Even to the untrained eye, it’s easy to spot a dated bathroom. Features like foiled wallpaper, burnt sienna tile, and honey-wood vanities are often dead giveaways of the ghosts of bathroom trends past. But what about the less obvious things that detract from a modern-day bathroom? Are there subtle stylistic choices that should be avoided for a remodel? According to interior designers and home experts across the country, the answer is yes. Ahead, they reveal the seven bathroom trends that could be making your space unpleasantly out of style.
1. A matchy-matchy look
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According to Ashley Ferguson of Ashley Ferguson Interiors, nothing dates a bathroom faster than overly matchy, mass-produced selections. She asks, “Remember when the wood tone from the vanity ‘had’ to match the mirror's wood frame? Or when all the metal finishes ‘had’ to be the exact same? Those days are gone, and thoughtful selections and custom features are in.” Ferguson argues that a bathroom’s design, like any room in the home, should be an interplay of textures, colors, and materials that complement one another in a fresh way.
2. Subway tiles
This ubiquitous tile may only belong in one spot: subway stations. “At one point, subway tile was a big bathroom design trend, but its overuse and minimalist design has made the feature feel outdated,” says Newport Beach, California–based interior designer Lindye Galloway. “While the tile can be great for maintaining cohesion, it doesn’t add anything exciting or eye-catching to the space, especially compared to the unique colors, patterns, and textures of the styles we’re seeing more of in bathrooms nowadays.”
3. Old vanity lights
You know those bulbous lights perched above a bathroom mirror? Time to nix those, says Mackenzie Wood, partner and lead designer at Tribe Design Group in Austin. “Personally I hate any lighting over a mirror; it’s just not flattering!” she says. “So I usually opt for sconces at face height instead in our designs.”
4. All-white or all-beige palettes
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Neutrals are officially out in favor of color and style. “The glaring bathroom trend that gives me the ick is all-white bathrooms,” says Shamika Lynch, owner of Maximizing Tiny Interiors. “The all-white bathroom is the staple of builder-grade homes. It looks good enough to get by at first, then quickly exposes all the scum and grime you’ll try desperately to hide no matter how often you clean.” She explains this look appears uninteresting and cold, not to mention it doesn’t age well after years of use.
Ferguson points out that all-beige bathrooms are equally unsightly. “Straight from the ’90s, beige-on-beige bathroom color palettes are a thing of the past,” she says. “No longer are we interested in lifeless beige floor tiles paired with honey oak vanities. If you love lighter tones, try some neutral patterned tile with white oak instead.”
5. Shiplap
Even if you love it, shiplap is representative of a certain era—the 2010s. “Much to our dismay, shiplap has been suggested by some contractors,” say Mary Flo Ouellette and Steven Santosuosso, cofounders of Squarehouse Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts. “The only place this doesn’t look dated almost immediately is a beach house.”
6. Acrylic tub-shower combos
Acrylic tub and shower combos are a go-to builder-grade choice for a reason. They’re a no-no for Brooke Wilbratte, founder and lead designer at Tribe Design Group. Still, there are watch-outs for tiled showers too, warns Wood. “Also, tile in the shower that doesn't go all the way to the ceiling is instantly dated to me,” she says. “Bring it and your eye all the way up!”
7. Gray faux-wood flooring
Much like beige and white are unfavorable palettes these days, gray is an unwelcome choice for finishes. Ouellette rejects gray on gray, particularly gray wood flooring and vanities. “Natural wood always stands the test of time over gray washes and stains.”
