Discover the top bathroom design trends from 2015 to 2019 and how they had a significant impact on the way modern bathrooms are designed.

By Donna Heiderstadt

As NKBA commemorates its 60th anniversary in 2023, we look back at significant kitchen and bath trends over the seven decades since our founding. In this edition, we examine the most prominent bathroom designs from 2019-2015 as we work backward a half-decade until we highlight the top kitchen and bath trends of the early 1960s.

1. Transitional Meets Neutral

What were the buzzwords being thrown around in 2019-2015 for bath design? Words like “transitional,” “contemporary,” and “neutral” were used heavily by homeowners seeking to update their bath spaces for enhanced resale value or aging-in-place considerations. The use of sleek materials, luxury-hotel-inspired finishes and emerging technologies moved bathroom design to the forefront of home improvement during this period.

2. Gray Doesn’t Go Away

Contemporary + neutral = gray. That formula became the standard as gray’s popularity jumped nine percent from 2014 to 2015, making it a favorite alongside white and off-white. According to respondents to NKBA’s 2016 Kitchen & Bath Trends survey, 70 percent of designers said they had recently specified bathrooms incorporating gray. As this gray wave continued to dominate through the end of the decade, it eventually lost ground to more organic finishes and the biophilic movement’s more nature-inspired elements. Pops of color, particularly shades of blue, also became more popular.

3. Polished Chrome Shines

In the latter half of the decade, bathrooms were defined by shine. According to a 2016 survey by NKBA, 80 percent of members surveyed reported recently using polished chrome fixtures in their bathroom designs. When paired with the clean lines of glossy white subway tile or large-format porcelain tiles on walls and stone-look ceramic tile flooring, the resulting designs created subtle tone-on-tone contrasts that felt sleek, modern and spacious.

4. Freestanding Tubs Make a Primary Statement

Designers have noted that when it came to primary bath renovations, homeowners often showed a preference for a freestanding tub, in addition to a shower, when space permitted. However, an equal number of renovators opted to remove tubs and whirlpools altogether in favor of larger showers with aging-in-place amenities, such as no-threshold entry and shower seats or benches.

5. Luxury Touches Create a Spa-Like Ambience

The bath designs of the late 2010s era were also enhanced by several trends that added a touch of elegance and sophistication, such as floating vanities, electric radiant heat flooring, artisanal lighting and mirrors and hidden electrical outlets in drawers and shelving. The last half of the decade witnessed a shift towards creating a spa-like ambiance in the bath, allowing homeowners to indulge in a luxurious experience that was also rooted in wellness.