At EHD, trend predictions are the closest thing we have to a fantasy football draft (am I stretching here?? Maybe). The point is, we ultimately don’t know what trends are going to stick, just like my husband doesn’t know how many points a certain quarterback is going to score (if that is even how fantasy football works??). But all of that is to say that we find it fun and illuminating to put on our research hats and make educated guesses on what’s going to really take off in the design world this year. And at times we are completely right which is *chef’s kiss*. So, won’t you join me in reviewing some of the trends we are seeing and LOVING right now? Quick aside: I am very happy to be writing the bathroom trends predictions this year because I am finally getting serious about giving my rental bathroom a proper makeover. I promise this time. So, while some of the following trends are a little out of my budget/scope, I am feeling VERY inspired by all the innovative bathroom designs and decor choices that are happening right now. And I hope in turn you will feel inspired too. Shall we begin?
Frameless Mirrors
I am delighted, nay, ecstatic about this trend. Frameless mirrors?? You mean mirrors that look a lot like the mirror over my medicine cabinet?? I must be dreaming. But no, it’s actually true because this is a trend I am seeing everywhere, and it’s being done by the most prolific designers, in some stunning bathrooms. Take Sarah Sherman Samuel‘s bathroom above for example. The simplicity of the two mirrors does not take away from the beautiful elements going on here like the marble wall (!!) and gorgeous stone vanity. If anything, they help highlight the eye-catching features even more by being so understated. I LOVE this.
In this minimal bathroom by Arent&Pyke, two frameless mirrors are mounted over the double vanity which creates a very effortless vibe. I love that they lean into the minimalist retro vibe that is happening here, and again create an understated look that is really lovely.
This trend even works in bold bathrooms like the one above by Crystal Sinclair. Since this type of mirror is sleek and minimal, it feels modern and highlights the other modern elements happening in the design.
This bathroom is proof that we renters can rejoice in this trend. I have a medicine cabinet just like this one, and it’s giving me hope that with a little wallpaper or paint, some new hardware, and some courage, my bathroom can look 100x better.
Shower Windows
Shower windows can make a bathroom look bigger, brighter, and more open. Having a large enclosed shower room is a ~luxury~ for sure, and who would want to completely conceal that luxury for no one to see? In this bathroom by Heidi Caillier Design, a glass shower door is accompanied by a glass window so you can easily peer inside the shower and see the gorgeous tile and brass finishes.
In this bathroom designed by Amber Interiors, the shower room is sectioned off with a low tiled wall and finished with a glass door and windows. I love that there is a top window that opens for ventilation. It’s functional and adds a utilitarian element that looks awesome.
This walk-in shower offers a bit of privacy but still has the open-concept effect because of the window and lack of a shower door. This trend is perfect for anyone who wants their bathroom shower to have a very open, airy feel but would be best applied to primary bathrooms rather than shared guest bathrooms for privacy reasons.
Fluted Tile
I caught on to this one a little later than usual, but once I noticed it was becoming a thing, it started popping up everywhere. We have seen fluted furniture, headboards, and even fluted lighting, but this fluted tile trend is new and very exciting. I love how Noa Santos used a fluted stone to create this natural, organic-looking bathroom vanity. The whole stone slabs also help break up the fluted texture so it’s not too visually overwhelming.
Fluted tile is a great choice if you are thinking about a monotone bathroom. The fluted shape adds texture and movement so there is no shortage of visual interest. The fluted tile wall in this bathroom by Sandra Flashman Studio creates a modern element that is really fun to see.
Wide Grout Lines
Here’s a sentence I never thought I would say: Grout is so underrated. It’s like, everyone wants to hide grout or is ashamed of it (and I know it’s hard to clean, trust me!) but embracing the added texture it brings can look very cool. I think that is why we are seeing a major upswing in wide grout lines as of late. Like in this bathroom designed by ASOM home, the horizontal grout lines are noticeably thicker which makes the simple, rectangular tile so much more enticing to look at.
