The simple, sterile white porcelain sanctuaries that sometimes get overlooked in home renovations and design are experiencing a renaissance. With more colors, patterns and out-of-the-box fixtures, builders and remodelers are designing bathrooms with more personality than ever before in 2024.
Tiles
For any bathroom, from the master to the guest or powder room, stately flooring is a must. In some homes, this will take the form of tasteful tiling.
Recent trends incorporate clever patterns that deceive the eye and increasingly use bright and bespoke color schemes to give the space an exciting character of its own. Flooring can set the tone for the whole room, providing a good starting point to reference when choosing paint colors and fixtures.
Patterns can be created with tiles that have designs printed on them individually, or by arranging plain, solid-colored tiles to make them appear woven together in cross hatch, chevron, herringbone and other patterns. Even with a straightforward rectangular or square tile pattern, it’s possible to introduce some intrigue by choosing grout that contrasts with the tile color to make it pop.
And tile trends don’t end with the floor. Some designers send them up shower walls, creating a holistic and free-flowing feel to the space.
Marble
If tiles won’t cut it, look to another material to establish a foundation: marble. Designers are beginning to favor versions of the smooth stone that have deep, dramatic veins of color running through them to distinguish the bathroom.
Marble appears more often on countertops and in showers than as flooring, and cultivates a smoother visual effect than tiles. While marble has often been paired with neutral tones and colors to blend in, trends are moving toward more striking patterns.
Spa-style showers, tubs and steam rooms
When it comes to the crown jewel of a master bath, the shower, bigger is often better.
Glass doors and walls are moving out, or sometimes disappearing entirely, in favor of a spacious experience. Large overhead rainfall and waterfall shower heads are popular, and many people opt for multiple shower heads to maximize water flow and round out a spa-like setup.
Those looking for a more comprehensive spa experience can consider their own separate steam room, or incorporate steam elements into an enclosed shower for supreme at-home relaxation.
No spa would be complete without a big, deep bathtub for melting away stress. Standalone tubs can make statements from anywhere in the bathroom, either with a bright pop of color or by incorporating intricate details in the feet or head fixtures, or even carved into the basin itself.
Vanities and mirrors
Today’s designers frequently choose to go bigger with vanities and washbasin spaces. Elaborate and ornate vanities – single and double-wide – can turn the washing-up area into something out of a movie set.
This is where the room’s signature stone or marble look might flourish, or it could be the place to introduce some wood or metal accents to add variety and complement the room’s main building materials.
Mirrors are taking on progressively more intricate forms as well. They can get wavy, or emulate the gilded quality of a cut crystal drinking glass.
For those who want to further customize their mirrors, backlighting is rising in popularity to fill that demand in a flashy, modern way. Mirrors with lights lining the border are similar and can sometimes present a more practical option.
Storage is another key concern in vanity design. Drawers are the standard way to go, but can be done in any number of ways, including more ornamental looks with prominent handles and designs carved into the wood.
Amenities
Getting even further into the realm of practicality, you’ll find specialized appliances. Bidets get more popular every year in the U.S., according to bidetking.com, as a more sanitary and sustainable alternative to toilet paper.
Home renovators looking for an extra convenience in their bathing routine can install towel warmers or heated towel bars. Having warm towels after a shower offers another spa-like touch. These come in the form of metal canisters that sit on the floor, or drying racks wired directly into the wall.
Jake Ruffer is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
