Designers say our 'dream bathrooms' in 2022 will all include this emerging trend

Neutral materials and freestanding tubs are set to give our bathrooms a spa-like feel in the year ahead

Spa-like bathroom with plant
(Image credit: Future / Matthew Williams)
Megan Slack
By Megan Slack
published

As we sit on the fringe of a new year, thoughts may inevitably turn to the trends that will make headlines in the future design world. However, when it comes to bathrooms, we now have a very good idea what our dream bathroom will look like. 

This comes after a recent study that revealed the top interior design trends that are set to take over our bathrooms in the upcoming seasons. Armed with a combination of search data and designer expertise, Houzz predicted a rise in spa-like spaces that appear clean, not clinical – with a primary focus on wellbeing. 

The design platform also shared that their exerts are increasingly tasked with a ‘hotel-worthy’ bathroom brief after searches for this aesthetic rose by up by 435% in 2021. Hotel-esque features include muted color palettes, natural materials, and ornate touches that give the space a boutique ambiance. 

But what exactly do these modern bathroom ideas involve? 

Spa-like bathroom with plant

(Image credit: Future / Matthew Williams)

According to Houzz, the key to this hotel-inspired space is the demand for underfloor heating (up by 415% in searches) and luxe baths (‘freestanding bath’ and ‘slipper bath,’ up by 154% and 152% in searches, respectively). The site also saw a rise in the desire for layered and adjustable lighting that will give your bathroom a hotel-style allure. 

Similarly, tadelakt – a lime-based plaster indigenous to Morocco – is also emerging as one of the biggest modern bathroom trends of the moment. This is because of its waterproof nature and clean aesthetic that escapist aesthetic that further emphasizes the spa-like aura. 

Houzz is not exclusive in their observation of this spa-like movement. BC Designs also saw a demand for bathrooms with a spa-like feel that ‘take inspiration from five-star hotels.’

Spa-like bathroom with plant

(Image credit: Future / Matthew Williams)

‘It isn’t just about the fixed bathroom products that achieve this, but the little luxurious as well; the highest grade cotton towels, opulent selection of bath oils and shower gel, along with those all-important candles,’ they explain.  

The experts add that large, freestanding tubs are amongst the most effective ways of bringing the spa-like feel into your home. When recreating luxury bathroom ideas for smaller spaces (where a tub might not be an option) they recommend investing in a double shower head – for an elevated shower experience. 

May 2022 be the most stylish and therapeutic yet. 

Megan Slack
Megan Slack

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.


Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.


Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment. 

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