The importance of planning for any bathroom renovation can never be underestimated! With so many options available, the first step should always be to ascertain exactly how your bathroom is to be used – parental retreat, bath/spa, ensuite, the option for two users simultaneously?

It’s often helpful to choose one key feature that is essential and then build the rest of the design around that – it could be a tile, a bath, a tap or even a particular colour. If it’s a compact space check out the many space saving options that cleverly give the illusion of spaciousness – wall hung vanities, sliding shower doors, and so on.

For those bathrooms with heavy traffic look at the many water-saving and easy clean options. The latter includes wall mount mixers and back to wall toilets – both options make cleaning far easier.

One of the fastest ways of getting an instant update on the many options available in both products and finishes is to have a look at some of the latest lifestyle/interiors magazines. These will give a great insight into some of the latest trends such as wet rooms, timber finishes, ‘outdoor’ bathrooms, task and ambient lighting for example. They will also inspire choices in terms of colours, finishes and textures. Then start building an 'ideas board’ with cuttings of anything you particularly like – this will help hone the look in terms of colours, taps, vanities, basins and baths.