bath or the sink, bathrooms are all about getting clean. Better Homes and Gardens magazine showcases dozens of bathroom ideas that carry this concept of cleanliness into design. For some homes, this may involve replacing windows, whereas for others it may just be embracing the light that the bathroom already has. Talk to your general contractor about using light in your bathroom in a way that protects privacy, whether through transoms or specialty window dressings.

Additional design elements that embrace this pure, bright atmosphere include using white, blue and light materials. Consider having white flooring and cabinets with light blue walls. Plants in the bathroom can also add a lively vibe. 

A spa atmosphere
When many people redo their bathroom, they expand it to create a more spacious master bathroom that's, in many ways, a miniature retreat. HGTV advised homeowners to go all the way and make it a spa. In addition to adding another sink, consider getting a shower system that has a steam function. Gina Bonura, custom bathroom designer at Alure, also suggested using a room adjacent to the master bathroom as an exercise room and creating a second door into that space.  If that doesn't tickle your fancy, you may prefer adding a tub that has as many jets as a spa Jacuzzi.

Your favorite terrain
You're going to be spending a lot of time in your bathroom, especially following a bathroom renovation, so you might as well make it a place you like. Homeowners can model the space after another place that they enjoy. This Old House magazine showed how great a nautical beach theme can be. It incorporated sea glass art, beach rocks in the floor and tiles as well as sandy, ocean colors throughout.

If you aren't quite a beach bum, the concept can apply to any landscape. Incorporate aspects of the natural theme as well as a color scheme and artwork to create your own foreign oasis.

Amenities
While you're coming up with bathroom renovation ideas, feel free to think about nonessential bathroom furniture. Although the shower, sinks and toilet take up much of the planning, smaller touches like book shelves and areas for house plants can make a big impact. Talk to your general contractor about where the best spots are for extra storage and fashionable furnishings.