The first quarter of a century is coming to a close, and you are about to herald in the next 25 years with a bathroom design upgrade. iBathroom, Ottawa’s premier bathroom contractors, has gathered some of the most significant upcoming trends in 2026 bathrooms: freestanding tubs, earth tones, steam showers, and more. In this blog, we will describe the bathroom ideas to transform your bathroom into your own home spa.
- List of Spa Bathroom Ideas to Explore
- Add pops of colour with towels, rugs, and artwork
- Hang a large mirror to create the illusion of a bigger space
- Incorporate a bidet for increased hygiene and water conservation
- Use a vessel sink on top of a vanity or countertop for a modern look
- Install dimmer switches to create a relaxing ambiance
- Consider incorporating smart technology like a heated toilet seat or hands-free faucet
- Inspired by these Bathroom Ideas to Transform Your Bathroom?
List of Spa Bathroom Ideas to Explore
Bathroom trends change, but creating a calming, spa-like space never goes out of style. If you’re thinking about renovating soon, you might be curious about the ideas expected to make an impact in 2026. From soothing finishes to thoughtful upgrades, let’s explore the spa bathroom features that are gaining attention.
Colour Palettes – Earth Tones, Rich Blues, Soft Pastels
There are a few different directions suggested as a change from the sterile feeling of the all white style of the recent past. Earth tones of beige, soft green, or terracotta with creamy undertones are suggested as one direction that colours are going for 2026. Deep, rich blues instead of icy blue of recent years bring a spa like feel. Sage, mossy, or eucalyptus greens contrast with natural woods and stone to bring the outdoors inside. These warm and calming earthy tones are reminiscent of a sun-drenched Mediterranean environment and help to evoke an inner harmony.
Dark Wood Tones for Vanities
Dark woods, like walnut or dark-stained oak, are making a comeback in vanities. These warm and moody wood tones provide a deep rich spirit to the room and make a strong contrast with the room’s colour palette. Sustainable materials for vanities are also trending for 2026 with choices in bamboo, reclaimed wood, and natural stone. Custom made vanities can be combined with natural stone countertops to make a durable, beautiful, and functional design statement.
Mixing Metals
The trend in 2026 will move away from having the same type of metals used for faucets, drawer pulls, towel racks, and more. The same style of metal, such as stainless steel or chrome, used for all fixtures and accent elements in a bathroom is becoming stale. Mixing polished nickel with other elements such as a brushed gold add a personal flair to the room. Brass, copper, and gold are coming back and match with earth tones to make a unique but compatible overall look. To achieve an intentional and cohesive style, each of the colours should be used twice.
A Tub with a View
One of the saucier suggestions that is trending for 2026 is having a bathtub with a view to the outside. Obviously, this may not work for a lower floor resident of an apartment complex. However, for a spa-like connection to nature for those with an outstanding view of the outdoors as well as privacy solutions, this can be a comforting refuge from the day-to-day. This standalone feature in a bathroom denotes a connection to nature and natural light to improve mood as well as providing impressive evidence of modern architectural style.
Microcement Floor Surfaces
Micro-cement on the floor makes a seamless, waterproof and almost maintenance free surface ideal for spa-like bathrooms as seamless surfaces are on the rise for 2026. Smaller bathrooms appear larger with a seamless surface, and micro-cement is waterproof, durable, extremely versatile and can be a money saver during renovations.
Sustainable Materials
Sustainable materials are also trending for 2026 with choices in bamboo, reclaimed wood, and off-cuts of natural stone. Sustainability has become essential in bathroom remodelling, and moving to ecologically conscious choices has made the trend of connecting with nature easier and more environmentally friendly.
Natural Materials
A fashionable, spa-like feeling can be found with natural materials that bring warmth and texture to your own bathroom. Handmade tiles of terracotta, brick, marble for floors and walls, and woods such as walnut and oak for vanities and accents connect you with the feeling of nature in your own home.
Adding Plants to Connect to Nature
Your bathroom takes a step closer to feeling like a spa with the addition of natural vegetation. This could a vertical garden to save space or a humidity loving plant like a Prayer Plant to bring nature inside. More than just spa-like decor, plants can assist in improving air quality and humidity control.
Adding a eucalyptus plant during a steam bath will release lung-clearing freshness into the air. Succulents and hanging plants also do well in bathrooms, cleaning the air and creating a bright, cozy ambiance to your space.
Soaking Tubs
To bring deep muscle relief, a soak in a deep tub can deliver soothing heat to all muscle groups. Rising in popularity for 2026, deep-set tubs, such as the Japanese ofuro style, allow you to relax submerged up to the neck for sustained heating and muscle relaxation for the entire body.
Bidet Toilets
A combination of a bidet and toilet is a significant luxury bathroom trend for 2026. Consumers are increasingly requesting this fusion for the sense of luxury especially when integrated with technology. Also seen as accessible and eco-friendly, advancements in features make them more hygienic and comfortable than a standard toilet.
AI and Smart Mirrors
Acting as an interactive focal point, smart mirrors not only contain common features such as adaptive lighting. They are now available with HD integrated displays that allow connectivity to news, weather reports, and more. With motion sensors and touchless controls, AI mirrors are on the way to becoming a spa bathroom essential.
