Replace the bath first or the toilet? Should the flooring be done last? Should all bathroom furniture be bought at once?  Renovating a bathroom can be very disruptive in a household, and that’s before the unforeseen problems that will surely arise (as is the fate of all renovation jobs!)

• Investigate hidden space and make good use of it. The space between wall studs can be occupied by recessed storage. Space can also habitually be utilised higher in the bathroom, perhaps via high shelving or clever compact cabinets.

• Look for interesting, elegant, unusual features that complement the bathroom more effectively than the usual block sink unit. For example, counter top basins are often gorgeously sophisticated.

• Invest in durable, appropriate flooring. For those with young families, stone floors may not be the best option. The key is to research the best flooring for the bathroom’s life and invest accordingly. Shoddy flooring is a big invoice waiting to happen!

• Build a walk-in shower area that goes against the typical cubicle design. Bespoke walk-in showers add a nice bit of luxury to the bathroom whilst also keeping the area outside the shower free from splashes and spray.

• A little luxury can go a long way. For some people it could mean a toilet with an elongated bowl, for others a waterproof TV at the foot of the bath. Even the inclusion of a good quality heated towel rail could add a valued little touch of luxury to a well-refurbished bathroom.

A great light source can of course be a really effective design piece in its own right. In the home for instance a high quality antique lamp can even become the centre piece of the interior design. However, subtle lighting can create another, equally impressive aesthetic effect.

In more modern spaces, whether it’s a residential or commercial space, lighting often works best when it is covert. Most bathrooms these days are modern, and have functionality at their heart, and part and parcel of this look are subtle led strip lights etc.

Of course the more covert the light source the better in terms of use of space. Again, bathrooms can be relatively confined areas, and so light sources that do not drown out the space are most effective.

Outdoors, a subtle outdoor led set-up also works really well. The last thing that you will want to do outdoors is to undermine the naturalness of the space, and so subtle lighting can work wonderfully.

As more and more of us are embracing modern ways of decorating the home, subtle lighting is becoming central, and is a sure-fire route to that elegant contemporary aesthetic which is becoming ubiquitous.