If you take pride in your eco-credentials, your bathroom design mustn't let you down. Regardless of your dedication to your zero-waste pledge or your commitment to buying sustainable toilet roll, an ill-conceived bathroom design comes with a hefty carbon footprint, and there are plenty of common mistakes that can make your space less sustainable.
The thing is, eco bathroom designs aren't merely about reducing your energy consumption (although that's a good place to start). You also need to think carefully about the materials you use, your water efficiency, and the overall longevity of your space. Like kitchens, our bathrooms consume a significant amount of resources, so a sustainable design involves selecting features that use less and last longer.
The good news? There are plenty of impactful ways to revolutionize your bathroom, from recycled tiles to low-flow taps. If you don't want to undermine your eco-conscious efforts with a poorly planned design, we asked experts about the most common mistakes they see and how to avoid them. Here are five errors to steer clear of if you want your bathroom to be a more sustainable space.
1. Choosing 'High-Impact' Materials
DO INSTEAD: Choose sustainably sourced materials that don't have a heavy carbon footprint, and buy local where possible.
Modern bathrooms use a myriad of materials, many of them non-sustainable. Laminate flooring, composite cabinets and countertops, acrylic shower fittings — the list is endless, but while we can't avoid the sheer number of materials needed, we can make a more conscious effort to choose eco-friendly options.
"Many bathroom surfaces are made from carbon-heavy materials like virgin marble or non-recyclable composites," explains Pia Pelkonen, founder of sustainable design studio, Pia Design. "While they can look beautiful, they often come at a significant environmental cost in terms of extraction and processing." A more sustainable approach, she says, is to select materials with a lower footprint like recycled stone, terrazzo, reclaimed timber, or porcelain tiles. "These not only reduce environmental impact but also add rich texture and individuality to the space," Pia says.
Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at tile brand Ca’ Pietra, also emphasizes the importance of choosing local, sustainably sourced materials with a lower carbon footprint. "For example, porcelain tiles can beautifully capture the veining of marble or the character of limestone with a fraction of the impact," she says. "Where natural stone is the right choice, opting for pieces that are responsibly quarried and designed to last a lifetime helps ensure your investment remains both beautiful and conscious."
2. Not Prioritizing a Timeless Design
DO INSTEAD: Avoid buying into trends for a bathroom that stays relevant for decades to come.
Eventually, remodeling a bathroom becomes a necessity, but a thoughtful design should last at least a decade (if not more). The problem is that many of us use cheap materials and buy into short-lived trends, resulting in a bathroom that looks prematurely dated and dilapidated.
Early in her career, interior designer Jessica Helgerson served as president of the Sustainability Project of Santa Barbara, a non-profit dedicated to sustainability in architecture and design. Her studio now prioritizes timeless designs that avoid bathroom trends. "Longevity is the best design tool we have for sustainability," she says. "With that ethos as our north star, we strive to design spaces that feel deeply integrated with the home’s greater architecture. If a bathroom looks perfectly in balance with the rest of the home’s architecture and design — and like it has always been a part of the home — it’s less likely to be ripped out down the road."
Keeley Sutcliffe, design manager at BC Designs, agrees that a lasting design is the most sustainable choice you can make. She uses brassware as an example, noting how low-grade coatings or trend-driven colors are rarely built for longevity. "They may look striking at first, but can quickly tarnish, chip, or feel dated, which only leads to replacement and unnecessary waste," she says.
By contrast, she recommends high-quality finishes such as brushed nickel or brass. "These are designed to withstand the daily use and humidity of a bathroom for years to come," she says. "These surfaces age gracefully, developing a rich patina rather than degrading, and they work across evolving design styles. Choosing them isn’t just about durability, it’s about creating a timeless bathroom with pieces that can be loved and used for decades instead of a few seasons."
Pia Pelkonen is the Creative Director and founder of Pia Design, an interior design studio known for creating soulful, contemporary homes with sustainability at their heart. Blending natural materials, repurposed treasures, and considered craftsmanship, Pia brings a gentle but distinctive aesthetic that feels both timeless and responsible. Her work is guided by the belief that interiors should tell the story of the people who live in them, balancing comfort and character with a gentle, environmentally conscious approach, resulting in spaces that are as meaningful as they are beautiful.
3. Overlooking Water-Efficient Fittings
DO INSTEAD: Choose low-flow taps or showers to reduce water consumption.
Bathrooms are resource-reliant spaces, especially when it comes to water. It's no huge revelation that leaky taps, power showers, and dated toilet cisterns can all contribute to inefficient water usage, damaging the environment, and racking up your water bill.
