Bathrooms are shifting. Our once loved photo-ready, super-slick rooms are now feeling forced, sterile, and well, a little bit untouchable. Instead, 2026 bathrooms are embracing a liveable, relaxed mood that still feels fresh in 10 years’ time.
But don’t just take my word for it, as all the designers I asked agree that highly stylized, picture-perfect spaces s are falling out of favor when it comes to bathroom trends.
“Rather than chasing trends, 2026 bathrooms focus on balance, craftsmanship, and longevity,” says Matthew Kallum, founder of Kallums Bathrooms. “The emphasis is on calm, depth, and quality — spaces that feel quietly luxurious and designed to stand the test of time.”
“Designers are stepping away from overly prescriptive, trend-led looks and towards spaces that feel personal, balanced and inherently calming,” agrees Louise Ashdown, head of design at West One Bathrooms. “As we move into 2026, sterile white interiors, noisy patterns, and overly coordinated, kitsch designs are firmly falling out of favor.”
So if you’re thinking about a bathroom renovation, here are five bathroom trends to avoid in 2026.
1. Plain White Bathrooms
Top-to-toe white bathrooms are a no-go for 2026, say the experts. And while minimalist, white bathrooms were once favorites for a hotel-luxury look, these schemes now look cold, clinical, and a little dated.
“All white bathrooms are often called contractor bathrooms as most new builds or renovations will have a plain, white template bathroom,” says Damla Turgut, founder and creative director at Otto Tiles & Design. “Once associated with cleanliness and luxury, they now read as flat, impersonal, and a bit clinical.”
“Overly minimal, hotel-style bathrooms are falling out of favor,” agrees Nick Cryer, founder of Berkeley Place. “Spaces that feel too sparse or impersonal no longer resonate.”
But moving away from all-white bathrooms doesn’t necessarily mean full-blown maximalism – especially if pared-back spaces are your thing. Instead, warmth is key in 2026 say the designers. Think soft sage, soothing dusky blue, blush pink, and earthy brown for a calm, relaxing bathroom that looks expensive.
“Say goodbye to stark whites and cool grays, 2026 is ushering in a new wave of neutrals,” says interior designer Susie Pfeiffer. “From gentle sages and soothing blues to blush pinks and rich, grounding browns, these tones create calm, restorative backdrops for bathrooms while still adding personality and depth.”
Try mixing materials and finishes – Zellige with cement tiles, bronze fittings alongside natural stone – and introducing timber and soft linens to add texture, warmth, and a far more luxurious aesthetic.
And you can introduce color, says Cath Beckett, co-founder of Yellow London: “Experiment with wallpaper and bold prints, as well as vibrant hues and subtle textures for a space that feels interesting, brings a sense of joy and breaks away from the idea that bathrooms should be plain or overly utilitarian.”
Damla is the founder and creative director of Otto Tiles & Design, an international decorative surface brand known for its expressive use of color, pattern, and traditional tile-making techniques.
2. Feature Walls
Highly stylized bathrooms are out for 2026 – and that includes the feature wall.
“The idea of a single feature wall in an otherwise plain bathroom feels very outdated,” says Damla of Otto Tiles & Design. “Often it feels like a decision that’s been added late in the process rather than something that genuinely shapes the space. The result can be a bathroom that feels visually chopped up, with one area doing all the work while the rest feels unresolved.”
That’s not to say that pattern or tile drenching is banned in 2026 bathrooms, far from it. But instead of maximalism and busy prints, which can quickly feel overwhelming, designers are favoring a more balanced and long-lasting look.
“This doesn’t have to mean one bold color everywhere,” adds Damla. “Using a single tile format across the space, then working with tone, finish, or layout, creates a sense of continuity while still allowing for depth and individualization.”
“In bathrooms, too much visual noise can quickly become exhausting,” adds Charlotte Tilby, a design expert at Woodstock. “Clashing finishes, multiple patterns, and excessive décor often compete for attention, creating a sense of clutter, making the space feel busy and less functional.”
