Your bathroom is an important part of your home, it’s where you start your day and, planned right, it can be a great space to unwind in at the end of the evening. When planning a new bathroom, it can be difficult to know where to start, especially if you’re incorporating an on-trend feature.
To help you design the perfect space for your home, we’ve analysed popular bathroom trends through internet search data. We’ve spoken to interior design experts about these trends and how you can best incorporate them into your home.
The UK’s Most Searched for Bathroom
The UK’s most searched for bathroom illustrates a number of important trends in décor for 2019. Different trends were noted across various bathrooms sections, which culminate to create a striking and standout bathroom:
Décor:
The trends when it came to floors, walls and tiles reflected a move to more contemplative and deeper colours, away from the white and lighter shades that have dominated in recent years:
- Flooring: Grey, herringbone, patterned tiles – 22,370 average monthly searches
- Wall: Grey bathroom tiles – 8,100 average monthly searches
- Window: Small, frosted glass window – 580 average monthly searches
- Curtains: Blue and white net bathroom curtains – 1,230 average monthly searches
- Light: LED, pendant ceiling light – 23,000 average monthly searches
Sanitaryware & Brassware:
Sanitaryware again shows a progression towards the darker end of the spectrum:
- Toilet: Black, back to wall, close-coupled toilet – 14,080 average monthly searches
- Toilet seat: Square, wooden, soft close toilet seat – 18,700 average monthly searches
- Sink: Black, double sink with mixer taps – 12,100 average monthly searches
- Bath: Copper, freestanding, L-shaped, roll-top tub with mixer taps – 35,640 average monthly searches
- Shower: Electric, single shower enclosure – 57,200 average monthly searches
Bathroom Accessories & Furniture:
Bathroom accessories show traditional options are still popular, but that chrome finishes are still dominant when it comes to the small touches in bathrooms.
- Sink cabinets: Mirrored, wooden sink cabinet – 35,700 average monthly searches
- General cabinet: Tall, freestanding, white corner cabinet – 24,200 average monthly searches
- Shower Curtain: grey, extra-long shower curtain – 36,900 average monthly searches
- Bathmat: Wooden, non-slip, grey bathmat – 8,400 average monthly searches
- Toilet roll holder: Chrome, freestanding toiler roll holder – 11,000 average monthly searches
- Toilet brush: Black, ceramic toilet brush – 1,440 average monthly searches
- Towel Rail: Chrome, heated, double towel rail – 20,140 average monthly searches
You may not want to combine all these trends in your home but take a look below to see how you can add these popular features to your bathroom.
If you would like to buy the look of the most searched for bathroom, we have added some similar products or the products used to the page on here.
The Walls and Floor
Our research shows that tiles and linoleum are still the most popular options for bathroom floors and walls. Tiles are a great choice for a bathroom. They stand up to wear and tear, are easy to clean and aren’t badly affected by the moisture and humidity that is part and parcel of a working bathroom.
Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza, brand editor at House Method, says “Good-quality tile can last a lifetime. Tile is durable and easy to clean. Tile can be applied in endless styles, colours, and designs.”
When it comes to colours, a lot of people are branching away from traditional white or other light colours. Our research indicates that grey was a popular colour for both walls and floors. If you’re choosing darker colours here, Claudia Hearne, of bespoke property refurbishing company Hearne House, gives a few things to bear in mind. “There are thousands of designs, colours and sizes of tiles to suit every style and budget making them a very versatile option. Bear in mind that small tiles or tiles with a busy pattern will make a space appear smaller, whereas large tiles have the opposite effect.
“The colour of grout is important to consider alongside the choice of tiles. We have fit several bathrooms with the combination of white metro tiles and black grout - it’s a striking effect especially when matched with matte black fixtures. Remember that over time lighter coloured grout will show up grime and mildew, so requires a little more upkeep, especially around very wet areas like sinks and showers.”
The Toilet and Sink
For years, our bathrooms have been dominated by white, especially when it comes to sanitaryware. Our research, however, indicates that darker colours are on-trend this season, with black being the most searched for colour in baths and toilets.
