It’s that time of year again when design websites make grand proclamations about what they suspect will be “in” (and occasionally they also write about what’s “out”). It’s all very Project Runway, but the truth is, as much as I cringe at the idea of trends for the fleeting connotations they have particularly in this new TikTok era, the truth is I love picking up on similar threads in beautiful rooms. An exciting and unexpected detail that gets me excited and then OH! there it is again! Seeing a decorating concept, particularly one with as much permanence as a tile, vanity, or shower installation, gives us that little boost of confidence that it is in fact a good idea. Validation + $$$ spent = comfort.
Last week, my friend and colleague Jess tackled 2024 kitchen trends, and today, I’m delving into bathrooms. Some of the trends I spotted are less hardwired to the room (I’m looking at you, sink skirts) while others are transformative (mosaic floors, for one). All in all, it’s safe to say that traditional aesthetics including cottage chic and anything English- or old-world-inspired are still going quite strong and will continue to lean into bold colors, layered patterns, and daring moves that lean less all-white spa ambiance and more cozy, comfortable, and distinctive. And I have to say…I’m into it.
Pedestal Sink Skirts
This was the first trend I knew I’d include in my roundup because it’s everywhere right now. We’ve all watched Emily try to figure out where to put fabric skirts in the last year and she’s not the only one. I love this trend because it’s so easy to change up and walk away from if you change your mind. It’s just fabric attached to a sink basin. It’s not often a bathroom trend is so affordable or reversible.
Some people use it just for aesthetics, but it’s also a great solution to add a little hidden storage around a pedestal sink that typically has zero (I know this from experience). This buffalo check version is by Ciara Kenaston. You can’t see it in this photo but this room actually has two pedestal sinks with the same skirt, and looks very cute, in case you had a similar situation in your home.
If you haven’t been following design editor-turned-designer Jourdan Fairchild’s renovation of her North Carolina home, you still have time to quickly rectify that. Her most recent reveal was her daughters’ bathroom which had a cute vintage vibe to begin with. She went all in and I think it’s just darling. I’d be afraid of doing something like this so close to a toilet in a little boy’s bathroom (ahem, we can all imagine why) but also it’s fabric, is removable and easy to wash.
Deep Burgundy Color Palettes
I’ve been tracking deep berry shades of red for the last year (remember my obsession with mulberry?) and it’s undeniable that its favorite room is the bathroom. I find it works best in a smaller space since it packs a punch and it plays nice with so many other finishes including deep wood tones, dramatic marbling and vibrant brass.
I love the zellige tile in varying shades of burgundy in this bathroom by Anna Knight Interiors so much. It draws the eye, is unexpected but is the kind of color that makes you wonder why you never thought of it for your own space. Cool colors like blues and greens have held their tight grip on design in the last decade-plus, but warm tones are certifiably back and I believe will be around for quite a while.
Tile isn’t the only way rich oxbloods and burgundies are making their way into our bathing spaces. Vanities in the warm color, like the one here designed by Anne McDonald Design, are a wildly beautiful way to add gravitas and even a sense of history to an older home. I haven’t seen the hue used much in modern applications but I’m sure it would work as long as it’s paired with the right materials and colors. I’d err on the side of depth there like deep wood tones, darker stones, etc.
While not necessarily super modern, Elisha Kelly of Our Aesthetic Abode pulls off the color in her DIY bathroom that definitely reads more contemporary than Anne McDonald’s room. But the same elements are there: brass fixtures and hardware, dark oak mirrors, black hex floors, and then a bit of white (or light cream) to lessen the visual load.
Rich Wood Vanities
Painted, white and blonde wood vanities have had a long runway of being the most popular kids in bathroom design school, but more and more designers are opting for rich, dark wood tones instead. I think it’s an extension of all the highly traditional living spaces and architecture that we’ve seen over the last few years, not to mention everyone’s affinity for moody spaces. This wood finish sings in a bathroom that gets soft beautiful light because the sunlight catches all the subtle variations and the golden hues in the wood grain.
There are few things Jessica Helgerson Interior Design can do wrong in my opinion. If you told me to imagine a bathroom with wall-to-wall dark wood paneling, dark wood trim on the ceiling, and a dark wood vanity, I’d first ask you when the demo team was arriving, but LOOK AT THIS BEAUTY. The Portland-based firm pulled this off effortlessly.
Retrofitting an antique or vintage credenza, sideboard or dresser into a bathroom vanity is nothing new, but it works especially well for this design movement as many of these pieces are finished in a dark stain. I especially love the shape of the marble backsplash here that Hearth Homes Interiors chose with the wall-mount faucet. Something like this would be perfect in a powder bath where you want to make a statement but maybe don’t want to go all-in on a dramatic all-room tile or even wallpaper. It’s sweet and memorable.
Dark wood vanities work particularly well with jewel tones, like the emerald green wall tile and sapphire blue floors in a space by Corey Lohmann Design. The dark ebony-like grain is so unique and adds a lot of movement to the fairly linear room (besides the rounded shower cut out, of course). That level of richness is hard to find in anything but a vanity material like this.
Mosaic Floors
Floors are the new status symbol in design. That’s right…I said it! And mosaic floors are back in a big way. A lot of what I’m seeing is very vintage-inspired (lots of small black and white penny tiles or hexes) but I’ve also encountered some more daring designs like the room below by Studio Laloc. Let’s take a look.
I’m smitten with the playful floral surprise at floor level here. Everything else has a lot of restraint and elegance and then bam! A mosaic stone floor with wonky white flowers. While I wouldn’t hate to see what it would look and feel like in a bolder color, I think it works especially well because it keeps with the neutral palette. That’s always a safer way to stretch your legs a little, step outside the box and try something new without things getting too wild.
Here are two bathrooms in the same house by Meet West. The floors are cousins, not twins and simply made from different colored small hex tiles. I wanted to show this to anyone considering a mosaic floor but they have multiple bathrooms to renovate and aren’t sure if you go with the same floor in both spaces, do something totally different or—like here—match the vibes but give each a unique design and colorway.
Plaster Walls (A.K.A. Tadelakt)
A lot of times, people think trends have to be something new, but really, it’s just something that’s repeated time and again in homes. One of the biggest trends across all rooms in home design is a plaster-like finish to walls (through Roman clay or even lime wash paint to give it the look of plaster). In the bathroom specifically, a type of plaster called tadelakt is used which is waterproof and I wrote about its emergence back in 2019 (check that out here). People like this treatment, I think, because it adds character without being overly ornate or heavy-handed like molding/trim work or wallpaper can be.
<