What are the latest bathroom trends?

Bathrooms are rooms that we spend lots of our time in. Many people have turned to rooms like the bathroom to make updates and adaptations to suit their lifestyle and upgrade their appliances.

Your bathroom is a practical space, and making it accessible to everyone should be your first thought. Just because you make your bathroom practical for your needs doesn’t mean it can’t also be stylish as there are simple ways you can update and change it to follow current bathroom trends.

Bathroom trends can change yearly, and there are new trends that have taken hold already.  Keep reading to find out what these popular changes are and how you could use them.

The most popular bathroom trends

• Smart technology
• Biodynamic lighting
• Spa-like features
• DIY makeovers
• Creating an accessible space
• Plaster & Limewashed Walls
• Period features

Smart technology

Introducing smart technology into homes has become a big trend in recent years, and this is set to continue in 2024/25.

Some of the smart technology that has become popular in bathrooms are:

• Interactive LED Mirrors: These mirrors have a built-in display for things like time, weather, and news updates, and you can even ask the mirror questions and control other smart devices in your home.
• Smart toilets: These come equipped with features like self-cleaning functions, automatic sensors, and heated seats. Automatic sensors on these toilets can detect when you enter or leave the bathroom and can automatically flush the toilet.
• Voice-controlled features: Voice-controlled devices are making their way into the bathroom, making them accessible to all. You can control various aspects of your bathroom, such as lighting, music, and even the toilet, with simple voice commands.

Biodynamic lighting

If you suffer from limited mobility, it is essential that the lighting in your bathroom is sufficient and that it lights up the entire room.

Something that has emerged as a bathroom trend for 2024/25 is biodynamic lighting. This is an artificial light source that replicates the variations of natural light. This means that this type of light mimics the rhythms of natural light, cycling through its spectrum of wavelengths and colours.

The Grand Designs website says that this type of lighting has been linked to health benefits: “The benefits of biodynamic lighting on your health and wellbeing run the gamut from improved mood, increased calm, sense of alertness and sense of wellbeing. Better sleep patterns are a major benefit of biodynamic lighting, especially given that The Sleep Charity report says “around four in every 10 adults experience sleep issues.”

Biodynamic lighting is also being trialled in a variety of studies on health, including Ellen van Lieshout-van Dal’s interesting research paper on the biodynamic lighting effects on the sleep pattern of people with dementia, detailing how it can help improve sufferers’ circadian rhythms when inside.

Spa-like features

Everyone enjoys a little relaxation, and visiting a spa is one of the best places to do so. Why not bring features of your favourite spa into your home? A trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years and is set to continue is adding spa-like features in your own relaxation spaces, including more luxurious accessories.

Victoria, home, garden and DIY blogger at Wood Create, explains a little more about the trend which will continue to be big this year: “The trend we’ll see most this year for bathrooms is turning our humble home bathrooms into more luxurious self-care spaces with features you’re more used to finding in a spa. 

“We’ll be creating our very own home bathroom spas as spaces to relax and rejuvenate in, rather than seeing our bathrooms as merely functional and practical spaces.  Even those on a budget can easily swap some bathroom fittings for something with more of a spa feel, mixed with some luxurious accessories; think rainforest shower heads, waterfall taps, soothing lighting, scented candles and fluffy towels.”

Adding spa-like features, including large shower heads, Egyptian cotton towels, and mood lighting, is an affordable way to create a luxury space you can enjoy.

Sustainable spa bathroom fixtures such as reclaimed wood, water-saving taps and air-purifying plants are some of the big bathroom trends that people have been making in 2024.

All of these different fixtures combine to create a highly rejuvenating atmosphere reminiscent of a luxurious spa retreat.

READ MORE: Tips and advice for over 60s

DIY Makeovers

DIY makeovers are a great way to update a room on a budget and this is something Petra from A Mum Reviews explains a little more about:

“A trend that I think is here to stay and that I think will be even bigger this year is to do bathroom makeovers on small budgets and in a largely DIY manner. I have seen lots of amazing transformations on social media, mainly on a shoestring budget, and I am sure they have inspired lots of people to try doing smaller updates themselves for money-saving reasons but also for the feeling of achievement.

“Bathroom makeovers can be big or small, and there are so many options for all kinds of budgets.”

Making small changes to your bathroom can make all the difference, and there are so many cheap alternatives you can try. Updating your vinyl or adding tile stickers are all affordable ways of instantly making a room look fresh. If you have limited mobility, you can always ask friends or family to see if they can help you with these small alterations.

Creating an accessible space

Making sure that your bathroom is practical is vital and this is especially important to wheelchair-users and those with limited mobility. Making your bathroom accessible has also become a popular trend over the years.

For those with limited mobility, having a practical space to move about in and use with ease is really important. Wheelchair users will need to ensure their home has a disabled bathroom that caters to all their needs and that it has wide doorways, lowered sinks and features like walk-in baths, and accessible showers. These are all great additions to a bathroom to increase practicality and keep your family and friends safe.

READ MORE: What are the top bathroom safety tips?

Plaster & Limewashed Walls

Plaster walls are one of the oldest building materials on record and were used back in 7500BC. Today’s modern take has come back in fashion, and it can be achieved with a variety of finishes designed to produce the same old-world, ethereal look.

Jenna, who runs her own design and DIY blog called Jenna Sue Design, says plaster and limewashed walls are really coming back in fashion.

“Current plaster wall alternatives have a more subtle and organic appearance, creating movement and understated elegance. They’re typically made with natural materials like Venetian plaster, limewash, Roman clay, tadelakt, and microcement.

“Some of these techniques can be used on shower walls and floors, countertops and tubs. The appearance can range from rough and textured to smooth and reflective. They can be tinted to any desired colour, with either slight or dramatic variation.”

With these types of walls, you can choose a popular bathroom colour that is in fashion.

Period features

Of course, you can’t add period features to your bathroom, but if you already have beams and other features, then you are in luck, as these have come back in fashion over the last couple of years and are once again a popular bathroom design trend in 2024.

Classical bathrooms have done a 360 and are now often chosen over the more modern styles. Classic and traditional bathroom suites ooze elegance and are often in-keeping for older properties.

Jo Boyne, author of the blog A Rose Tinted World, explains how she thinks this tradition will continue for years to come:

“I think that one of the big bathroom trends will be a new take on the classic traditional Victorian bathroom suite. A modern bathroom can still retain some period features, such as a Victorian roll-top standalone cast iron bathtub with claw feet. But it can be brought up to date with bright white tiles and hardware, such as taps with clean lines. Ultimately, to create a light and airy space that is perfect as a haven of peace in your home.”

If you’re planning to update your bathroom with some of the spare time you may have, or you’re just interested in seeing what bathroom trends are popular in 2024/25, then hopefully, some of these have inspired you.

This article was brought to you by Handicare, working with Age Co, who provide a range of home mobility products such as stairlifts, homelifts and bathing solutions. For more information about how they can help make your home more accessible, please get in touch.