"Changing a faucet can give a whole bathroom a new look," says Delta Faucet product manager Allison McKinney. Though seemingly innumerable options exist on the market today, you can find the perfect design by focusing your search on three criteria—style, function, and fit.

When choosing a faucet style, shape is usually the first consideration. Whether curvy and traditional or angular and modern, designs can be found to suit every taste. Here, Kohler's Revival collection boasts scroll lever handles and a silhouette of smoothly rounded details.

Having settled on a shape for the faucet, you must next decide on a finish. While polished chrome and brass are perennial favorites, the old standbys are now sold alongside luxury finishes, such as brushed nickel and champagne bronze, shown here.

Among the innovations in faucets today is touch technology, which uses motion sensing to automatically turn water on and off—a plus for families with young children who tend to leave the faucet running!

If you fall in love with a particular sink faucet that showcases an eye-catching shape or an unexpected finish (like these wrought iron designs from Moen), check to see whether matching accessories are available before making a purchase.

Select a style based on the amount of traffic the bathroom is likely to see. Chic silhouettes and fanciful finishes are well-suited to powder rooms or master baths, while high-traffic kids baths warrant something sturdier.

Porcelain handles, a high-rise spout, and a beautiful satin nickel finish give Victorian flair to this design from Kingston Brass. If you are creating a period bath, there's no shortage of historically influenced fixtures available to complement your vision. 

Eco-conscious homeowners may seek out a specialized low-flow bathroom faucet, some of which feature a luxurious "waterfall" effect, like this one by Sumerain. Saving the environment never looked so good!

A tall, single-handled faucet is the prefect accompaniment to a vessel sink. Shown in English Bronze, this graceful faucet design from Newport Brass is available in 26 additional finishes.

Faucet models with lifetime warranties may cost more, but considering that your faucet will be exposed to water and wear on a daily basis, insurance might be a worthwhile expense. 

If you're interested in more on bathroom design, consider:

Free-Standing Tubs: Soaking Up the Luxury

12 "Decorator Worthy" Bathroom Vanities

15 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Big