Instead of choosing taps, showerheads, and toilets for their aesthetics alone, Pia urges us to prioritize appliances and fittings that save water. "Thankfully, beautifully designed low-flow fixtures now exist in a wide variety of finishes, so there’s no need to compromise style for sustainability," she explains. "By selecting fittings that regulate flow without sacrificing performance, you can dramatically reduce water use while keeping the bathroom elegant and luxurious." Dual-flush toilets and shallower baths are also small design switches that can make a big difference in the long term.
Grazzie has worked in the interiors industry for more than a decade. At Ca’ Pietra, one of the UK’s leading stone and tile brands, she heads up creative, overseeing product collections as well as the company’s distinctive brand, look and feel. Her stylists’ eye and passion for the technical side of tiling is unparalleled.
4. Making Poor Lighting Choices
DO INSTEAD: Choose lighting that's compatible with energy-efficient LED bulbs, and consider automatic functions, too.
Bathroom lighting ideas are a top priority in terms of aesthetic design, but don't make the mistake of choosing energy-hungry fixtures. In 2025, there's no excuse for using bulbs that aren't energy-saving.
"Harsh halogen or fluorescent lighting not only consumes more energy but can also undermine the calm, restorative feel of a bathroom," Pia says. "Switching to LEDs in warm tones reduces energy demand and creates a softer, spa-like atmosphere. Layering task and ambient lighting also means you can tailor brightness to your needs, enhancing both function and wellbeing."
To add an extra layer to your sustainable design, smart lighting solutions such as automated motion sensors can also help limit your energy usage, particularly if members of your household forget to flick the switch!
Jessica is the Principal and Design Director of her eponymous design studio, which opened in 2000. She is a restless dreamer and schemer, and loves imagining new creative avenues for her studio to explore. Some of those have included Front of House - an installation gallery in the front of the JHID office, XUXO - a collaborative importing and promoting the crafts of indigenous communities in Mexico, The One Percent Project - an effort aimed at supporting non-profits working to end homelessness, and most recently the opening of a Paris branch of JHID which is finally allowing her to bring those two halves of herself together in her design work.
5. Ignoring Ventilation and Heating Efficiency
DO INSTEAD: Invest in smart systems like humidity-sensor extractor fans to reduce your energy consumption.
Finally, making impractical bathroom choices when it comes to heating and ventilation is a common mistake designers notice. High-impact features like dated towel warmers or inefficient extractor fans can consume huge amounts of energy, damaging the environment and increasing your electricity bill.
Pia says outdated extractors or underfloor heating left running for too long are some of the worst bathroom culprits for wasting energy. "Choosing smart systems, from humidity-sensor fans to zoned underfloor heating, ensures energy is only used when needed," she says. "Pairing these with natural ventilation and good insulation helps maintain comfort without unnecessary waste."
Look for faucets with built-in aerators to reduce water usage. This basin tap comes fitted with an innovative Eco-Step cartridge that helps reduce water consumption by up to 50%.
Terrazzo tiles are made of recycled materials like glass and stone. They're also manufactured with lower energy consumption compared to traditional materials like fired ceramic.
This sconce is compatible with energy-efficient G9 LED lamps, making it a certified energy saver. You won't need to compromise on style, either; it's available in four color choices to suit your aesthetics.
FAQs
Can I Make My Toilet Eco-Friendly?
Your toilet might not be top of your list of priorities when it comes to sustainability, but this universal feature can have a far-reaching impact if you don't make eco-conscious decisions.
To make your toilet greener, start by choosing water-efficient plumbing fixtures. "Dual-flush toilets are the simplest upgrade, giving you control over water use with each flush," says Pia. "If you’re looking to go further, consider models designed for ultra-low water consumption, or even composting toilets in off-grid or highly sustainable projects. Pairing these with responsibly sourced ceramics and long-lasting fittings ensures your choice is both eco-friendly and timeless in design."
Louise Ashdown at West One Bathrooms adds that eco-friendly alternatives to ceramic are also available. One example is Woodio toilets, which are made of a 100% waterproof wood composite. "These reduce the carbon footprint compared to traditional ceramic, thanks to its low-energy manufacturing process and renewable raw materials," says Louise.
A beautiful bathroom design doesn't have to cost the earth (literally). Creating an eco-friendly space is as simple as making a few easy, inexpensive switches during your planning process, and they'll help you to reap plenty of rewards in the long run.
Start by avoiding small errors. Choosing the wrong materials, installing inefficient fixtures, or neglecting water and energy-saving practices can seriously undermine your eco-credentials, but with careful planning and a few informed decisions, you'll have a stylish bathroom that doesn't sacrifice sustainability. Need inspiration to get you started? Take a look at our round-up of the very best natural bathroom ideas that focus on organic materials and eco-design.
