When you design the layout of the bathroom, you need to know how much of the room you can devote to bathroom furniture. Bathroom furniture is obviously very important when it comes to devising bathroom storage options, but clearly your bathroom suite takes priority. What you need to have a clear view of in your mind is exactly what components of the bathroom suite you will definitely be using.
One of the big questions raised when you start to consider these things is whether you will need a shower enclosure or whether you will have a shower installed above the bath. If you don’t have a separate enclosure then you may have more space for bathroom furniture. If you do have one then you will need to find other areas for storage.
The attraction of having a shower enclosure is that it creates a dedicated area for showering alone. This can be very comfortable and often affords you more space when you shower than when you stand in the bath. It is entirely up to you whether you feel that these benefits outweigh those of having a little extra space in your bathroom in which to place furniture for storage.