Bathroom Design Mistakes and Simple Ways to Fix Them

Bathrooms are small rooms that do a lot of work. They handle water, steam, storage, grooming and cleaning every single day. Because of this, design mistakes in a bathroom show up very quickly. Wet towels that never dry, bad lighting, messy counters and mold are often not “bad habits” but the result of poor design.

This blog explains common bathroom design mistakes and how to fix or avoid them using simple and practical ideas.

1. Not Planning Enough Storage

One of the biggest bathroom problems is lack of storage. Many plans only think about the toilet, shower and sink, and forget all the other things that live in a bathroom:

• Towels and spare towels

• Toilet paper

• Cleaning products

• Skincare and haircare

• Makeup and shaving items

• Medicines and small tools

When these items have no place to go, they end up on every flat surface. This leads to:

• Cluttered counters

• Dust and dirt on everything

• Higher risk of mold if the room is not well ventilated

A full remodel is not always possible. But storage can still be improved in simple ways.

Simple ways to add storage

a. Add a unit around a pedestal sink - If there is a basic pedestal sink with no cabinet, there are special vanity units made to fit around it. These have cutouts for the pedestal and give hidden storage, similar to a full vanity, without replacing the sink.

b. Use shelving carefully - Simple shelves can help, but open shelves in bathrooms collect dust and moisture. They are better for items that are used often and can be wiped easily, not for stacks of clothes or towels.

c. Install a medicine cabinet - A medicine cabinet is one of the best storage solutions for a bathroom. It combines a mirror with a shallow cabinet in the wall. It is about as deep as a bottle of soap and is perfect for:

• Skincare products

• Toothpaste and toothbrushes

• Shaving items

• Medicine and small things

It keeps items at eye level, easy to see and reach, and hides visual mess.

d. Upgrade to a vanity with drawers - If budget allows, replacing a basic sink with a vanity is a strong improvement. Drawers are usually more useful than doors because everything is visible from above and easy to reach.

e. Use no-drill wall shelves - If other options are not possible, no-drill shelves are helpful. Some use very strong nano tape that sticks well to tile and can hold heavy items. They gather small objects in one place and create a sense of order, even if things are still visible.

2. Bad Faucet and Shower Head Placement

Another common problem is poor placement of taps and shower heads.

When faucets are too short

Sometimes the faucet spout does not reach far enough into the sink. This causes:

• Hands being washed right at the edge of the sink

• Water splashing over the counter instead of into the bowl

• Awkward movement and mess every time someone uses the sink

This usually happens when a faucet is chosen only for style, without checking its reach or the position of the faucet hole in the sink.

For good function, the water stream should land:

• Roughly one quarter to halfway into the sink bowl

• Just in front of or directly over the drain hole

Height problems with shower heads and vessel sinks

Shower heads and high vessel sinks also have height issues. If the shower head is installed too low, tall people need to bend or half squat just to rinse their hair. If a faucet is too low for a vessel sink, it becomes difficult to use.

Simple fixes

• In many sinks, changing to a faucet with a longer spout is not very expensive and can often be done with basic tools, using the shut-off valves under the sink.

• If someone does not feel comfortable doing it, a handyman can usually change a faucet for less cost than a full plumbing visit.

• For shower heads, fixing height can be more complex, so it is better to plan correctly during a remodel.

3. Cluttered Design (Too Many Finishes Competing)

Bathrooms can feel busy and uncomfortable when the design itself is cluttered. This is different from physical mess. Cluttered design happens when:

• There are many different colors and materials

• Every surface is trying to be a “feature”

• Nothing stands out clearly as the main focal point

This can make a room feel chaotic and overwhelming, even if it is technically tidy.

Many people like the tiles, fixtures or colors they chose in the store, but do not like the result at home. Often the problem is not the individual item, but how many strong elements are used at once.

