Bathroom Remodeling Ideas for the New Year

Since my company does a great deal of remodeling and design work on bathrooms, people often ask me about the latest trends and ideas for these spaces. What are others doing to make their spaces more enjoyable? What are today’s most popular approaches to a bathroom remodel?

As 2014 gives way to the new year, let’s take a look at some current trends.

Larger showers

Across the board, you see homeowners making a move toward more spacious showers. It’s not hard to understand why: this change can make for a bathroom that is both more attractive and more functional. Typically requested shower features include:

· Stone corner shelves, providing both storage and design appeal

· Larger wall tile (up to 12” X 24”) installed in a brick pattern

· Accent strips in the tile

· Clear shower enclosures

Another popular feature that blends aesthetics with utility is a handheld shower spray that is combined with the mounted shower head. Overall, we see a strong move toward the idea that a shower can be space that blends elegance and practicality without sacrificing either.

Floor tile

As with the tile being used for shower walls, many homeowners are moving toward larger tile for their floors, with dimensions like 18” X 18” or 12” X 24”.

Today, these larger tiles often imitate stone or wood with extraordinary accuracy in both texture and aesthetic. Tiles with the appearance of wood, creating a sense of wood flooring, are particularly popular recently.

Vanity tops and faucets

Lately, we’ve seen a big increase in sink bowls with “substitute” materials: think stainless steel, decorative glass, or copper. For the tops, engineered stone, marble, and granite reign supreme.

How about the faucets? Again, a “rustic” aesthetic has grown extremely popular, matching materials like oil-rubbed bronze with stained-wood cabinetry to achieve a rich, warm look.

Still, polished stainless steel and chrome remain highly popular. Additionally, new technology is allowing for functional enhancements, with “touchless” becoming popular for homeowners – hygienic for all and particularly convenient for aging-in-place.

Lighting and mirrors

Mirror trends have changed noticeably, with many remodelers moving away from wall-to-wall mirrors and instead incorporating frames to help build a more complex and consistent complement to other bathroom finishes.

Medicine cabinets have actually added mirrors: interior mirrors as well as magnifying mirrors on pivots. And lighting has grown to resemble that found in kitchens. Vanity lighting, recessed lighting, and even LED lights are becoming more and more common.

Conclusion

That’s not the end of the list, of course. One trend that sometimes surprises people, for example, is bathroom flatscreen TVs. They’re challenging to install, but many homeowners find them useful for catching up on the news as they get ready for work.

You can learn more about today’s remodeling trends on our blog. If you’ve noticed any other new bathroom remodeling trends or ideas, we’d love to hear about them!