Oh, the bathroom!

The private oasis of comfort, relaxation and relief is often overlooked in comparison to other rooms in the home when it comes to care. Home and Garden experts give tips on how a quick change of bathroom flooring, for instance, can enliven the drab space, making it a place you’d love to come home to.

Whether you choose laminate, vinyl or ceramic, HGTV writer Heather J. Paper said choosing the right flooring style shouldn’t just be about personal taste.

“Some very specific factors come into play,” Paper said. “Is your flooring, for instance, impervious to water? Will it stain easily when makeup takes a spill? Is it safe when walking across with wet feet?”

Dallas Floor and Wall Center co-owner Agnes Chance said ceramic and porcelain tiles have stood the test of time.

“Of all the things you can put in a house to increase the value — ceramic flooring, ceramic showers or stalls or ceramic tub surround, those products in the bath area increase the value,” Chance said. “It’s a permanent something … vinyl will wear out; people know it’s something you won’t have to replace.”

The use of larger tiles, Chance said, have also become recently popular.

“Larger tiles are being used now — 12-inch to 13 to 16-inch tiles,” Chance said. “Do-it-yourselfers like using the larger tiles because it’s easier.”

Paper gives the following top floor choices for the bathroom.

Carpet. Though many think carpet is not a good choice for potential waterlogged areas, Paper said all you need to do is make careful choices. Choose carpet that is water, mildew and stain-resistant, with a backing that doesn’t allow water to seep into the pad.

Ceramic tile. In addition to it being available in squares, other shapes, such as octagonal and hexagonal are also available.