Simple design rule

A bathroom works better when the finishes are limited and calm:

• Use only one or two main materials or colors

• At most, use three if the person knows how to coordinate them well

Once the main palette is set, choose one feature to be the focal point, such as:

• A freestanding bathtub

• A beautiful vanity and faucet

• A feature wall of patterned tile in the shower

The other materials then act as a quiet backdrop that lets the chosen feature stand out. This use of “blank space” is similar to how galleries and good graphic design work. Empty or simple areas are important so that special elements can be noticed.

If a bathroom feels too “plain,” character can be added with small, high-quality accessories such as:

• Good-looking soaps

• Towels in a contrasting color

• Scented products in simple bottles

These act like condiments in cooking: small additions that add flavor without changing the whole base.

4. Poor Ventila tion and Moisture Control

Bathrooms always have a lot of water in the air from showers, baths and wet towels. If this moisture is not removed, the room develops:

• Mold

• Bad smells

• Damp towels and floors that never fully dry

Many building rules require a bathroom fan, but basic fans often only meet minimum standards. They move very little air and do not handle several showers per day well.

If ventilation is poor and the finishes are also absorbent (wrong paint, wallpaper, untreated wood), problems become serious and expensive to fix.

Better ventilation choices

• Choose a stronger extractor fan that moves more air.

• Look at the air volume numbers (in cubic feet per minute or cubic meters per hour) when comparing fans.

• “Inline” fans are often larger, placed in a separate housing, and are much more powerful, while not much louder.

A good fan, correctly sized, removes moisture faster and keeps walls, ceilings and towels drier.

Heating as part of moisture control

Heating the bathroom more than the rest of the home also helps. A cold bathroom traps moisture, while a warmer one helps vapor rise and leave with the air.

Helpful tools:

• Heated towel rails: dry towels and warm the room at the same time.

• A thermostat: can be set so the towel rail and heat turn on around usual shower times.

A warmer, well-ventilated bathroom is more comfortable and healthier.

5. Bad Lighting: Wrong Color, Direction and Softness

Lighting is very important in bathrooms. This room is used for tasks like:

• Shaving

• Washing the face

• Putting on makeup

• Checking appearance

Good lighting is not just about brightness. Three key factors matter:

1. Color temperature – how “warm” or “cool” the light looks (measured in Kelvin)

2. Softness – whether the light is sharp or gently diffused

3. Direction – where the light comes from (above, front, side)

Color temperature

Bathrooms work best with light that is close to daylight but not too harsh. A range of 3,000–4,000K usually gives:

• Enough accuracy for makeup

• A natural look to skin tone

• A space that does not feel too cold or too yellow

Softness and direction

Ceiling spotlights are common and convenient, but:

• Hard overhead light creates strong shadows on the face.

• It is not the most flattering or comfortable for grooming.

Soft, front-facing light is better. For example:

• Wall lights (sconces) on each side of the mirror

• A medicine cabinet with built-in LED lights around the mirror

These light the face evenly from the front instead of casting shadows from above.

Since wall space is limited, a medicine cabinet with integrated lighting can give both storage and good light. Overhead lighting can then be added in other parts of the bathroom, like the shower, to provide general brightness. Very dark, “moody” bathrooms can look beautiful in photos, but for a main bathroom that is used daily, a brighter, well-lit room is usually more practical.

6. Not Planning for Outlets and Charging

Modern bathrooms often act as places for:

• Hairdryers

• Straighteners

• Electric toothbrushes

• Shavers

• Smartwatches and other wearables

All of these need power. Different countries have different safety rules for outlets in bathrooms, especially where water is nearby, but one common issue is poor planning of outlet locations. If outlets are in awkward places or there are too few of them, counters become cluttered with:

• Loose chargers

• Cables hanging down

• Devices left out all the time

Simple helpers:

• Cable tidy boxes to hide power strips and cables

• Small outlet shelves to support devices where there is no counter below (though not for items that may drip water)

In a remodel, it is wise to:

• Add USB or low-voltage charging points inside cabinets or drawers, if allowed by local regulations

• Place outlets inside storage where chargers and devices can live out of sight

Good outlet planning reduces visual mess and makes daily routines smoother.

