Bathroom Trends Guide | 2026
NOTE FREESTANDING BATH
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LOOP BACKLIT MIRROR
Roper Rhodes
BATHROOM TRENDS 2026 Bathroom Trends Are Evolving To Create Personal Sanctuaries
The warm, nostalgic trends from last year, which created timeless and comfortable spaces, are evolving. In 2026, bathroom trends are focused on creating spaces that act as a retreat from our busy lives. Harsh white and chrome are giving way to warm and soft designs, minimal, uncluttered spaces and more natural and earthy colours. Get inspired to create your retreat with our latest guide to bathroom trends.
DECOR TRENDS
SURFACE TRENDS
FINISHES TRENDS
COLOUR TRENDS
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Decor trends
DECOR TRENDS
SOFT MINIMALISM Building on this year’s theme of curated sanctuaries, the Soft Minimalism trend is all about creating a serene, warm and cocooning space. Like the spa bathroom, it combines warm neutrals and muted colours with textured, natural materials such as wood, matte stone, clay and plaster. Curved and soft geometry replaces the harsh and stark minimalism design seen in previous trends with rounded vanity units, curved basins and pill mirrors. Soft decorative details such as trims, panelling and small sculptural accessories add the final touches to Soft Minimalism. CULTURAL REFERENCES
Soft minimalism continues to shape interiors as a response to overstimulation, favouring calm, clarity, and intentional design. Inspired by designers like Jessy Van Gorp and Ronit Lee of Vellum Studio, this trend focuses on perfectly formed, tranquil spaces where subtle textures, warm neutrals, and thoughtful restraint create a sense of ease. The result is minimalism with softness - spaces that feel serene and lived-in rather than stark or austere.
COLOUR PALETTE
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FABER VANITY
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Decor trends
DECOR TRENDS
SPA BATHROOM EVOLUTION While the digital world is designed to make our lives easier, we are seeing an increasing trend in people wanting to disconnect from their busy, always-on lives. The digital detox is a key focus for bathroom design in 2026, with the continued trend in spa-inspired bathrooms, which is evolving to provide a more grounded space. In 2026, spa bathroom design focuses on the use of warm, neutral colours, thoughtful material choices and textures with ambient lighting to enhance the sensory experience of the space. CULTURAL REFERENCES
Wellness is no longer reserved for once a year retreats, it’s becoming part of everyday life. From mobile saunas popping up in local communities to garden ice baths designed for daily use, people are integrating restorative rituals into their regular routines. This shift reflects a broader cultural move toward accessible, at-home wellness experiences that support both physical and mental wellbeing, blurring the line between luxury escapes and daily self-care.
COLOUR PALETTE
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WALCOT FREESTANDING VANITY
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DECOR TRENDS
Decor trends
NEUTRAL MAXIMALISM Traditional Maximalism is getting a reboot in 2026 with Neutral Maximalism, a more subtle approach that creates uncluttered calmness. Neutral Maximalism combines the rich and visual interest of maximalism with more neutral tones and colours. It’s about creating a space that feels calm, sophisticated, yet expressive, without the chaos of traditional maximalism. Tactile materials, layered finishes, and sculptural objects add luxury and sophistication, while neutral tones and classic textures provide longevity and timelessness.
COLOUR PALETTE
CULTURAL REFERENCES
The growing trend in digital and visual detoxes has led to the rise of neutral maximalism, taking cues from Scandinavian Minimalism and Japanese design philosophies to create a calming space for body and mind.
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DECOR TRENDS
Decor trends
HERITAGE REVIVAL & NEW ROMANTIC The Past Times trend of last year is evolving into Heritage Revival & New Romantic, which draws on historical styles, craftsmanship, and romanticism to create a sense of storytelling. It combines romantic softness with drama while balancing light and dark to create a calming atmosphere rather than a chaotic space. Arched mirrors, Freestanding, Roll Top and Slipper baths with ornate legs and curved archways define this look, with the use of blush pinks, powder blues, emeralds, burgundies and deep sapphire to create a rich, romantic atmosphere.