Some interior designers are enthusiastic about the trend. René Dekker, of René Dekker Design Limited says “We love using black sinks and toilets. They perfectly marry up with dark, contemplative bathrooms where black marble or tiles have been used. White sanitaryware would just stand out and spoil the scheme.”
Other designers are more hesitant. Claudia Hearne reminds those considering these options that “if you’re in a hard water area, you might want to think twice as every trace of limescale will show up and require regular maintenance.”
The Shower and Bath
Search volume data reveals that more and more people are opting for separate bath and shower enclosures. If you’re planning a new shower, give thought to how you want it arranged. René Dekker says that a common mistake here is putting the shower controls directly under the water flow. This means you’ll get a wet arm every time you turn the shower on. Consider an alternative position in your new bathroom for that extra touch on convenience.
One reason why the separate shower enclosure is becoming more popular is due to the rise of the freestanding bath. Freestanding baths are an elegant feature and can be a classy finishing touch to your perfect bathroom. Claudia Hearne discusses the advantages of this choice. “A freestanding bath can act as the main feature of your bathroom with the rest of the fixtures and furniture built around it. Freestanding baths offer a variety of options in terms of shapes and finishes from traditional through to contemporary and provide that added feeling of luxury.
“A freestanding bath doesn’t need to be positioned against a wall which means no additional tiling, grouting or sealing is required. As long as you have the mains feed and waste available you can position your freestanding bath wherever you like.”
If you’re planning a freestanding bathtub for your space, there are a few things you should consider. René Dekker notes that “you will need to consider a few more elements during the planning stages. For instance, where will you locate the taps, how will you deal with the waste and where will you put your champagne glass? The advantage is of course that you can place the tub anywhere in the room and visually it’s a lot more exciting!”
Similarly, Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza states “If you have two people using the space in the morning, for example, tight layouts with freestanding tubs can inhibit easy flow in the bathroom.” So, make sure you plan for your space.
Storage
Getting the right storage for your space is key to keeping your bathroom tidy and elegant. Currently, major trends point towards two types of cabinet. One is the mirrored over-sink cabinet, which is a great space saver combining mirror and cupboard.
The second is the tall, freestanding cabinet. Between these two options you should have adequate storage to tuck away your toiletries and extra supplies.
Claudia Hearne says “It’s key to consider storage at the planning stage - bathrooms look much more stylish when they aren’t littered with toiletries, so it’s useful to include design features that acknowledge this. For example, a shower niche to hold shower gel and shampoo is much neater than having them on the floor or an open shelf.”
Accessories
Bathroom accessories are the finishing touch to your design - the cherry on top. At this point, don’t be tempted to skimp as this may detract from your well-thought out room plan. As Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza says “High-quality materials will be in demand in 2019. Stone that varies in veining, texture, and grain will appear in all fashions.”
Our research indicates that people are searching for high quality materials including porcelain and chrome when it comes to bathroom accessories such as toilet brushes and loo-roll holders, so consider these when finalising your design.
Top Tips
The above trends and tips are great for shaping your new bathroom, but the final design should also reflect your personality, tastes and lifestyle. To help you with this we’ve gathered some more general advice to be aware of when planning your new bathroom:
- René Dekker warns against intricate designs. He says, “don’t use delicate finishes in a wet area”, the reason being that it’s unlikely to pass the test of time. Use more solid patterns and design features to get longevity from your new bathroom.
- Claudia Hearne says it’s important to plan to the space you have. “One of the most common bathroom design mistakes we see is trying to fit too much into a small room. Ergonomics are especially relevant to consider in bathroom design - if you have a limited space to work with, think about your priorities and don’t be tempted to cram in as much as possible.”
- Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza highlights that substance over style is important. “Opt for style over quality. Even if you need to go simple for the sake of budget, do it. Bathrooms see a lot of wear and tear and have to deal with constant moisture.”
Following this advice should put you on the road to a fantastic new, on-trend bathroom that is elegant, practical and reflects you personally.
