Who said one of the most necessary areas of a new custom Florida home must look strictly functional rather than inviting?

Sometimes customers choose bathroom design elements and materials based on how difficult those elements are to clean and maintain, rather than how aesthetically pleasing they’ll look. We won’t steer you in the opposite direction, but there’s a happy medium that allows you to enjoy design AND minimal upkeep. And you won’t have to over-pay for it, either.

In fact, some of these tips are downright thrifty! Others simply involve making the right choices for you and your household.

Here are four fun ways to outfit your new bathroom(s).

Have fun with storage

Admittedly, some bathroom supplies should be out of sight. Piles of hair products, cosmetics, personal care items and small appliances aren’t exactly picturesque, although pretty perfume bottles or fresh flowers are welcome touches.

If you stock up on the 50-roll packages of toilet paper, mandate a linen closet large enough to store them. Also make the lower drawers in your bathroom cabinets deep rather than shallow.

Kids in your household? Assign each child a lower drawer with their name stenciled or stickered on it. Their items stay corralled and easy to grab.

Try open shelves to show off stacks of fluffy matching towels.

Have fun with hardware

Eschew basic-looking faucets, handles and drawer pulls unless an anonymous look is what you want. Bath hardware should complement other bathroom materials, but think beyond necessity.

For example, gleaming nickel faucets and white porcelain hot-cold knobs will never go out of style, and they might make you smile when you use them.

Touch-activated faucets are especially helpful for younger and older members of the household. Ergonomic, one-piece draw pulls are easy to use and feel good to the touch. They look snazzy, too, if you match them to the rest of your hardware.

Higher-spouting faucets on vanity sinks also give users more room to maneuver. Plus, they’re easier to clean. Speaking of usefulness…

Have fun with safety handles

The bathroom can be a slippery place. Glass-slick flooring material probably isn’t the safest choice and you probably already know to anchor bathmats and rugs with non-slip pads.

But have you thought about grab bars? We don’t mean the institutional kind. Making sure bathroom users can get a good grip when they need it, applies to all ages. Work with your ICI Homes design consultant to choose attractive handles your builder can install near tubs, toilets and bathroom entrances. Consider including a tiled seat in your shower.

If you plan to stay in your home, you’re already set for those golden years.

Have fun with bathroom decor

Choose bathroom paint that’s bathroom-proof. No matter the color, it’ll be scrub-worthy when that time comes (and it will).

Unless you want a certain design, save your largest flourishes for items you can change easily, such as shower curtains and rugs. We’d hate for you to install purple flowery wallpaper and then have to rip it down once your taste evolves!

Changing your decor by changing accessories allows you to do it frequently and imaginatively.

Ready for your new custom Florida home? Talk to ICI Homes here.