7. Choosing Hard-to-Clean Fixtures and Finishes

Some materials look very stylish but are difficult to keep clean in a wet room.

Dark fixtures

Black taps and fittings look modern, but:

• Water spots and soap marks stand out strongly on black

• They can look dirty after just a few days if not wiped often

Chrome can also show spots easily. More forgiving finishes include:

• Brushed nickel

• Stainless steel

These match the color of water spots more closely, so they look cleaner for longer, especially in showers, where surfaces are often wet.

Very light grout and floors

Light-colored floor tiles and pale grout lines can make dirt and stains easy to see. Over time, grout can absorb dirt and turn patchy brown, which looks bad and is hard to clean.

Darker floor finishes:

• Show hair and dust less

• Need cleaning less often to look acceptable

This can make a big difference to how “clean” a bathroom feels day to day.

Using easy-to-clean fixtures

Some fixture types, like wall-hung toilets, are much easier to clean around. Lifting the base off the floor:

• Removes tight corners on the floor where dust and dirt can gather

• Makes the room feel larger, because more floor space is visible

Fully tiled walls can remove the need for baseboards, which normally cover the joint between wall and floor but also collect dust and grime.

8. Using Too-Small Mirrors

Mirrors are essential in bathrooms, but they also help small rooms feel larger and brighter.

Common mistakes:

• Choosing mirrors that are too small for the vanity

• Placing mirrors too high or too low for the people using the room

A mirror should:

• Match the width or almost the width of the vanity below

• Be mounted at a height that works for all regular users

Large mirrors or mirrored cabinets:

• Make spaces feel much bigger

• Reflect more light

• Sometimes reduce the need for expensive wall finishes

Spending part of the budget on a good-sized mirror can add more value than some premium tiles.

9. Using Weak or Cheap Materials and Fixtures

Bathrooms deal with frequent water, steam, and daily use. Materials and fixtures that cannot handle this environment will fail early.

Common problems:

• Cheap faucets that start leaking or breaking

• Low-quality toilets that perform poorly

• Porous surfaces like unsealed marble or wood that stain and absorb water

Better choices:

• Use reputable brands for frequently used fixtures

• Select tiles and stones that are water-resistant and do not need constant sealing

• Consider using a more affordable but durable tile across the entire room rather than using a small amount of expensive stone

Often, the saying “buy cheap, buy twice” applies. Saving money up front can lead to higher costs later.

10. Rushing a Remodel and Missing Built-In Opportunities

A bathroom remodel is a rare chance to improve not just finishes, but also the structure behind the walls and under the floor. If the work is rushed, some of the best upgrades become impossible later without major demolition.

Smart opportunities during a remodel include:

• Wall niches between studs for shampoo, soap and bathroom items, so they do not sit on the floor or tub edge

• Recessed medicine cabinets built into the wall for a clean look and extra depth

• Electric underfloor heating, which is thin, spreads warmth across the entire floor and dries the room more evenly than a single radiator

• Better locations for shower controls, so the water can be turned on without getting soaked

• Adding a handheld shower head to make cleaning easier

Once tiles are installed, adding these features later is difficult or impossible. Taking extra time in planning and saving for key features creates a bathroom that works well for many years and increases the home’s appeal and value.

Summary

Good bathroom design is not just about style. It is about:

• Enough smart storage

• Comfortable and well-placed fixtures

• Clear and calm visual design

• Strong ventilation and proper heating

• Correct, flattering lighting

• Well-planned outlets and charging

• Finishes that are easy to clean and durable

• Using the remodel as a chance to build in long-term improvements

When these points are considered, a bathroom becomes easier to live with, easier to clean, and more pleasant every day.