COLOUR PALETTE
CULTURAL REFERENCES
Heritage revival continues as period dramas remain culturally influential. With Wuthering Heights, Hamnet, and Bridgerton Season 4 releasing this year, there’s renewed interest in traditional design and timeless details.
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VITORIA FREESTANDING VANITY
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DECOR TRENDS
Decor trends
MODERN ARTISAN A growing interest in the design world for unique, handmade pieces is behind the Modern Artisan trend. It combines traditional techniques with modern styling along with the use of natural materials such as reclaimed wood, terracotta, clay and stone. Woven fabrics in the form of baskets and rugs, along with chunky knits, raw linen, and grass-woven items, add texture and layering. While warm, earth tones such as terracotta, ochre, clay reds, warm browns and deep forest greens dominate this style and work well alongside metallic accents such as bronze or brass. Exposed brickwork is a key feature, alongside handmade ceramics, pressed tiles and limewash walls. Bring this to life in your bathroom by using warm, earthy tones, metallic accents such as brushed bronze or brushed brass taps, and statement lighting paired with natural stone handmade tiles.
COLOUR PALETTE
CULTURAL REFERENCES
The shift away from mass-produced products and a growing sustainability-conscious consumer has influenced the Modern Artisan trend, driving demand for unique handcrafted pieces and traditional techniques.
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ELAN FITTED FURNITURE
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SURFACE TRENDS
Surface trends
LIMEWASH REVIVAL Limewash paints are having a revival as bathroom designers look for more organic, natural and character-filled finishes while creating a more sustainable, breathable space that ages naturally. Subtle cloud-effects, mottling and uneven wash that show brush evidence give a more lightweight texture while darker shades are used to enhance visual texture. Brands such as Bauwerk are creating limewash paints so people can create walls that aren’t pristine or over-finished but are more organic, natural and character filled.
CREATING TEXTURE Designers are opting for tactile finishes that add individuality with a touch of luxury. Venetian, polished and Tadelakt plasters are often used on accent walls or feature zones to create different finishes and gentle shadows and depth. Hybrid textures are also a growing design trend, where textured paint is being overlayed with small patterns such as stencils or faint geometric shapes and softened with textile wall coverings. Subtle cloud-effects, mottling and uneven washes are used to create lightweight textures. Richer colours are being used for accent walls alongside neutral tones to create moody and intimate spaces.
©BAUWERK
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HAMPTON FREESTANDING VANITY
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Surface trends
SURFACE TRENDS
Alongside colour, rustic nomadic influences are shaping the surfaces people want in their homes. Irregular edges, hand-touched textures and natural tonal variation bring a quieter, more soulful energy to bathrooms, especially in showers or around a basin area where tactility plays a huge role. This look works beautifully with neutral plaster tones and warm timbers, creating a retreat-like feel without sliding into something overtly rustic. Grazzie Wilson, Head of Creative at Ca’ Pietra
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KESWICK SHOWER
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Finishes trends
FINISHES TRENDS
MIXED METALS Mixed metal finishes are a key bathroom trend in 2026, combining two-tone fixtures and detailing, such as handles and trim, in contrasting metals. Mix brass and nickel or brass and black in single pieces or within a room to avoid the matching design look. Brushed nickel, soft matte metals and hard graphite tones are increasing in popularity, while brushed brass is key for adding warmth to spa-inspired bathrooms or as a finish to the soft minimalism design.