Do you see the difference between the tub and wall tile-to-grout ratio vs. the floor tile-to-grout ratio? With wider grout lines the tile shape itself actually becomes more prominent. I love that there are different tile shapes and two different grout widths in this bathroom designed by Fiona Duke Interiors. It gives the room such a dynamic look and draws your eye in.
In this serene bathroom designed by Matt James, square tile covers the entire bathroom, so the thicker grout lines are a must. The grout creates a noticeable break between the tiles, so you can really appreciate the texture, pattern, and color the tile brings to the space.
Circular Rooms And Nooks
I still see photos of Emma Chamberlain’s home tour and my jaw hits the floor. Her outdoor bathroom suite (above) is the perfect example of the fresh/innovative design choices that were made. The whole home tour feels very new and “Gen Z” in a great way! But back to the bathroom. What struck me most (besides the natural stone floors and wood paneling that creates a very outdoorsy vibe) is the circular shower nook. Anytime a room has walls that are not 90-degree angles, it’s going to be very pleasing to the eye. This bathroom is also a great example of creating a spa-like experience at home, and the circular shower just emphasizes that intention.
Even a smaller circular wall cut out like this one by Maddux Creative can make a huge impact and is visually so stimulating. Cutting into the wall like this may cost a little extra, but the result is so stunning (and creates a lovely spot for a bathroom vanity). This trend might just give the notorious arch a run for its money!
T-Shaped Vanities
We are back to this bathroom by Sarah Sherman Samuel but can you blame me? That vanity needs its own moment. I mean, how exciting is that shape?? What I love most about this choice in this particular bathroom is that it was not a necessity. They could have chosen any size/shape for a vanity so the T-shape is really compelling.
A T-shaped vanity can be small but mighty, too. Here, Noa Santos implemented the T-shaped vanity on a smaller scale, but the result is just as captivating. I love that the base is wood and the sink basin is stone, which creates a nice nuance of color and texture. The T-shape also takes up less physical and visual space, making the bathroom feel more open.
Double Niches
Why have one shower niche when you can have two? In the shower above by Heidi Caillier, the tile is broken up by two niches stacked on top of each other. Practically speaking, having a small niche above the larger one adds a place to put smaller products and ultimately provides more in-shower storage, and prevents clutter. (Have you ever experienced trying to grab a shampoo bottle from a niche that is just overflowing with product bottles? Me too–and it’s not fun). From a design standpoint, the stack simply looks aesthetically pleasing and intentional.
Aside from the stack, you can also implement the two shower niche trend on opposite walls, as Monica Fried did in the above bathroom. In this all-marble shower, the niches provide a necessary break for your eye, and again more in-shower storage. Coming from someone who is niche-less in her own bathroom, I am coveting this trend HARD.
Stained Glass
You probably wouldn’t have guessed from looking at the above photo, but the stained glass window was actually added after the renovation of this 1949 ranch-style bathroom. It instantly added charm to this awesome arched bathtub nook and compliments the nuanced blue/green colors of the zellige tile–proving that stained glass doesn’t need to be original to look intentional. The combination of the stained glass window, zellige tile, and Spanish-style flooring creates an old-world character that was completely missing before the renovation (seriously, you must check out the before!).
In this modern traditional bathroom, I love Libby Rawes‘ decision to keep the original stained glass window in her 1920s home. It preserves the character and charm, while the rest of the design choices lean more minimal and modern. Stained glass has been around for thousands of years so it inherently provides an antique look that is hard to beat.
And that’s all she wrote, folks. Which of these trends is your favorite? Are there any other trends you’ve been noticing that deserve a shout-out? Sound off in the comments. xx
Opener Image Credit: Design by ASOM Home | Photo by Corey Gibbons
Lovely choices! It’s interesting to see the huge swing towards natural stone over the past year or two – walls, floors, sinks, even units; marble, limestone (maybe? That sink?), concrete, crazy paving, pale or painted brick. Not a subway tile in sight! I wonder how they made that beautiful T-shaped sink unit, whether it’s concrete or something else, and how they managed to get drawers in it? Nice to see brass hardware still going strong, and wood tones. I’ll be giving wide grout a miss though – too much cleaning needed!
