As home renovation season arrives, the top bathroom trends for 2022 will transform this often-forgotten design space into a true spa oasis.
Whether you are looking to make a few improvements to the functionality or are ready to take on a full renovation, these tips, and design trends will add elegance and harmony to your bathroom.
Taps founder Alan Bloch has been helping homeowners transform their bathrooms for nearly 40 years. He has seen every bathroom trend come and go, but the one thing that remains the same is the need to create a modern space.
He says recent bathroom trends have been as diverse as the homeowners themselves. The pursuit of a unique design that reflects the homeowner’s taste remains a constant. However, he notes there are a few design and technology components that continue to be at the top of every homeowner’s wish list.
“Freestanding tubs are a go-to, whether they be oval or rectangles. The emphasis is on very symmetric shapes,” he says, adding he believes new home design trends, particularly in the condo market, have led to a shift to smaller bathtubs. “For maximum space usage, these often look best at a 45-degree angle.”
With limited space for larger tubs, condo owners are looking for alternative ways to create the spa-like tub experience of larger homes with smaller square footage. The result has been a wave of homeowners abandoning the concept of stall-style tubs in favour of smaller high-sided stand-alone designs, with the tub becoming a focal design point of the bathroom.
He adds even in smaller spaces, bathtubs remain an important sales feature. “People are more inclined to have a bathtub in their home for resale value,” he says.
In larger homes, Bloch says he is seeing trends continue toward creating in-home spas with separate shower stalls that come with added features such as steam and sauna functions. He says the most popular designs for principal bathrooms include a frameless door and a seating bench moulded into the tile work for maximum comfort.
Golden touch
Bloch says colour trends are moving away from the traditional white finishes in favour of high-gloss black and matte black finishes. “We are also seeing a lot of homeowners exploring textured finishes in a wide realm of custom colours.”
Homeowners are also finding subtle ways to add glam to their bathrooms, while avoiding the brash looks of the 1980s. They’re choosing brushed gold in a soft flat finish.
Bloch says the gold trend continues to be present in all aspects of bathroom fittings and accessories. He says he is seeing bath-fitting designers developing their unique take on gold, giving each company its distinct trademark look. A standard gold finish is a thing of the past as manufacturers look to create bespoke designs to attract discerning homeowners.
“Golds are starting to vary depending on manufacturer, hue and texture, and they are becoming very specific to the vendors,” he says.
Homeowners looking to add subtle detail to their bathroom renovation project need to look no further than the stunning industrial designs emerging in 2022. Vanity faucets feature round handles and wheel designs, while spouts are reaching higher with gooseneck designs that improve functionality.
Toilets are also reaching new heights as homeowners move away from traditional floor-mounted bowls in favour of wall-mounted designs. Bloch says this trend has been taken one step further with the elimination of levers and flushes in exchange for hidden push buttons that seamlessly blend into the wall and auto-flush mechanisms, creating a more minimalist look.
The recent pandemic has also led to change in how homeowners approach keeping their bathrooms clean. Bloch says he has seen a significant uptick in the number of homeowners who want self-cleaning toilets that also include air purifier functions.
Personal taste
Getting ready in the morning is no longer an arduous task, thanks to a shift toward high-functioning vanities.
Porcelain, quartz and stone remain popular design choices in 2022, however, Bloch adds there is more customization to the overall design of bathroom pieces such as custom sink designs and the inclusion of matching bathroom accessories in the overall design scheme.
“Vanities have moved away from pedestal sinks to a full range of cabinetry. Just like the trend with toilets, many homeowners are also choosing wall-mounted vanities,” he says, adding vanities are now furniture pieces with homeowners taking great care to choose the right materials to blend into the rest of their home design.
He advises homeowners to treat a bathroom renovation with the same attention to quality and detail as they would any other room in their home so they can have a truly spa-like experience in their own home.