Eleven stunning new bathroom trends to inspire you

Sunday night’s The Block episode tapped on what most of us already know, the humble bathroom is a thing of the past. Check out the top 11 trends for one of the most important rooms in the house.

Pattern Tiles

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The bathroom floor is now stealing the limelight. “People are being a bit more adventurous than the standard white or charcoal tile,” says Carlene Duffy of Cedar & Suede, and a former contestant on The Block and Reno Rumble. This trend is so versatile. You can incorporate anything from a black-and-white colour scheme to a Turkish bath and everything in between.

Natural Beauty

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Drawing inspiration from nature, wooden furnishings are giving bathrooms some much needed warmth. Incorporate this look with hardwood floors, wooden vanities and timber looking tiles. It’s important to mix in some earthy materials so you don’t overwhelm the space.

Source: Pinterest

Frameless Showers

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Goodbye shower curtains! Beautiful frameless showers may have once signalled ‘high end’, but are becoming far more commonplace. These sleek wonders can fit into any design scheme and will stand the test of time. Even if you don’t have a separate shower, a single pane of glass is a more functional, cleaner option than the clutter of a sliding door or shower curtain.

Arty Bathrooms

Source: Grafico

Boring bathrooms are a thing of the past with this quirky new design trend. Stirring controversy on The Block with an unbelievable price tag, this vibrant design (above) is certainly turning heads.

Freestanding tub

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There is something so magical about a freestanding tub. It is more than an aesthetic; it’s a thing of luxury, even romance. Finding the right shape tub is important for what is usually a small space. A soft curved tub can bring softness to an angular room, where as a more boxy or sleek tub can complement pastels or a bathroom with striking features.

Bespoke Vanities

Source: Royal Roulotte 

Vanities are looking more like living room furniture than traditional sinks these days. “Timber front vanities are still popular and help create warmth in a bathroom,” says Duffy, adding “wall-hung vanities are a more modern choice than a floor standing alternative and they create the illusion of space.”

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Contemporary vanities are growing in popularity, as they are completely customisable for each individual space, and family. Storage and functionality are not being compromised for the sake of design.

Fantastic Fittings

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The humble tap is a thing of the past. People are being much more creative with their fittings. We’re seeing gold, rose gold, brass and copper making waves. Even black taps and shower heads are making marble bench tops and white bathroom features pop. “Dark colours are often a better choice for the bathroom as they don’t show dirt as easily and can make the room feel more cocooning if it’s a small space,” says interior stylist Emma Blomfield.

Marble

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Our love affair with marble is not over yet. “Marble bench tops and tiles are particularly on point,” says Duffy. This trend has remained popular for many reasons; marble is a polished and simple design, easy to clean and, according to Blomfield, is a better choice, as it outlasts other options on the market. “Opt for stone, composite or tile benchtops to get the best out of your benchtops,” she advises.

Smart Lighting

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​Lighting is usually the last item on your list when renovating a room, especially a bathroom that has big ticket items like a bath, a shower and that swan neck tap you’ve had your eye on. Investing in good lighting in the bathroom is being over looked less and less. Lighting in this room has come a long way as home renovators incorporate vanity lights, task lighting for when you’re applying makeup or shaving, ambient lighting and dimmer settings (to help you float off in that free standing tub,of course!) all at the same time. “Your bathroom is a great opportunity to introduce some statement lighting and make that the feature of the space because let’s face it, the bathroom is not the prettiest room in the house,” says Blomfield.

Grout is Great

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Making tiles pop and hiding imperfections, grout is no longer just a practical, boring element of bathroom design. It works well with non-standard tile shapes like hexagons and quieter colour palettes, like this bathroom above.

Bathrooms that look like living rooms

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For all the trends discussed above, some people are opting for bathrooms that look like the rest of the house. Pulling this look off means emphasising art, décor and even adding furniture instead of making statements out of the fittings. Perhaps not the most practical of design trends, but it is a luxurious, and very adult approach to bathing.