Hand-Painted Tiles
For 2026, hand-painted tiles are taking the place of boldly coloured, mass produced tiles. These tiles focus on the artistry and personality of the artisan and their use of subtle and muted tile patterns. These unique tiles can be best used as an accent wall or for emphasis around the room.
Heated Floors
Usually added during construction, heated floors are also a possibility for existing bathrooms. Electric mats or retrofitted radiant panels can be placed in or on the floor with a new seamless surface lain on top. The atmosphere becomes more in keeping with a spa-like environment with radiating heat filling the room from below.
Heated Benches
Along with heated floors, heated benches are a growing trend for 2026 for that luxurious feeling in a spa-like aesthetic bathroom. Consistent warmth from a heated bench surface incorporated in a steam shower elevates the experience. Heated benches are seen as an accessibility feature that members of the family of all ages can enjoy and relax on.
Dual Vanities
Practical and with expanded, integrated storage, vanities with two sinks remain a trending feature. Natural woods like oak and walnut combine with natural stone countertops to create a warm and inviting look. Able to accommodate two users at once, dual vanities allow for greater convenience and organization.
Shower Niche
This shelf built into the wall of a steam shower is a spa bathroom essential for keeping your necessities handy without intruding on space. Useful for ease of access and for being low maintenance, a niche is a stylish addition to your shower area. Complete it with accents of hand-painted tile and your bathroom trends upwards towards luxurious.
Install a rain shower head for a spa-like experience
You shower every day, so why not make it a more relaxing experience with the installation of a rain shower head. This style of the shower head allows water to gently cascade over your body which creates a relaxing massage experience.
Many modern shower heads have several settings that allow you to transition between a gentle rain to a more powerful jet.
Add pops of colour with towels, rugs, and artwork
Contrast muted and earthy tones with a pop of colour. This can be in the form of accessories such as towels, rugs, or artwork. Design a bathroom around a theme or certain colour, taking inspiration from the colour of your tiles or the marbling of your countertop, then add complementary and contrasting colours to create a palette that is bold but chic. Blues, greens, and yellows are great choices for bathrooms. You can also choose a bold patterned wallpaper to give your bathroom a new, edgy look.
Incorporate storage solutions, such as shelving or a medicine cabinet, to keep a clutter-free space.
It’s easy for bathrooms to become cluttered with toiletries, towels, and hair care appliances. That’s why it’s important to include storage solutions that will keep your space organized. When developing your bathroom reno plan, think about all the items that you use in your daily routine. Build storage so that they are easily accessible. This may include items like:
- Makeup
- Wash cloths
- Razors
- Cotton buds
- Toilet paper
Once you have decided on the best location for storage of these items, then design your cabinetry and shelving to reflect maximum use of space, while ensuring that everything is carefully hidden from view.
Hang a large mirror to create the illusion of a bigger space
Sometimes, the bathroom can be one of the smallest rooms in the house. A large mirror can help make your space look bigger by reflecting light and giving the illusion of more room.
A large vanity mirror is a great place to start. Complement this with a glass shower enclosure to help maximize light and give your space a large, spa-like quality.
Incorporate a bidet for increased hygiene and water conservation
Popular in Europe, bidets are not just practical, but also a great way to save on water and paper. Bidets are hygienic and use less water than toilets.
They also reduce the amount of paper created in the bathroom. Most can be installed in just a few minutes and hook up to your toilet’s existing plumbing in a snap.
Use a vessel sink on top of a vanity or countertop for a modern look
Add a dynamic architectural element to your sink with the addition of a vessel sink.
Choose from stunning materials like marble, granite, and quartz and give your bathroom a hotel-inspired feel.
Install dimmer switches to create a relaxing ambiance
For a truly relaxing and romantic experience in the bathroom, consider adding dimmer switches to your lights. This will allow you to set the mood, whether you want to relax in a hot tub at the end of the day or enhance the brightness when putting makeup on in the morning.
You can customize your dimmer switches to provide you with varying degrees of brightness, and also change colours from soft pinks to fun blues or golds.
Consider incorporating smart technology like a heated toilet seat or hands-free faucet
Most people are rushed when they are getting ready in the morning. Smart technology can help keep you on track by completing tasks automatically. Features such as a heated toilet seat or hands-free faucet add a level of comfort and functionality that makes getting ready in the morning a breeze. Take your experience a step further with the addition of a smart technology mirror that lets you watch the news, check the weather, and other great features that keep you on time in the morning. Many technological features are not only helpful to you, but to other people in your home or guests. People with accessibility issues will appreciate automatic lights, hands-free technology, and even touchless soap dispensers. Your contractor will be able to provide you with a variety of technology suggestions based on your lifestyle and bathroom renovation goals.
Inspired by these Bathroom Ideas to Transform Your Bathroom?
These upcoming trends for 2026 can be utilized separately or together to help create a spa-like bathroom that you have always wanted in your own home. Take the plunge and welcome in 2026 with a spa-like bathroom built to your specifications by iBathrooms.
Call us today to renovate your home’s bathroom into your own personal spa.
About the Author
Arif
Sales & Customer Experience Lead
Arif is the first friendly face many of our clients meet at iBathrooms. He leads our sales process, handles initial inquiries, and guides homeowners through product selections, ensuring they feel confident and excited about their renovation journey.