Renovating your bathroom is an exciting project, offering the opportunity to bring your style and functionality into one of the most used spaces in your home. Nevertheless, as with any design element, trends come and trends go, and what was once considered in style and popular may now appear outdated resembling an old reno. Today, we’ll explore seven outdated bathroom trends that have lost their appeal, helping you steer clear of design mistakes and create a timeless and beautiful bathroom in your home.
Outdated Bathroom Trends
In 2024, bathroom design trends are still defined by the notion “sometimes less is more.” More homeowners and designers are appreciating simplicity and really letting the minimalist space shine. Here are the 7 outdated bathroom trends you want to avoid in your next bathroom renovation.
Tiled Shower Borders
I remember not too long ago when tiled shower borders were a popular choice for bathroom interior design, adding visual interest and delineating shower spaces. In the past, almost every tub-to-shower conversion that involved tiled walls we would install one of those borders. Now they have fallen out of favor, and in the last 2 years, we have not installed or been asked to install a single shower border.
Instead, clients want a seamless look of large-scale tiles, providing a clean minimalist look, easy maintenance, and a modern feel and functionality to their bathroom. This shows how in the last decade the trend turned from complexity to simplicity and function.
Tiled Countertop Backsplashes
Tiled countertop backsplashes were once a common choice for adding stylish protection to the back wall and color to bathroom countertops. However, this is now an outdated bathroom trend, making the vanity wall feel cluttered and busy. Often, modern countertops will have a matching backsplash and side splash from the same material as the countertop itself. Today, it’s more common to eliminate the backsplash altogether.
This goes against the principle of functionality as a backsplash serves a perfect purpose in repelling splashes when the sink is used. However, the trend is now fully in favor of form and aesthetics vs. practical functionality.
Tiled Shower Benches
While tiled shower benches may have offered practicality and great function, we have seen the demand for them decrease in the last few years. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason, and if we had to guess it would be the space they take away from the shower itself and the added maintenance in cleaning. Instead, for those clients who require the ability to sit in the shower we have installed and have often been asked for folding shower seats and floating shower benches.
But mainly shower seats. These days companies like Moen produce incredibly clean and sturdy folding shower seats like Moen DN7110 Home Care Wall Mounted Teak Wood Aluminum Folding Shower Seat.
Ceramic Tiles for Floors and Walls
The uniformity of 12”x12” ceramic tiles for both floors and walls was once a benchmark of bathroom design. You would see these tiles everywhere from model homes of the local builders to the commercial application at your local theater to a restaurant. Let’s be honest, they are a great size easy to work and easy to install. There is nothing wrong with this size or style of tile. However, this trend is gone and, now feels outdated and can make the space appear old. In the last few years not a single time our bathroom renovation client has asked us to install a 12” x 12” tile.
And if you go to your local tile shower room, there is a good chance that you will have a hard time finding tiles of this size. The reality is that though they are great tiles, they have simply been used too much, and public perception switched to a new bathroom trend – large tiles. This is where the current trend is heading, larger and larger tiles, and if we were to predict the future, soon it’s going to be a trend for installing large slabs. It is already on its way.
Heavy Furniture-Like Vanities
Heavy furniture-like vanities were once prized for their style and traditional construction. Clients were seeking a solid wood vanity on free-standing legs with heavy granite countertops. In today’s clean and somewhat modern bathroom interior design trend, those types of vanities are outdated and fit the retro bathroom style.
They make the space look old and heavy. On top of that, they often came with a significant price. Instead, these days homeowners are looking for a clean and functional vanity for their bathroom renovation. Often we find vanities with simple features and lots of storage space are being desired. From floor-mount vanities to a wall-mount vanity, simplicity and clean looks are a new standard for bathroom vanities.
Corner Drop-In Tubs
Corner drop-in tubs were once a popular choice for those with a larger bathroom to maximize the size of the tub. Some of them were so big you could host a hot tub party in them. However, their awkward and retro bathroom appearance now feels out of place. Very often they were used as the main tub in a 3-piece bathroom and would take up most of the floor space.
The bathroom interior design trend today sees more free standing glass showers to free up space that would also fit a freestanding tub spa. Discover how you can turn your old 3-piece bathroom into a more functional 4-piece bathroom with a shower. Contact iBathrooms today.
Acrylic Shower Stalls
Acrylic shower stalls were once favored for their affordability and quick installation. However, their cheap and flimsy construction, short lifespan, and overall cheap looks now detract from the overall aesthetic of the bathroom.
Acrylic shower stalls are still being installed by a new home builder and as quickly as they are installed they are replaced by the homeowners for a much nicer shower with tiled walls. You get more space and a more modern bathroom design.
Related Article: 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid During a Bathroom Renovation
Leave Old Bathroom Trends in the Past – Look to the Future
While it’s essential to add your style to your bathroom renovation, it’s equally important to avoid making a mistake and falling for outdated bathroom ideas. By steering clear of these seven once-popular but now obsolete trends, you can create a timeless and classy bathroom interior design. Your bathroom renovation is an investment for your home and lifestyle. Do it once and do it right with iBathrooms.