The bathroom is one of my favourite rooms to design, and each year it just gets better as once hard to source tiles have become easier to find, and the rise in technology continues to make our bathroom experiences better, by the year.
But, there really is a continuation and celebration for colour in 2026. Once white or grey washed bathrooms have firmly been left in the dust of the 2020’s and there is a much better use of space in bathrooms, prioritising both aesthetics and function. Which really is absolutely key to getting a bathroom design to hit that desired sweet spot.
What’s resounding is the human need for that inherent link to nature, and this is obvious in the earthier warmer colour palettes, and organic artisanal tiles that are making headway in the trends.
These are the 2026 bathroom trends that are going to be huge in the coming year, and the perfect place to start if you’re about to start planning a new bathroom redesign.
2026 Bathroom Trends Worth Getting To Know, As Told By The Experts
Whilst trends come and go, I see a lot of these design staples as timeless ideas that can be adapted to your own bathroom for longevity.
I’ve enlisted the expert guidance from a handful of leading interior designers and those in the bathroom industry to get the lowdown on the hottest trends that are up and coming in 2026.
You’ll also find my own insights on the trends, and some top tips on achieving the look in your own bathroom.
1. Warmer, Earthier Colour Palettes
It’s no surprise that bathrooms are welcoming earthier colour palettes. Earthy interior design has become a resounding interior trend throughout the home. Not only is it one that’s easy to replicate, but because of the colours strong link to nature, they feel good to be around.
Jenny Marrs, National Designer at Re-Bath and co-host of HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous” shared, “Bathrooms are moving away from grays and stark whites, toward warmer, more nature-inspired palettes”.
“Cozy neutrals like creamy ivory and soft beige, are becoming staples, while earthy tones—terracotta, clay, and warm browns—create a grounded, serene atmosphere. Sherwin-Williams even named Universal Khaki, a warm mid-tone tan, as its 2026 Color of the Year, highlighting the shift toward comforting hues. For homeowners drawn to deeper tones, rich shades like navy and forest green are on trend”.
This colour palette can be adopted with wall paint and tiles, working in earthy materials where possible. This includes materials such as stone, zellige tiles, ceramics, rattan, wicker and glass.
My top tip: when you think of colours to use in your bathroom, look outside to nature for inspiration. Any colour that you can draw from nature works, and the best bit? They tend to all work in harmony together. Obvious shades include green, terracotta, red, brown and cream. Terracotta is always such an easy shade to incorporate as floor tiles as it instantly grounds a bathroom scheme, take inspiration from the below!
2. Getting Creative With Tile Play, Continues
We’re not seeking permission for how we layout tiles anymore, and we certainly don’t have to stack a bunch of brick tiles horizontally like we’ve been doing for the last decade.
Interesting tile play is what will allow you to create a totally unique bathroom space, and there’s so many fun ways to do it. Many types of tiles come in a collection which means there are endless possibilities of combinations, be it pairing different colours of the same tile to create a striped backdrop, or even by using a different tile to create a border around the perimeter of the bathroom, as shown below.
“Bathrooms are becoming more expressive and personalized. From bold tile layouts to statement fixtures, the focus is on creating rooms with character rather than cookie-cutter designs. Bold layouts—vertical subway stacks, herringbone, and mixed-shape mosaics—create rhythm and movement, making tile not just a surface treatment but a defining design feature”, added Jenny.
Having fun with tile layout is another way to engage the eye visually no matter where you look. One type of tile throughout in a tile drenching approach can feel flat and disinteresting, whereas two-three types of tiles seems to be the magic number for a flawless design.
My top tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment, but make sure you test your design with tile samples first! Striped and checkered formations with differing colours or sizes of tiles continues to be the most popular approach, but it’s worth thinking outside of the box. Borders, unique cuts and introducing tiles from different collections with a similar or different finish are areas worth exploring for a unique look.
3. Large Tiles Are Back
It’s good news all around for home renovators and professional tilers, as large format tiles are making a comeback this year. The last few years of design has largely been dominated by very small profile tiles, fluted designs and intricate tile sheets.
Rick Berres, Owner of Honey-Doers agreed, “Large tiling is back in style for anything from showers to walls and floors. After so many years with tiny tiles and mosaics, tile installers can rejoice.
This trend is being motivated by the rise in ’tile drenching’, using large tiles to create a uniform look throughout, a similar approach to colour drenching which involves saturating a room in a singular colour. Large tiles are also an effective way of making small bathrooms look larger.
But there’s also another design bonus to using them. Jenny shared with us that they create a more spa-like, seamless feel as they come with minimal grout lines.
Large slab tiles are available in multiple finishes and can often come with a cheaper price tag than small, intricate tiles, which is never a bad thing. Large format porcelain, ceramic and marble remain popular options.
My top tip: Tile drenching with one type of tile delivers a specific look, but it’s not for everyone. Unless it’s something you personally love, stick to one type of tile for the shower enclosure/wall, and one for the flooring for added visual interest.
4. Practical Vanities Are On The Rise
One of my pet hates in a bathroom design is one without storage. Whilst pedestal sinks serve a purpose from an aesthetic point of view, where do you store your stuff?!