Tour of the new build Mulberry Modern home by Sarah Sherman Samuel here: https://sssedit.com/mulberry-modern-tour/. Not much info on the T-shaped sink unit though: the custom concrete vanity/integrated sink.
I wonder how much an entire wall of stone costs and how it gets installed? I mean it can’t be cheap or easy, that’s for sure.
Sometimes it’s stone looking porcelain slab, which can be relatively affordable. It’s a formal, high end look for sure!
Great trend roundup! Re: thick grout lines, I wonder if part of the trend is driven by the use of large-scale tile? In our bathroom, I picked out this amazing porcelain slab tile for the shower that looks like marble. It is 24×48, so the manufacturer guidelines were for thicker grout lines because of the weight of the tiles. I was concerned about it at first, but now that it is installed, I love it! It gave me the look of a solid slab shower, but the horizontal grout lines give it some visual interest. Plus, there are hardly any grout lines, so much easier to keep clean! Back to the article, I like how many of these trends could be applied to a variety of styles, at a variety of price points.
Wide grout lines read “fast food restaurant floor” or “gas station bathroom” for me and I just can’t get behind it. Also both of those spaces tend to have very dirty grout. My parents have wide grout in their kitchen floor and it always looks dirty.
The rest of the trends are interesting to look at and see where things are heading
I was thinking public school bathroom. That was the only trend on here where I really paused and couldn’t get on board with.
I moved into a house 8 years ago with wide grout lines between large square tiles on the kitchen floor. My first thought (said like a princess, waving my hand daintily in the air): “Well, THIS must go!” The expense of actually changing the floor has kept those tiles in place. I like to think that the dark gray grout (that used to be light : / ) between the tiles reads as intentional, vs years of apathy and neglect. Even my MIL’s never said anything! It does make me think I’ll choose dark gray grout, no matter what other options there are, forever more, if we do ever get to choose new tile.
Today’s grout is more stain resistant. It will still get dirty in some areas, but not all. It could get dirty near a faucet or tub, but most of the white grout e have doesn’t need much maintenance or cleaning. We did apply sealer after the install so maybe that helps. I also thing that wide grout lines have to be intentional and not in areas that it will get very dirty. Some applications remind me of having plaster between tile and it looks very pretty, more like a decorative wall than a water resistant walls of a pool. Large space allows more air flow too, and ventilation takes away excessive humidity quickly. Gas stations and schools serve lots and lots of people every day, so those spaces will get dirty no matter what materials or methods.
I used frosted vinyl to mimic a traditional diamond window pattern (cutting it out to mimic the shapes I wanted, leaving space where the stained glass leading would be). I did a similar thing, but in a different pattern on the large window in our front door. We live in a Victorian, so it ties in, but it looks like an updated version of the traditional Victorian windows. And gives privacy!
That sounds very cool. Would love to see a photo and hear more about where you got the vinyl. I have a new mostly glass front door that I need to add some privacy to.
Can I ask what you did with the space where the black leading would be? We have diamond shaped glass with leading on the attic window and a narrow window in the front ground level of the house, but where we should have put the same thing by the front door the manufacturing time was too long and expensive to put it in. I’d love to create something so it looks symmetrical (and also so you can’t stand outside by the front door and look straight down the hallway of the whole house. Thank you!
