Bathrooms
I was wondering, why is it do you think that bathrooms tend to get a bit neglected? There seems quite often a disconnect between the amount of time and energy spent on sourcing fixtures and hardware and the time spent on the decorative stuff. Designing a bathroom is a matter of mixing function with the practical stuff BUT also combining style. My top tip would be to decorate this room as you would say your living room and forgot for a bit its a bathroom. A bathroom, shower room whatever you want to call it should blend in beautifully with the rest of your space - yes it will feel different but it should be a gentle transition if that makes any sense, not some cold sterile space that lacks personality.
One of the reasons the decorative pleasures get ignored in this room I reckon is in part because we tend to decorate bathrooms with stuff we buy at specailaity stores . Ditch them and instead hit favourite stores to find items that house toothbrushes, or cool plates to put a collection of bottles and handwashes on. Baskets are fab for towels or rubbish bins as they add warmth and texture to what can be a quite sterile room. Also think about including actual furniture, chairs, stools, tables, benches, add art, flowers (stuff) as it will warm up the space no end.
Below an image from Livingetc of a bathroom in a bedroom. It works because the owners have blended the bathroom beautifully into scheme, hanging a beautiful chandelier in the space, echoing the palette - its that gentle transitional thing I was banging on about a second ago.
Off to Bikram which I hate hate hate and hate again.