In many homes, the bathroom is nothing more than a place for dumping dirty laundry or storing endless bottles of shampoo and hair remover. In the mornings and evenings it's a whirlwind of activity as each family member takes their turn to get clean. Too often it's a war zone with everyone's personal items stuffed into all the available cabinets and drawers. It's a chaotic mess that does nothing to invite anyone inside.

The bathroom is meant to be a place of rest and relaxation, that place where you can sink into a hot bath or enjoy a steaming shower after a long, hard day. It's supposed to be that one place where you find sanctuary from the world and enjoy the serenity of your surroundings. If your bathroom is closer to a war zone than a peaceful sanctuary, something needs to be done to change it. Not only can a refurbished bathroom add thousands to the value of your home, but it also makes you feel better about going in there every morning.

A bathroom offers myriad opportunities for sprucing up: the bath, the shower, the rails and handles fixed onto the walls, the floor and wall tiles, the light fixtures and, finally, the bathroom vanity. The vanity, the waist-high cabinet with the basin and faucet attached to it, is often the centerpiece of the bathroom. Modern bathrooms can be designed to suit almost any taste. Some bathrooms feature just the vanity as a solo piece, while others have entire sets that include the mirror, the fixtures and sometimes an extra cabinet. A solo piece can easily be matched with other pieces, while a whole set creates flow in the theme and color. The rest of the bathroom can be designed around the vanity set.

Coordinating the vanity and the mirror isn't difficult. Many vanity manufacturers sell vanities and mirrors as sets. If the vanity features a black marble surface, the coordinating mirror may be framed in black marble too. If the vanity is designed to be stark and minimalist, the mirror will be designed to match. Vanities and their mirrors are sold in a variety of styles like classical or country-style French, clean-cut contemporary styles and sleek Italian. The list goes on. Some people make their own vanities and mirrors. They add personal touches like displaying family pictures in the mirror frame or incorporate their own designs into the mold of their vessel sinks.

The vanity and its mirror are great areas for placing light fixtures, particularly softer lights. The light reflects in the mirror and reaches into the whole bathroom for a soft, romantic glow. It also makes the bathroom look more spacious, particularly if you have a smaller bathroom. You can also fix small tea-light candle holders onto the mirror for a fairy-light feel while you're freshening up. It's also a good idea to have at least one bright light around the mirror so you can see yourself properly while shaving or applying make-up.

Bathroom vanities and their mirrors should be a reflection (pardon the pun) of the people who use them most. If it's for a bachelor, the overall design elements would probably be simplicity and functionality: not too many cabinets, nothing frilly. For children who share a bathroom, incorporate bright colors and fun characters on the surface of the vanity and around the mirror. The frame itself can be decorated with fun stickers and badges.

Couples should consider the needs and tastes of both people. Although guys might not look past their own reflections in the mirror, the design should take his personal tastes into consideration too. Too much lavender or lacey frills hanging from everything might not go down well. Both parties could compromise with Italian contemporary design, for example. These usually involve bold colors and soft metals, both masculine and feminine at the same time. Coordinating is fun; plus it makes your bathroom a much better space to be in. Or consider each person choosing their own unique mirror to match their personality. This will add a lot of character to your bathroom design while both parties can enjoy the results.