3. High Gloss Finishes
Ultra-shiny vanity units and reflective surfaces might seem perfect for modern bathrooms on the surface, but realistically, they are starting to date in the wrong application. They feel cold, impersonal, and can show up every fingerprint, say the experts.
“High-gloss lacquer cabinetry was originally adopted to create a sleek, contemporary look and to maximize light in smaller bathrooms,” says Richard Eaton, design manager at Tissino. “In practice, though, these finishes struggle to maintain their appearance over time. Glossy surfaces show fingerprints, water marks, and micro-scratches very quickly, which can undermine the sense of order and calm that a bathroom should offer.”
Instead, matt and satin finishes in timber and stone-effect materials feel calmer and more contemporary. There’s a growing trend too for mixing matt and gloss tiles and furniture for a really cool artisan look.
“Bathrooms are moving away from purely functional spaces defined by smooth, hard surfaces,” adds Caroline Milns, head of interior design at Zulufish. “Instead, we’re seeing a shift towards rooms designed for comfort and lingering, where texture plays a much more important role.”
As well as matt finish tiles and cabinetry, Caroline suggests introducing textiles and fabrics specifically designed to perform in bathroom settings, including rugs, cushions, and decorative trims made from recycled plastic.
Caroline is head of interior design at Zulufish, an award-winning interior design consultancy and architectural practice based in West London. Her background is in textile design before retraining as an interior designer in 2007.
4. Matching Bathrooms
Overly coordinated bathrooms are out for 2026, say the designers. Instead of matchy-matchy tiles and fittings, we’re ready for a more individual look that’s liveable and enduring rather than ‘Instagram-ready’.
“When tiles, fittings, and finishes are all perfectly matched, the bathroom can lack depth and personality,” says Damla of Otto Tiles & Design. “For a while, this kind of precision felt refined, but it can now feel a little over-designed and one-dimensional.”
Instead, Damla suggests mixing textures, finishes, or tones that feel natural rather than forced for a richer, character-packed bathroom.
5. Black Hardware
Matt black bathroom taps and shower fittings have been a popular look for creating a striking silhouette in the bathroom – but it’s starting to fall out of favor for 2026, say the experts.
“While matt black brassware delivers instant contrast, it simply doesn’t perform well in everyday life,” says Kerri Asker, senior designer at Ripples Winchester, “particularly in hard water areas where limescale shows up quickly and the finish can start to look tired.
“We’re steering clients towards more durable options such as brushed PVD metals in brushed nickel and brushed bronze instead. These still give that depth and contemporary edge, but it’s far more forgiving, longer lasting, and ultimately feels like a smarter investment.”
For Keeley Sutcliffe, design manager at BC Designs, it’s all about how metals interact with color, texture, and light, rather than treating taps and fittings as functional, neutral items.
“Brushed nickel has emerged as a more versatile response to this shift,” says Keeley. “The softer surface diffuses light rather than reflecting it aggressively, which allows it to sit comfortably alongside natural materials such as stone, plaster, and timber cabinetry.”
Bathroom trends, like interior design trends in general, are shifting towards warmer, more authentic spaces. That means passing fads and throwaway trends are out. And instead, we’re creating bathrooms and homes that feel confident, intentional and expressive of who we are and how we live – not just for today but our future selves too. The key, say the experts, is to look at design directions rather than overly prescribed trends. “Bathrooms designed around strong trends rather than longevity are starting to feel dated,” explains interior designer Sarah Ferreira.
“All-white schemes, harsh contrasts, and high-gloss finishes can feel quite clinical now, rather than restorative.” That’s not to say that bathrooms in 2026 should be neutral and safe. And in fact, bathrooms are the newest space to play around with storytelling and a sense of fun. So that means injecting a dash of red if you love the color, or tile drenching in a pretty pattern if you want a cosy, restful mood. Prioritize your space and your personality so you get a bathroom that’s creative, relaxing, and somewhere you’ll want to escape to for years to come.