Bathroom Design Trends 2022 – Where once a bathroom design was mainly about where to site the loo and how big a bath you could manage to fit in, now consumers and commercial clients alike are looking at this room in more design detail. With a much wider choice of wall coverings, lighting, flooring – not to mention sanitary ware – the bathroom is proving to be more than a functional space.
We’ve been talking to industry experts and interior designers to find out what’s new in bathrooms. Here’s our pick of what we found.
Bathroom design trends 2022 – Colour choices
Avocado bathroom anyone?
Surely we’re not heading back to the 70’s I hear you gasp?
Green will be finding its way in to our bathrooms in many ways and yes, there may even be a shade of avocado seen. Green IS the colour of the year after all and with the revival of all things 70’s and 80’s in fashion, it’s no surprise that an avocado bathroom of sorts could be returning some time soon. But, don’t worry, it’s not as hideous as you remember.
We’ve spotted a few stylish options recently including Villeroy & Boch’s Artis range of coloured basins which includes a gorgeous sage green. V&B also has the most stunning olive green bathroom furniture option in its Finion range – which isn’t a million miles away from that 70’s favourite.
It isn’t just green we’ll be seeing in our bathrooms. As with the the rest of the house, colour is being used much more widely. Warm blues, blush pink and even vivid yellow are all colours we’ve seen in some great bathroom designs recently.
For Bathroom Design Trends 2022 we predict pink and green will be the winning combo for many designers. When used together, these two colours create a modern, relaxing colour scheme ideal for bathrooms.
Oh, and finally on the colour front, terracotta is making a comeback? As well as the traditional rich terracotta, we’ve seen peach and other pastel shades high on the list of colours to include in designs too.
We can’t wait to get colourful with some of our clients products.
Shower & Baths
Whilst baths are still obviously hugely popular in most bathrooms, it’s no surprise to us to hear it is actually showers that lead the way when it comes to must-haves in a bathroom. More people are forsaking the space that a bath would usually take up in favour of a larger shower area. Walk-in showers and wet rooms are increasingly seen in new builds and conversion projects. In smaller bathrooms it may be the answer you need to squeezing the most out of your space. The advice is to go for as big a shower area as you can manage and don’t worry if there’s no room for an enclosure. Walk-in showers are bang on trend.
That’s not to say we’re waving good bye to the bath altogether. Freestanding baths are still en vogue but they are being considered by designers as something that can be installed in somewhere other than just the bathroom. It’s a trend that began in uber stylish hotels all over the world – with designers placing a free-standing bath in one corner of the bedroom, or maybe at the end of a bed, often to make the most of a stunning view.
The bath has most definitely become a design feature and will continue to be with many homeowners now opting to extend their homes to accommodate a separate bathroom all centred around a stunning bath.
Talking of which, do you remember all those lovely painted baths we saw at KBB earlier in the year? It seems the plain white bath now has lots of competition and many bathroom manufacturers are picking up on the trend of offering coloured baths as an alternative.
Spathroom
As we’ve already mentioned, bathrooms are becoming much more of a focal point in our homes. This may sound obvious considering most homes can’t function without one – but that’s the key. Bathroom design trends 2022 are showing it is less about just being functional and more about being somewhere we choose to spend time. More of a sanctuary from daily life let’s say.
We can now create a mood in our bathroom with lighting and decor that makes us want to stay there for hours. From playing music through speakers in the ceiling and introducing smell through essential oils, to including plants to enhance mood and adding elements such as massage jets in your bathtub.
The ‘spathroom’ as it’s being called, is exactly as it sounds – a spa in your own bathroom. Specialist baths – that include powered jets that pump either water or air throughout the bathtub to offer a massage effect – are increasingly popular. These tubs provide a number of health benefits including reducing stress, assisting with pain management and reducing blood pressure.
If you are looking to introduce a spa type feel to your bathroom remember to keep the decor as clutter free as possible. This isn’t the place for the colourful baths and funky shower walls. Here, you need to think minimal design. In fact, it works well with another trend we talk about, Japandi (see further on for more on this).
Choose high end finishes – gold coloured hardware, natural stone walls, dark wood – as these will all add to that opulent feel you should get from a spathroom.
Shower walls
If you’re a regular follower of our blog you will have heard us talk about the Shower wall already this year. It was one of the products that stood out for us at KBB in Birmingham back in March. The options in designs, styles, size and finish means you can literally make it work in almost any type of setting. We particularly liked those that offered the options of a bespoke design. Great for including subtle branding maybe, or if you have a colour palette your product works well with.
