Anyone who has tried to play amateur interior designer will admit to making a few mistakes.

The red, white and blue floor tile in the bathroom. The purple "wash" in the powder room.

Selecting the interior design elements of a bathroom can be a complicated endeavor. There are colors, textures, fabrics and materials to consider.

• How should they blend together?
• What will set the space apart?
• How can you add a unique element without disrupting the flow of the room?

A look at how renovators, architects and interior designers approach design reveals ways to avoid making common mistakes.

Use Color Wisely

"One of the biggest mistakes people make is they tend to insert a lot of color in the background and what they don't realize is they are locking themselves into that color for 10 or 15 years or however long they plan to live in the house," said John Biever, owner and design director of Model Interiors, an Omaha, NE-based company that designs model homes for several Midwestern builders.

The main background areas to consider are floors, countertops and walls. Those areas often are key focal points and they can be costly to redo later. "We advocate keeping the background neutral," Biever said. "If it's in a neutral tone you can insert colors later" with accents and accessories.

Also, there are ways to add design elements in small doses throughout a room. A row of sage tile on a bathroom wall can make the space inviting without overdoing it. Add tile with decorative scrolling and a raised surface and the added texture can blend with the vanity and countertop texture.

Those who simply must add a burst of red in the bathroom should do so in an inconspicuous place instead of on the main countertop area.  "If it's a small space, that will be easier to change later without a big expense," he said.

Blend Rooms Together

Another mistake consumers make is designing rooms individually, without any thought to how the rooms flow together. In a master bathroom, the style and tones should blend with the master bedroom. This can be achieved through the use of color or the materials.

A powder room can be designed individually, as long as it is a conscious decision. Create an interesting vignette there, so long as it is clearly a distinctive design. Otherwise, try to tie in the tile from the powder room with the adjoining hallway. Or, use a cream marble tile in the powder room and on a fireplace in the family room.

The color scheme could be strong in one room and more subtle in an adjoining room, as long as there are colors, textures or materials to blend the rooms together. "You don't have to do the same proportions of color, but there should be a thread that ties them together," Biever said.

Be Careful of Visual Clutter

When trying to add personal touches to a space, renovators should avoid adding too much visual clutter. Busy tile patterns or too many accessories can be distracting to the eye. They will take away from the overall design theme instead of reinforcing it.

Another mistake consumers make is in selecting products and finishes without seeing them first. They may look at a catalog, a picture or a small sample when placing the order. A small tile sample might not show a wavy texture or all the grain patterns.

When selecting granite countertops, for example, you should choose the actual slab of material that will be used to make their countertop. This will help ensure you are getting exactly what you envisioned.