Our resident interior designer Ruth reveals her predictions for the biggest bathroom trends in 2022. Which ones will you incorporate into your bathroom design?
As winter draws to a close and spring lands neatly on our doorstep, I’ve been researching and analysing the emerging home interior trends that will dominate the world of bathrooms this coming year and beyond.
With an overriding theme surrounding wellbeing, creativity, courage, tranquillity and nature (all things interior design should connect with), the bathroom is a space that is becoming ever more considered as a design opportunity.
Whether you’re looking to add some simple touches and catapult your space into 2022, or working on a bigger at-home project, read on, as we help you create a bathroom that’s totally on-trend for the coming years.
Biophilic design & enhancing wellbeing
If you’ve only just heard of it, biophilia means incorporating nature into interior spaces in order to reap the benefits it can have on our wellbeing. Wellness continues to be a subject matter that dominates home trends, and with many people continuing to work from home, the need for a space in which to unwind grows. The bathroom is a popular choice for this area of calm and respite, and biophilic design is an easy way to achieve this.
One of the big bathroom trends for 2022: Biophilic design brings the outdoors indoors
If you’d like to find out more about how you can successfully achieve this trend look in your bathroom, read our article on bathroom plant ideas and check out our feature on Tropical spa bathroom trends.
Terracotta
The theme of nature seeps over into the materials and colours we seek to use in our homes. One natural material that is currently gaining popularity in the bathroom is terracotta. Its earthy tone is comforting and sits within a range of brownish shades that are predicted to be on-trend in interior design in the coming year. It pairs well with whites and is conjures up nostalgic images of exotic Mediterranean villas, speaking to the idea of escapism—a feeling that is more than welcome when relaxing in the bathroom.
Terracotta is a natural material that is gaining popularity in bathrooms nationwide
Combining contemporary & traditional styles
Mixing contemporary and traditional bathroom products is an exciting way of bringing the classic, timelessness of traditional styles into the 21st century. It also demonstrates design knowledge, creative flair and visual interest. You can find out more about this in our Bathroom Trend article on the Modern Vintage look.
Split-level bathrooms
Split-level flooring in the bathroom naturally creates a sense of zoning for different products. This trend is gaining popularity in an attempt to develop new and interesting bathroom layouts. It means that fitted baths can become a part of the raised floor structure, and the platforms themselves can otherwise be used to hide bathroom pipes. The idea of zoning creates a feeling of spaciousness and adds a sense of luxury to particular products, like an open shower area on a raised platform.
Take your bathroom to another level...quite literally
Minimalism
A trend that has been well-known in the home for many years, minimalism is finally making its way to the bathroom too. Long gone are the days of bathroom clutter. Simplicity in the home puts the mind at ease, and the minimalist look has the ability to make a room feel larger. However, minimalism shouldn’t feel sterile; it should feel relaxed and carefully curated.
With, on average, 590 UK Google searches per month, “Minimalist bathrooms” ranks ninth out of all the trends featured in this blog post.
Botanical and painterly wall art
In the interest of avoiding a bathroom that looks too clinical and sterile, there is an emerging trend in wall art that encourages the designer to be bold and brave with splashes of pattern and colour. This idea also links into the biophilic trend, with organic and natural forms brought into the home from outside.
The term “painterly” describes a form of painting that celebrates the medium it was done in. This means not concealing brush strokes or textures—all the things that make a painting, obviously, a painting!
Bring life to your space with the Showerwall Custom Flamingo acrylic showerwall panel
For more great bathroom wall art ideas, discover our exclusive collection, created in collaboration with contemporary British artist Louise Dear.
Out of all the bathroom trends featured in this article, “Botanical wall art” was the seventh most searched internet term by British users of Google, with 1,000 searches per month, on average.
Green bathrooms
Whilst the authorities on colour have predicted shades such as Bright Skies, Very Peri and Orchid Flower as their Colour of the Year for 2022, it appears that soft sage and deep inky greens are an emerging on-trend bathroom colour. Again, this harks back to a way of connecting with our natural surroundings. Psychologically, green has calming effects, and it’s becoming easier to introduce these bursts of colour, as products like coloured ceramics for baths and basins become more available.
Top Tip: Pair this soothing shade with brass finishes for an on-trend look.
Here, we’ve used a subtle sage green which doesn’t overpower or dominate the bathroom. This particular shade works well in bright, airy spaces that have access to natural light.
