If you're considering making your home appealing to potential buyers, then one of the first places to start is in the bathroom. With countless accessories and appliances on the market, making a decision that will ultimately allow you to reap the rewards is daunting.

When it comes to bathroom design, what is it that most people really want? Would choosing a spacious whirlpool bath above a traditional bath be financially beneficial in the long haul?

Wouldn't designing your bathroom be a much easier task if you were armed with a guideline of what tickled the fancy of potential homebuyers? If you're going to design your bathroom get it right the first time round to avoid flushing away hard-earned pounds.

Hello simplicity

From as far back as the 1960s much focus was placed on bold colour in the bathroom. Patterned wall tiles of nautical creatures and over-the-top colours were the trend, along with plastic. Plastic bathroom dcor was the craze, from bold orange, olive green, mustard yellow and chocolate brown coloured toothbrush, soap and towel holders, to thick patterned plastic shower curtains that screamed colours of the boldest nature.

As the times moved on, the 1970s and early 1980s became a period when gold bathroom fixings and furnishing, such as taps, towel rails and toilet roll holders, were considered very stylish. These ostentatious gold trimmed features were all the rage, and bathroom dcor was 'loud'. Added to this were those once delightful bathroom suites in colours avocado, coral pink, and chocolate brown. Bathroom colour has changed dramatically over the past decade, and shades have become more neutral, sometimes with a hint of colour that adds a complementary vigour to the overall scheme.

Of the many hundreds of people who took part in Plumbworld's recent bathroom survey, an overwhelming 82 per cent said they hated the once glorified avocado and coral pink bathroom suites, colours remnant of 1970s and 1980s, which are typically characterised as being dark and dull.

According to the survey, chrome bathroom taps were much preferred to gold.

So, when designing and decorating your bathroom keep those dark colours at bay, consider white suites, and opt for chrome fixings and furnishings instead of flashy gold.

Shower power

When planning the design of your bathroom, one of the most important aspects to consider is placing a shower. Some bathrooms don't have adequate space to include a shower cubicle, so assess your options. Consider installing a shower over the bath if space is limited.

The survey showed that 94 per cent of its participants believed that a shower in a bathroom was very important, and 81 per cent said they preferred a separate shower enclosure in a large bathroom. Almost 65 per cent said their ideal would be a power shower, while 27 per cent preferred mixer showers, and only 12 per cent opted for electric showers.

If you have chosen a shower over the bath, then think about placing a fixed glass screen instead of a shower curtain. It may cost a few extra pounds, but more than half of the survey's contributors preferred a fixed glass screen to a shower curtain.

Choosing your bath tub

Contrary to common belief, adding a whirlpool bath to increase property value doesn't always do the trick. So if you're contemplating selling your property, try to avoid purchasing a whirlpool bath in the hopes of gaining additional profit.

The survey revealed that close to 53 per cent of its participants were not phased by them, while only a small 38 per cent of participants loved them. Surprisingly, 62 per cent said they had no strong view towards corner baths either, which means the traditional rectangular baths still hold clout against their spruced up counter parts.

Bathroom flooring

Try to avoid the urge to place carpets on the bathroom floor, according to the survey it is not too favoured. The survey showed that the preferred floor covering was tiles, with 75 per cent saying they loved a tiled bathroom floor. Popular vinyl flooring has not yet lost its place in the bathroom, with more than 61 per cent saying they didn't have any strong likes or dislikes towards it.

When choosing your bathroom flooring, tiles is the favoured option, but if the budget is tight, then vinyl flooring won't let you down.

Apart from the flooring, make sure your windows look appealing. When it comes to dressing your bathroom windows, steer clear of those bathroom nets and fabric curtains. The survey showed that 94 per cent said they favoured blinds in the bathroom to curtains.

Keep it clean

If you are planning to put your home on the market, inspect your bathroom for those small generally unnoticed flaws, like mould on the silicone sealant around the bath, and even on your shower curtain if you have one. Potential homebuyers may notice these small faults, which could send then running!