What are your options, from the bath to the loo? Here's what you need to know.

Remember, the minimum area you need to fit in a 'full' bathroom (containing a basin, toilet and bath) is 1.5m x 2m. If you're buying new bathroom fittings, look at matching the toilet, basin and bath. You might be able to negotiate a cheaper price if you buy them in a batch!

Baths
Buy a bath as you would buy a bed; choose something you'd like to be seen in!

Consider the tub's size, shape, style and comfort factor. Although your bathroom plan gives you your size, check out the different internal shapes. Your dream bath could be anything from a freestanding, Victorian-style tub to a modern, luxury spa bath.

Baths with low sides and a variety of grab rails are designed for the elderly or the disabled. A corner bath is the most space efficient and is particularly good with overhead showers.

The average bath is 1500-1800mm long, 750-800mm wide and around 400mm deep, but the size varies a lot according to the style of the bath.

This acrylic Classic Bath by Stylus is 1700mm long and 475mm deep. Great for a good soak! Details on 1800 023 334 or go to www.stylus.com.au

• Baths are made of different materials, so choose the best type for your situation:
  Acrylic baths keep their warmth. They're light, easy to clean and won't rust or corrode. They come in a variety of shapes. Look for ones reinforced with a fibreglass shell. Price range: $200 - $300.
• Pressed steel baths are coated with porcelain or vitreous enamel and are very tough and hard-wearing. Buy the thickest you can afford. Price range: $150 - $3000.
• Cast-iron baths are formed by pouring iron into a mould and coating, then firing, the tub with enamel. They're extremely durable but very heavy, so check your floor can hold them. Price range: $1000 for inset tub - $2000 upwards for freestanding tub.

Showers
Showers are the most cost-, energy- and water-efficient way to bathe. A shower uses about a quarter of the water that baths require. The minimum area you need for a shower is 850mm x 850mm, although most people prefer a larger space.

Your choice of shower head will affect how much water you use. There is a range of water-saving shower heads available. Other heads offer a choice of shower settings to suit your needs, whether it's a normal flow for washing, a softer flow for shampooing, or pulsating jets to massage tired muscles.

You can also buy shower heads that attach to a rail, and can be adjusted to the height of each bather. Instead of setting the taps under the shower, put them one above the other to one side of the shower rose - this means you can adjust the temperature with no risk of scalding your hand.

The Grohe Relexa Exquisit hand shower can be mounted on a rail and adjusted to each bather's height. Phone 1800 356 717 for suppliers.

You'll want to contain the shower's splash, otherwise you'll be towelling down the bathroom every time you bathe! A shower curtain is a reliable solution, but you may want to go more up-market with a hinged toughened glass panel on the edge of the bath. If your shower is in a separate cubicle, opt for a glass shower screen.

According to Stegbar, a shower screen with a three-panel sliding door costs around $500. More stylish pivot-door models will set you back $700 for the door and one panel, and $200-$250 for each extra panel.

Remember, pivot doors should open away from the inside of the shower, out into the bathroom.

Top of the range are totally frameless shower screens, made of 10mm glass, which cost around $2500. For more details, phone Stegbar on 1800 681 168 or go to www.stegbar.com.au.

Basins
These can be a real design feature. Bowls can be round, oval, rectangular or asymmetrical. At the moment there's a trend for water 'vessels', which look like large bowls sitting on a bench.

Note the larger the basin the less water splashes out of the bowl. And if your bathroom resembles peak-hour traffic in the morning, maybe you need twin basins.

Caroma's Leda Vasque inset basin (above) and above-counter basin (shown at start of story) are part of the new breed of water 'vessels'. Call 13 17 74 or go to www.caroma.com.au for more details.
Like baths, basins are made of different materials:

• Porcelain-enamelled cast iron is durable and easy to maintain, but is heavy and requires a sturdy support system.
• Stainless steel is durable and unaffected by household chemicals, although it collects spots from soap and hard water.
• Vitreous china looks lustrous, cleans easily and resists discolouration and corrosion. But it will chip if you drop a heavy object on it.
• Fibreglass-reinforced plastic isn't as durable as other materials and doesn't hold its shine as well as these other materials. Its only advantage is that it can be moulded into novel shapes.
• Solid-surface materials, usually an acrylic resin made to resemble marble, can look good but may chip and can be spoiled by abrasive cleaners.

Basins either stand on pedestals, hang on the wall or be inset in vanities. For pedestal and wall-mounted basins allow a minimum of 50mm either side for elbow room.

Pedestal basins can make a small bathroom look larger. Choose a large pedestal basin to stand the bits and bobs you'll use when washing.

Wall-mounted basins are ideal for compact areas, although there's no storage space and there's nowhere to conceal the plumbing. Wall-hung basins are helpful for people in wheelchairs because they can be installed at a specific height and there's space underneath for the wheelchair. Make sure any water pipes are covered.

Vanities
The standard height for vanities is 750-800mm. Allow 200mm between the top of the vanity splashback from the bottom of the medicine cabinet or mirror. Vanity basins require the greatest floor space.

Surface-mounted basins, which sit on top of the vanity counter, are the easiest to install. Rimmed basins sit just above the benchtop; a tight-fitting, metal rim joins the two, which may be difficult to clean.

Undermounted basins, which are attached to the bottom of the bench, have a clean look. Integral basins are made of the same material as the benchtop. They're easy to clean but the whole unit must be replaced if any part is damaged.

Taps
Bathroom taps must be easy to use and durable. They're probably the most hardworking bits in your bathroom. Tap sets should suit your overall bathroom theme, whether it's minimalist or traditional. Check that they're compatible with your plumbing fixtures in size and design.

Finishes include chrome, coloured epoxy, pewter, nickel, polished brass, and even gold. Chrome is the standard finish because it is durable and easy to clean. Lead-free brass sets, available in a variety of finishes and designs, are excellent.

Brodware's clean-lined Eko taps combine good looks and functionality. Call (02) 9838 8200 for suppliers.
Taps come in three standard types: centre set, spread fit and single-control:

• Centre-set and spread fit taps both have two separate control handles (hot and cold), plus a spout.
• Single-control taps have a lever or a knob as the one central device. These look stylish but the very young and old may find them trickier to operate. Choose a tap with a built-in temperature-limiting valve to prevent hot-water burns.

Spouts can be either fixed or lever.

Toilet and bidet
It's a relief to know that nearly all toilets are made of tough, stain-resistant, vitreous china. You may choose to match the toilet with the bath and basin. Consider space- and water-saving cisterns (most now have a dual flush) and whether your toilet will be floor- or wall-mounted.

The average depth from the back of the cistern to the front of the seat is 650mm. The width of the cistern ranges from 350mm to 580mm.

If the basin and the toilet face each other on opposite walls, allow a space of 600mm between them. Allow 400mm of floor space each side of the toilet's centre line. Position the toilet-paper holder 150mm beyond the front of the seat and the roller 650mm above the floor. If the toilet occupies a separate space, allow 900mm for the width and 1650mm for depth.

Bidets can be wall- or floor-fixed and require less space because they don't have a cistern. Generally, they're 570mm from front to back and need 140mm space behind them. Water can flush in one of three ways: an under-rim supply, an ascending spray or an over-rim supply.

The Caravelle 2000 toilet suite has a 6-/3-litre dual flush system to save water. Call 13 17 74 or go to www.caroma.com.au for more.