Find out abour how hotel experiences, smart technology and influences from nature are having a substantial impact on emerging bath design trends.
By Donna Heiderstadt
As NKBA celebrates its 60th anniversary throughout 2023, we’re looking back at the kitchen and bath trends that have influenced design in the seven decades since our founding. This week, we’re sharing the bathroom design trends of the 2020s — and then we’ll work backward, decade-by-decade, until we highlight the top trends in the kitchen and bath spaces from the 1960s.
Contemporary Tastes in Bath Design
It’s impossible to pinpoint a single overriding trend in bath design in the 2020s — because today’s homeowners are seeking very different things when it comes to different bath spaces. They want spa-like serenity in their primary bath, functionality and smart technology for their family or guest bath, and a statement design for their main-floor powder rooms.
But with self-care and wellness top of mind, there is a general desire to emulate an upscale hotel experience via modern designs, incorporating more natural materials and a palette that mixes wood tones with greens, blues, whites and grays. Millennials, in particular, are embracing the concept of a more spacious primary bath featuring a large, luxurious shower and connecting a closet/dressing area — even if they have to remove walls to make it happen.
Bath as Sanctuary
The primary bath is being claimed by homeowners and designers alike as a calming space. It’s modern design features biophilic elements expressed in natural or nature-inspired finishes. When possible, the tub-shower combo is being jettisoned for a separate walk-in shower and freestanding or soaking tub — or even a wet room housing booth for an added wow factor.
Open, glass-free showers are designed with slabs or large-format porcelain tile to minimize grout lines for a easy-to-clean, streamlined look, while floating or free-standing vanities with drawers add a European flair. Matte and brushed finishes in black, nickel and brass are favored over polished options such as chrome.
Baths Keep Getting Smarter
Mobile apps are now used to control floor and shower temperature, along with motion-sensor or voice-activated lighting — and even pre-set mood lighting for different times of day. Hands-free faucets, smart toilets, bidets and bidet toilet seats are also being more widely embraced, as are vanities or medicine cabinets with electrical outlets, backlit and blue-tooth connected mirrors and integrated speakers for musical enjoyment. This technology is driven by a desire, especially among millennials, for both efficiency and sustainability.
Bringing the Outdoors In
Natural materials, such as stone and wood, and earth-inspired color palettes aren’t the only ways homeowners are seeking to bring visually soothing outdoor elements inside. Larger windows with fewer panes and overhead skylights provide both natural light and a connection with nature. Some clients are also requesting access to a spa-inspired outdoor garden shower/relaxation area from their ground-level primary bath. It’s all about creating an indulgent — and private — retreat.
Boomers and Gen Xers Aging in Place
The planning for the future is also imporant for many homeowners, especially Baby Boomers and Gen Xers at or nearing retirement age. They are seeking bathroom spaces designed with safety and accessibility features that will allow them to age in place. Top requests include practical yet aesthetically pleasing showers with zero-clearance entry, grab bars, hand-held shower heads and built-in seating. Many are eliminating tubs in favor of spacious steam showers, and choosing vanities and wall storage with touch-latch hardware for easy accessibility.