That’s why I am loving that we are seeing the rise in practical, yet beautifully designed vanities, such as the Parker Howley & Co X House Nine Design collaboration. Timeless, beautiful and ample storage for all your beauty goodies, and daily non-negotiables like a toothbrush, right?
Jenny agreed, “Vanities are evolving into furniture-style designs, with fluted wood detailing, floating silhouettes, and vintage-inspired cabinetry that adds warmth and character. Floating and wall-mounted fixtures overall are on the rise, giving bathrooms a more spacious, streamlined look”.
My top tip: vanities can be one of the biggest expenses in a bathroom, but there are so many cost saving approaches as well. Take a look at my own coastal bathroom makeover, using a £50 old dresser from Facebook Marketplace, restoring it and adding a bowl sink to the top for beauty on a budget. It’s still holding up one year later, and it’s proof that design doesn’t have to be unreachable.
5. Mixing Metals
There are some interesting shifts in metal hardware this year, and whilst brass will ultimately always be a timeless finish, this most reached metal of choice is being taken over by cooler finishes in 2026. Nickel is becoming particularly noteworthy as it’s not as cool as traditional chrome, it has a more elevated finish to it.
“Warm metallics like brass and gold remain popular, while mixed metals (brushed brass with matte black or polished nickel) create a layered, collected style”, said Jenny.
Mixing metals has become more welcomed throughout design in general over the last few years, it makes a scheme more interesting and avoids a bathroom feeling ‘matchy matchy’.
There are plenty of opportunities to put it to the test in a bathroom scheme including shower fixtures, taps, hooks, lighting, door handles, and even toilet flushes!
My top tip: Two is the sweet spot for mixing differing metals, but avoid anymore than three as each type of hardware will end up fighting for attention and it will make the space feel disconnected.
6. Smart Systems & AI Development In Bathrooms
“Technology is advancing, too, with smart mirrors, integrated lighting, and AI-powered toilets becoming more mainstream”, said Jenny.
If you’ve already been using ChatGPT to help come up with realistic images of your dream bathroom, well you’re already part of that AI development that is incredibly evident in bathrooms.
Smart systems and AI development continue to develop year on year, but until now some of the software for bathrooms has felt clunky, and not intentional when it comes to design.
As Jenny shared, smart mirrors are up and coming, and whilst expensive at the moment, they deliver just what you need in a bathroom with smart speaker compatibility, a backlit design, eco-friendly auto off feature and so many more smart features than you can shake a stick at.
These smart systems are here to make life easier, and well, once you’ve experienced them, it’s hard to go back to a regular setup in a bathroom.
7. Artisanal, Zellige Tiles
Zellige tiles were a trending tile choice for 2025, but let’s face it, they’re a timeless design feature that’s still going to be a predominant tile choice in 2026 and beyond.
These artisanal tiles are handcrafted in Morocco, and the unique firing and glazing process is what creates the natural variations between the tiles with tone, texture and surface imperfections. They’re the best type of perfectly imperfect tiles which feel organic in a space.
Perhaps their imperfect nature is what has made them so endearing, unlike traditional tiles, their offering engages you visually in a different way, no matter what angle you perceive them in.
There’s also plenty of tile play options with these – butting them straight up to one another to minimise grout lines, interspersing with other colours from a collection for a chequered effect, or adding a border to the base and top of the wall.
My top tip: Go for it! Zellige might be one of my favourite types of tiles because you get a bit of everything with them in situ. Ca’ Pietra, Claybrook Studio and Your Tiles are just a few of my favourite brands to source them from.
8. Curves Cost – But They’re Not Going Anywhere
There’s something about the addition of a curve in a bathroom that just instantly softens the overall look. From curved entrances to shower enclosures and curved shower niches, curves certainly cost, but everyone wants them.
They’re the cornerstone of contemporary design and they have the power of lifting any bathroom scheme. Could this be a fleeting trend though? It’s one question I’ve repeatedly seen across social media when curves are quite literally the word on the design scene right now.
When something involves structural or heavy building work, you want to make sure it’s going to be a timeless investment. It’s difficult to see how this trend will evolve, but I personally don’t think it will be one that is ‘trendy’ when used in certain places in a few years time. Curved archways, yes. Curved shower entrance enclosures, no.
But like with any trend, if it’s something you absolutely love, then go for it!
My top tip: Adding curves into your bathroom needs to be done at the very beginning of your bathroom renovation, so make sure you have this decided before you instruct a builder!
9. Layered Lighting Options – Lamps Have Made It To The Bathroom
All hail the rechargeable table lamp which finally means we can have an extensive layered lighting scheme in a bathroom that covers every elevation.
Lighting in bathrooms has always been more of a trickier task because of the various ‘safe zones’ which deem what IP rated lights you have to have. Teamed with a plug free zone, lamps have never been on the cards. Until now.
I for one, absolutely love this bathroom trend. Layered lighting is one of the most important things in a bathroom and being able to bring some added softness and ambience to a vanity side, windowsill or next to the bath feels like a new high for bathroom design, and it’s something that isn’t going to break the bank like a complete bathroom remodel.
My top tip: There are lots of affordable rechargeable table lamps on the market now, Pooky do them really well. Take a look at their adorable Mallow recharable table lamp with empire ikat shade in the bathroom below.
