Key Trends for Bathroom Design in 2019

Bathroom design generally has a slower lifecycle than some other areas of interior design, but as we move into 2019, there are changes ahead. Here we look at some of the biggest bathroom design trends for the coming year

Pastel with porcelain

Proving that bathroom design trends take longer to gain momentum, pastel hues are seeing increasing popularity as we move into 2019. Ranging from candy pinks through to more nature-inspired blushes, these create a warm but restful feel. The tones are typically being used on walls floors and fittings, with basins and toilets in a contrasting stone or porcelain.

MOPS’ design for an apartment uses a soft pastel pink, contrasted with a bold terrazzo floor. Image courtesy of MOPS

The Bowl collection from inbani features powder pink fixtures with contrasting white details. Image courtesy of inbani

Ideo arquitectura’s design for a house in Madrid, Spain, uses beige tones echoed across the wider design. Image courtesy of Imagen Subliminal

The Bowl collection from inbani features powder pink fixtures with contrasting white details. Image courtesy of inbani

Denrakaev’s design for a house in Kyiv, Ukraine, pairs exposed frames with a two-tone colour scheme. Image courtesy of Andrey Avdeenko

The award-winning private space washstand by Jannis Ellenberger combines an exposed frame with a compact, multifunctional design. Image courtesy of Jannis Ellenberger

This design for a Parisain apartment by Crosby Studio combines exposed frames with a pastel colour scheme. Image courtesy of Crosby Studios

The award-winning private space washstand by Jannis Ellenberger combines an exposed frame with a compact, multifunctional design. Image courtesy of Jannis Ellenberger

Frames and function

The industrial trends of recent years are finding their way into bathroom design with the rise of freestanding basins, exposed frames and functional visible hardware. In some cases this trend is also providing more compact bathroom solutions, making it suitable for studio apartments and other small living spaces.

Wooden wellness

The trend for natural materials shows no sign of stopping, and in the bathroom this means oiled or unfinished wood in abundance, typically in greys and mid-tones. While in most cases this is limited to fittings such as countertops, bathroom-suitable wooden cladding is on the rise, and even some wooden sinks are becoming available.

Main Office’s design for this house in Sayulita, Mexico, sees natural wood paired with unfinished concrete for a soft, relaxing finish. Image courtesy of Rafael Gamo

This floating ash basin by Indigenous sees wood replace porcelain or stone. Image courtesy of Indigenous

Fouché Architects’ design for this house in Brisbane, Australia, sees wooden bathroom fixtures contrasted with a white colour scheme. Image courtesy of Cieran Murphy

This floating ash basin by Indigenous sees wood replace porcelain or stone. Image courtesy of Indigenous

Smile Plastic’s vanity unit sees recycled plastic terrazzo bring a visual focus to this design. Image courtesy of Smile Plastic

Studio Esteta’s design for a Mexican eatery in Sydney, Australia includes contrasting terrazzo tiles and pastel hues. Image courtesy of Studio Esteta

This range from Casa Dolce Casa – Casamood sees terrazzo tiles paired with grey hues and natural stones. Image courtesy of Casa Dolce Casa – Casamood

Smile Plastic’s vanity unit sees recycled plastic terrazzo bring a visual focus to this design. Image courtesy of Smile Plastic

Terrazzo tiling

Tiles are often used to bring texture to bathrooms, but arguably most popular for this purpose in 2018 is terrazzo. Working effectively alongside the pastel and industrial trends, these types of tiles provide an appealing contrast that softens harder bathroom elements while providing a strong colour tone to build the rest of the design around.

Cohesive colour

While there are many schemes that involve using contrasting colours in bathroom design, there is also a growing trend for bathrooms produced entirely or predominantly in a single hue. These typically see floors, walls and fixtures colour-matched, although basins, baths and toilets are often included in a contrasting white to break up the space.