Bathroom electrical work raises some special considerations, beyond even those of the kitchen. Both have water around, but bathrooms are enclosed, usually smaller, and often put moisture into the entire air space of the bathroom. That makes wiring them for safety all the harder and more important.

Some electrical codes take these facts into account differently than others. But common sense and good wiring practice alone are enough to guide the do-it-yourselfer in this area.

Most tile will last generations. Some can last thousands of years. There are Roman baths that are still working and lined with the original material. But, sadly, tile sometimes does crack. Whether ceramic or stone, or modern composite, tiles can and do crack once in a while.

One major reason for this is faulty installation. If the underfloor isn't perfectly smooth and flat, not to mention sturdy, excess pressure is exerted on the tiles laid on top of it. Eventually, that pressure will cause a crack somewhere.

Bathrooms are utilitarian places. They serve a number of functions. But they can also be places of beauty. In fact, very few people are satisfied to just have a bare space that serves its purpose. They decorate. It's a primal urge.

Luckily for those who like to indulge that urge, there are hundreds of choices for shower curtains and rods.

These relatively simple items serve that dual goal mentioned above. They provide a function: to keep the water from the shower inside the shower and off the bathroom floor. But they are also a major contributor to the look of the whole bath.

Painting a bathroom brings with it special considerations. No other room in the house produces hot moist air in a small, enclosed space.

First and foremost, that affects the selection of paint. Water-resistant, temperature-durable high gloss is usually selected for a reason. It provides good coverage to ensure that the moisture stays on the bathroom interior side of the wall. Moisture that seeps through cracks or, worse, goes right through the wall will inevitably lead to mildew build up.

Light serves several goals in the bathroom. The utilitarian function is obvious. But that purpose can be served in numerous ways. At the same time, there are design issues that affect the feeling of spaciousness, atmosphere and other less immediately practical issues. A bathroom lighting design scheme deserves some careful thought to address all these aspects.

There are two main areas that are usually attacked first: whole-room illumination and highlights for the bathroom mirror. Both involve issues of task lighting. But there's a third that shouldn't be neglected: accent lighting.