They make adhesive-backed faux lead lines. Maybe that would work? You can see them in use here: https://www.salvagesisterandmister.com/how-to-create-faux-leaded-glass-windows/
I attached some photos. I did this 12 years ago, so I don’t remember where I got the vinyl from, but I think it might not be too hard to find something similar. (I just started with a big sheet of vinyl cling. It’s held up perfectly. People tend to think we’ve installed etched glass.) As you can see, I left clear glass where you might expect the lead lines to be. I think of it as giving the impression of a vintage window, while clearly not being a vintage window. Our front door has the same issue as yours, in that you can see clear through the house if you look through the front door window. The current set-up allows us to still be able to look out through the window to see who’s outside, but it means that strangers can’t get a very good look into much of the house.
Here’s the bathroom window.
Here
This one’s even better! Kudos.
Thank you so much! I appreciate the pictures and the information. I love that bathroom window you’ve created!
Fabulous work!
I love the look of fluting but it seems like it’d collect dust like crazy and be hard to clean. Love the T-shaped vanity!
Yes it would accumulate dust in a small home, but dust is old skin, and perhaps particles from coming the outside. Some of those bathrooms are in large residences so they are not subjected to the same number of people as bathrooms in bigger homes. I don’t think they’d get as dirty with weekly cleaning service etc. No it’s not for me, but it doesn’t surprise me that some people have those
I think anyone who installs fluted tile in a bathroom is a person who has never cleaned bathroom tile…
Frameless mirrors. Hmmm. What’s old is new again! Man, the less grout, the better, in my opinion! I hate cleaning grout!
Every 70s/80s house I lived in the frameless mirrors eventually got moisture in them and they rusted. hopefully mirror technology has improved!
We bought an apartment in Portugal and we have a shower window! It’s our favorite thing. It’s in the back of the building and it’s weirdly my favorite view from the entire apartment. Is it weird that I stand in my shower with the window open, sipping coffee while watching seagulls?
No, it’s not weird, it’s a fantasy!
I can find lots of pretty things in those inspirations, but I have to say that most of those bathrooms don’t offer much harmony. Small mirrors don’t match the scale of large bathrooms. T shaped vanities are not harmonious or balanced. And there’s not enough space to stand in front of the sink without a toe kick. I see a lot of trends, but sadly a lot of those bathrooms will be remodeled again in 10-20 years. Someone will day they are outdated, dark, not comfortable to use.
I agree. Hence the word “trend” tends to mean passing phase these days.
I have that Scalamandre wallpaper in gold in my bathroom (for which I am shortly getting a new vanity- because the old one cracked straight through oy – and frameless mirror medicine cabinet)!
I was surprised to see the laudatory comments about the Sarah Sherman Samuel T-vanity. Look at this photo again. Imagine that you are at the vanity trying to wash your face. Your feet won’t fit under the side of the T where the wash basin begins–no toe kick, as another commenter noted. It may look impressive, but would be endlessly frustrating in use. Also, if you tried to pull up a vanity stool under a side opening, it would not align with the mirror.
You’ll have to pry my oblong black framed Ikea mirrors from my cold dead hands. Frameless mirrors and white grout? Not my favorite. But I’m liking natural stone floors in bathrooms lately.
FYI the large horizontal grout line mixed with the small vertical ones was ALSO started by Sarah Sherman Samuels. She came up with it and it caught on quickly- I can see why!
She’s amazing.
Def not the OG of that ‘trend’.
Then who is?
I just renovated the small bathroom my teenage daughters share and the double shower niche I added is the best! They each have their own for all their stuff.
I’m still salty about how Noa Santos screwed over Ilana Wiles from MommyShorts (and many others!!) with Home Polish. Google it if you haven’t read the story!!
Wow, I had no idea about that. It was a riveting read – but how devastating for her.
Stained glass is colored – like the ugly version below. It completely clashes with that soothing tile. Clear leaded glass is not “stained” but it is beautiful. I don’t see it being a current trend, though.
Love this! So informative. I was wondering how one could find those long slim frameless mirrors? Any ideas??
I put in a double niche and stone floors in my latest master bath last year, woohoo, I’m ahead of the curve.
Huh. I hate everything about that Sarah Sherman Samuel bathroom. Well, the little wood stool is nice.