A shower wall is ideal for surrounding a shower obviously, but they can can also be used behind baths or maybe even to create a feature wall in your bathroom elsewhere. We can see this being a popular option in residential settings as it means you don’t have to remove tiles that are already there. In commercial spaces we can see them being really effective for creating visual interest and adding something quite impactful and interesting to a space.
Walls & Floors
Natural stone is gaining momentum once again as a finish for walls and floors – but we don’t just mean marble. There are now many other decorative stone options giving consumers a huge choice of colour, size of tile or slab and design. Options include granite, basalt, slate, quartzite, limestone and although not strictly natural stone, terazzo.
Out of all them, we think terrazzo – a material that is made up of stones like glass, granite, marble and quartz – is the one to watch. The finish can be as busy or subtle as you wish and the colour options are huge. Don’t be surprised if you see it top to toe in some of the hotels you visit over the next year.
Onyx and Jade effect tiles are also being seen more and more – these semi-precious stones are being replicated to create some truly stunning stone-style tiles. The pattern and colour choice can be dramatic or subtle and this type of finish works well in commercial as well as residential spaces.
Of course, marble is still up there as the go-to to create a high end finish and the colours and variety of veining is as numerous as the number of Italian suppliers! Suffice to say it will continue to be a popular choice for many, especially as the pink, blue and green hues are being showcased more and more.
Japandi
If you haven’t heard of this trend, then where have you been? Think the rustic minimalism of Japan and neutral colours of super cool Scandinavian and you’ve pretty much got it. We’ve noticed it’s popularity in bedrooms especially – after all, it’s relaxed, zen-like vibe is perfect for this space. However, it’s moving in to our bathrooms too with neutral, tonal colour palettes and simplistic decor. Punctuate the neutral colours with black fixtures and a touch of warm wood and you’ll have the perfect look.
This is ideal in a boutique hotel style space we feel as it screams (well quietly hums actually) elegance and comfort. Look out for spathrooms created with this theme.
Taps on trend
The humble bathroom tap is beginning to stand out a little more and should now be as much a consideration as any other part of the bathroom. No longer just the way to access the water, your bathroom hardware can be as much about making a design statement as your tiles. From curvy, swan-like designs in gold finishes to striking black taps that stand out, the choice is endless.
How about hands free? With the fall out from the pandemic still with us, it seems taps operated by automatic sensors will be big in the coming year. This is particularly evident in commercial settings. As well as giving people the reassuring option of not having to touch a tap, thus reducing the spread of germs, hand-free also has added benefits of reducing the amount of water that’s used (no forgetting to turn the tap off) and regulating pressure.
Wall mounted taps are popular in 2022 too and they can work in most settings. Ideal for freeing up space on the vanity top they really suit the free standing, top mounted style of basin. With these being a designer go-to, it’s obvious we’ll be showcasing this type of tap in our designs soon.
Tile trends
Tile trends – Bathroom design trends
We can’t talk about bathroom trends without looking at what tiles are being hung – we have two words for you. Kit Kat. Also called finger mosaics, these finger like tiles (yep, they look just like those lovely fingers of chocolate) are blowing us away right now with the ways in which they are bringing designs to life. Simple in their shape – a thin rectangle – and perhaps due to their geometric design, they work beautifully in smaller bathrooms as they are not too overpowering.
It’s no surprise to learn they have their roots in Japanese architecture (see Japandi above), they can add subtle interest to a room. If grouted in a dark colour they can really stand out and can be hung vertically or horizontally. Having been dubbed as ‘the next best thing in mosaic patterns’ these are our top tip for what to choose if updating a bathroom quickly.
Traditional values and bathroom design trends
Our final word goes to the move towards – or should we say back – to tradition. The industry are putting it down to TV dramas such as Bridgerton and the growing trend for using traditional trades, artisans and suppliers. Imagine highly patterned and colourful wallpaper, hand printed by a local artist or accessories featuring feathers and frills – this is maximalism at its best. Even in a small bathroom you can see this work well with walls adorned with beautiful designs and well built cabinetry. Look out for the odd up-cycled item too.
Of course, there are other trends we won’t go in to more detail about for fear of repeating ourselves (we are always ahead of the pack) but biophilic elements (see our blog here) and sustainability are still high on the list of design considerations for most people too.
We look forward to seeing these new bathroom design trends 2022 coming through in our work over the coming months.