How to sell your home

Bathrooms and kitchens are areas of the house which new homeowners are most likely to revamp. It can never be overstated how much a good bathroom will add to the attraction of a house and a bathroom overhaul is a common pre-sale project for homeowners.

Spa-like opulence is all the rage for bathrooms, which can be difficult to pull off if your bathroom is small, dark and claustrophobic. While transforming your bathroom into an oasis of tranquillity may be a bit out of reach, there are some great decorating techniques that can be utilised to make the most out of your small bathroom.

At the planning design stage, consider how much storage you will need. Given the small size of most bathrooms, items - like the linen basket or a bin - can dramatically reduce the size of your space. Wall-hung sanitary wear gives a feeling of space and frees up space for extra storage. So get your hands on some wall-mounted basins and toilet pans. Corner furniture can make long narrow bathrooms seem less cramped. Consider a corner bath, corner basin or corner storage unit.

Villeroy & Boch's Subway range of sanitary wear is specially designed for smaller bathrooms. A Subway toilet, with soft-close seat, and wall-mounted compact basin with Hans Grohe mixer tap are priced at €1,529.

A V&B corner bath with Hans Grohe bath-shower mixer costs €1,253 (inc Vat). All are available from Ideal Bathrooms in Dublin 12 (01-4609911). Shires do a corner wall-mounted wash-hand basin called Catalano Kono 54 for €399. A matching wall-mounted pan is priced at €542. Contact 01 4047600 for local Shires suppliers.

Lighting is important in a small bathroom. A good idea is to combine the mirrors with the lighting fixtures. There are lots of nice mirror or vanity units with integrated lighting on the market with prices starting at around €150.