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FINISHES TRENDS
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FINISHES TRENDS
FABER VANITY UNIT
Finishes trends
WARMTH OF WOOD Warm wood finishes are a key part of this year’s more natural and earthy bathroom design trend, leaning into a desire to bring nature inside to create a soft and organic space. Warm woods like walnut and oak used in surfaces or bathroom furniture adds texture and interest to a room and counteracts the cold, sterile feel of more traditional bathrooms. When designers are looking to add warm woods to their designs, they are seeking brands that are eco-friendly and provide sustainably sourced products that last. 19
SURFACE TRENDS
Surface trends
TILE DRENCHING Tile drenching is a core design strategy for 2026, creating drama without the clutter. It enhances the feeling of space and luxury, working well for spa bathroom designs and neutral maximalism. It creates tactile and layered textures, working seamlessly with earthy palettes and bespoke artisan surfaces. Tile drench your bathroom by extending the same tile design across the walls and floors. Surface trends
COLOUR BLOCKING While 2025 focused on colour drenching, 2026 is all about colour blocking. Using distinct, contrasting or closely related colours - in neutral or bold tones - to create a more visual structure to your bathroom space. Designers are using this trend to create dramatic spaces that allow for more playful use of colour to expression personal style. Extend your colour drenching to your bathroom furniture in hues that match the rest of your room.
©CaPietra
©Tamarisk, Claybrook Studio
©Fired Earth
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Colour trends
COLOUR TRENDS
RICH EARTHY TONES In 2026, colours are evolving from the warm browns into a wider array of earthy, natural tones as designers look to connect with nature and create a sense of calm, warmth and luxury. Building on the Dark & Stormy trend, this year’s rich earthy tones include muted ochre, red clay, chalky plums, smoky blues and deep forest greens.
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WIDCOMBE VANITY UNIT
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Colour trends
COLOUR TRENDS
BUTTER YELLOW Butter yellow leans into this year’s trend of creating spaces that act as a retreat and escape from modern life, creating a warm yet uplifting feel to a space. Yellow catches light, warms surfaces and works well alongside the more muted earthy tone. Pair it with darker colours such as charcoal or black, or soft blue for a lighter, fresher look. It also works well with crisp or offwhites, warm woods, and natural stone. Butter yellow can also be used in wallpapers, tiles and accessories to add warmth to a room.
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Colour trends
COLOUR TRENDS
Yellow has had such an interesting evolution, it’s gone from that punchy, dopamine hit of sunshine yellow we saw in the early 2020s to something much more grounded and sophisticated. For a soothing, spa-like feel, go for those buttery, mellow yellows like Yellow 07. Think softer, buttery tones or deeper ochres that feel warm, comforting, and quietly joyful rather than loud or primary. Tash Bradley, Director of Interior Design, Lick Paint
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COLOUR TRENDS
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Colour trends
COLOUR TRENDS
NOSTALGIC PRIMARY COLOURS Primary colours are reimagined with Lick’s ‘Return to Play’ 2026 Colour Edit. The palette consists of eight primary colours – red, white, blue, green and yellow – but instead of the bright, bold colours of our childhood, these have got a more grownup feel with rejuvenating greens and warm neutrals to create timeless emotional resonance over fleeting trends. Lick are encouraging us to bring an element of playfulness and self-expression into our lives with unexpected colour pairings that work well with this year’s décor trends.
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Colour trends
COLOURS OF THE YEAR 2026
Cloud Dancer
PANTONE
Mellow Flow
#F0EFEB
KC14 Bloom
DETALE CPH
#D0C6B5
LITTLE GREENE
#764034
BAUWERK
#5D3A40
VALSPAR
#596D69
DUNN-EDWARDS
#637057
Yellow 07
#E7E3D7
Warm Eucalyptus
#9F7753
BEHR
Midnight Garden
Still
Special Walnut
MINWAX
#95A7B4
Adventurer
Warm Mahogany
GLIDDEN
DULUX
Hidden Gem
LICK
#E9D49F
Mindful
#7C7F70
COAT
#EEE8E1
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Surface trends
SURFACE TRENDS
2025 has truly been the year of Zellige (or Zellij) tiles, and as we look ahead to 2026, we’re expecting a clear shift towards tiles that proudly show the hand of the maker. Customers are increasingly recognising the value that handmade tiles bring to a bathroom scheme, the warmth, the softness, and the character that only crafted pieces can offer. Lee Thornley, Founder, Bert & May Tiles
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