Green colour schemes remain one of the top bathroom trends for 2022
If this is a trend you can get on-board with, check out our blog post on going for green in your bathroom and discover more great green bathroom ideas courtesy of our creative customers.
Out of this entire list, “Green bathrooms” proved to be the joint second most popular Google search by British internet users. There were over 5,000 searches per month, on average, during the past 12 months.
Open showers
When it comes to showering, bathrooms are continuing to move away from smaller enclosures. Opting for larger, open shower areas and wet rooms helps to bring a luxurious feel to your interiors. These are a great choice for smaller bathrooms as they create spaciousness. They’re also proven to be more accessible—a real bonus as we enter our more senior years and look to enjoy all the benefits of independent living.
Make your bathroom feel more spacious with the latest in walk in shower enclosures
On average, there were over 33,000 internet searches per month during the past year for “walk in showers”, making this the most searched UK bathroom trend of the past year from my list. The term “Open showers” also just makes it into the top 10, with 480 searches per month.
Statement stone
Although marble has been a popular choice for many in recent years, stone-effects such as onyx (as well as more statement-looking marble) are coming to light. They create an air of luxe whilst also deriving from natural materials, again, bringing an organic touch to the home.
If botanical murals are a little too much for you, opt for these delicately patterned stone finishes that offer a sense of opulence and visual interest.
Stone effect wall coverings—like the Showerwall Phantom Marble shower wall panel (above)—are one of the big bathroom trends for 2022
“Onyx stone” and “Marble bathrooms” were key search terms for UK Google users over the past 12 months. An average of 5,400 searches per month were made for “Onyx stone”, making it joint second on our list of top bathroom trends, while “Marble bathrooms” came in fifth position, with an average of 4,400 searches per month.
Creative lighting
An area that has previously been neglected, bathroom lighting is gradually becoming a product that can add statement and sculpture to your space. This trend provides an opportunity for playfulness and creativity, and although this may not be a brand-new trend, you can expect to see even more decorative and ornate bathroom lighting in 2022. Whether they’re oversized or feature a unique metal finish, feature lighting brings luxury to your bathroom without breaking the bank.
In terms of Google searches, “Bathroom lighting ideas” comes joint second out of my entire list of British bathroom trends. This phrase was searched, on average, 5,400 times per month, during the past 12 months.
Colourful ceramics
Coloured ceramics for baths and basins have made a re-emergence since the avocado bathrooms of the 70s, but instead, they now come in a range of beautiful, contemporary shades. With an aim to make a sophisticated statement, this trend speaks to a wider concept of bold and risk-taking interior design. Be bold, be brave!
Now available in more tasteful shades than their 1970s counterparts, coloured ceramics are making a comeback
Spa-inspired
Leaning into the minimalist look, homebuyers in 2022 are seeking uncluttered bathrooms with a sanctuary feel. These calming interiors consist of luxury products and finishes, including the ever-popular black accents and accessories combined with wood features, representing a low-maintenance, relaxed look.
Looking at UK internet searches, “Spa bathrooms” is the eighth most popular search term out of all the trends featured in this blog post. On average, there were 720 searches for “Spa bathrooms” per month during the last year.
Vintage style furniture
Vintage style furniture brings an added layer of complexity to an otherwise clean-lined, modern bathroom. This look can also be achieved through the use of traditional furniture products, which can be eclectically mixed with more contemporary features.
Bring a classic touch to your surroundings with vintage style bathroom furniture like the Dalston floorstanding vanity unit and marble basin from The Bath Co.
Fluted surfaces
The up-and-coming theme of fluted features and surfaces create exciting texture and tactility. We suggest incorporating this trend through wall panelling—a simple way to give a space a reinvented, contemporary twist.
Arches
Arches are set to be a big shape trend in 2022, particularly in the bathroom. They reflect the fashionable use of curves in contemporary interior and furniture design. This can be achieved by something as simple as hanging an arched mirror, or, if you’re totally remodelling your bathroom, a recessed arch alcove.
Get ahead of the curve with the Accents bevelled edge arched mirror
Keep up with the latest bathroom trends at Victoria Plum
If you’re interested in finding out more about upcoming trends, specifically in colour, read our recent article outlining how to get creative in your bathroom with 2022 colour trends (predicted by the likes of Pantone and Dulux). You can also see what's trending in bathrooms in 2023 in our most-up-to-date blog post, or discover past bathroom trends from 2021.
And, if you want to be the first to know about new trends in bathroom design, follow Victoria Plum on social media by clicking any of the buttons below or sign up for our inspirational emails, also below.
