What Will Bathrooms Look Like in 2022?
Taps, tiles, tubs... Discover which trends the experts predict will be big in our bathrooms this year
Will baths be making a comeback in 2022 and what style of taps are hot right now? And how about tiles and wall finishes? Or colours and materials? Four professionals give us their insights into what homeowners are asking for in their bathing spaces.
Professional insights from: Emma Merry of Emma Merry Styling; Olga Alexeeva of Black & Milk; Omar Bhatti of Space Shack; Natasha Burton of NB Interiors
More in this series: What Will Kitchens Look Like in 2022? l What Will Living Rooms Look Like in 2022? l What Will Bedrooms Look Like in 2022?
Professional insights from: Emma Merry of Emma Merry Styling; Olga Alexeeva of Black & Milk; Omar Bhatti of Space Shack; Natasha Burton of NB Interiors
More in this series: What Will Kitchens Look Like in 2022? l What Will Living Rooms Look Like in 2022? l What Will Bedrooms Look Like in 2022?
Bespoke shower trays
Wetrooms and walk-in showers are still popular with clients, Omar says, and to create a luxury, boutique hotel look, designers are getting creative with shower trays.
“A good shower is still key in bathrooms and clients still want something that’s powerful,” he says, “but we’re moving away from standard shower trays; they’re now available in different materials, such as stone.
“In cases where you can’t have a flat, walk-in shower, such as in a new build if the piping has already been laid,” Omar continues, “you can now get a slimline, tile-over shower tray, which allows you to lay microcement on top or to tile over it. So although you still have a step, it’s clad in a nice, luxurious material.”
Wetrooms and walk-in showers are still popular with clients, Omar says, and to create a luxury, boutique hotel look, designers are getting creative with shower trays.
“A good shower is still key in bathrooms and clients still want something that’s powerful,” he says, “but we’re moving away from standard shower trays; they’re now available in different materials, such as stone.
“In cases where you can’t have a flat, walk-in shower, such as in a new build if the piping has already been laid,” Omar continues, “you can now get a slimline, tile-over shower tray, which allows you to lay microcement on top or to tile over it. So although you still have a step, it’s clad in a nice, luxurious material.”
Natural materials
Both Omar and Olga have seen more interest in natural materials in bathroom design, and predict stone and wood featuring heavily in 2022.
“The bathroom is all about stone,” says Omar, who’s noted more interest in marble basins.
Olga agrees, but adds, “In terms of natural stone, limestone and travertine are perhaps better suited to a bathroom, as they are softer and warmer than marble.
“People are also using wood a lot in the bathroom,” she continues, “whether it’s a vanity unit or a wooden duckboard on top of the shower tray, so you’re standing on a natural material.”
“Mixing [materials] is key,” Omar adds.
Both Omar and Olga have seen more interest in natural materials in bathroom design, and predict stone and wood featuring heavily in 2022.
“The bathroom is all about stone,” says Omar, who’s noted more interest in marble basins.
Olga agrees, but adds, “In terms of natural stone, limestone and travertine are perhaps better suited to a bathroom, as they are softer and warmer than marble.
“People are also using wood a lot in the bathroom,” she continues, “whether it’s a vanity unit or a wooden duckboard on top of the shower tray, so you’re standing on a natural material.”
“Mixing [materials] is key,” Omar adds.
Bold taps and tiles
Plain tiles and understated taps are set to make way for bolder styles and braver choices in 2022, say our professionals.
“People are being a bit braver with tile options,” Natasha Burton says. “There are so many fab shapes and colours, that people are thinking a bit more outside the box with finishes and colours and aiming for a higher-end look than they maybe would have done a few years ago.”
Taps are also becoming more of a feature, Omar adds. “Wall-mounted taps are still a thing” he says, but clients are now looking for “bolder and more chunky styles”.
In need of bathroom inspiration? Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz.
Plain tiles and understated taps are set to make way for bolder styles and braver choices in 2022, say our professionals.
“People are being a bit braver with tile options,” Natasha Burton says. “There are so many fab shapes and colours, that people are thinking a bit more outside the box with finishes and colours and aiming for a higher-end look than they maybe would have done a few years ago.”
Taps are also becoming more of a feature, Omar adds. “Wall-mounted taps are still a thing” he says, but clients are now looking for “bolder and more chunky styles”.
In need of bathroom inspiration? Find a local bathroom designer on Houzz.
Layered lighting
Bathroom lighting is becoming more sophisticated and homeowners are requesting layers of light, much as in the rest of the home, say the professionals.
“People are much more aware of the lighting in a bathroom now,” Olga says. “People want to create different atmospheres, and they understand that when you’re getting ready to go to work, you need one type of light, while in the evening, you need to use different lighting.”
“We say, ‘Look at the bathroom with your living room eyes,’” Emma Merry explains. “You usually have layers of light in a living room, so you need the same in the bathroom.” She suggests this could mean functional lighting over the vanity unit and the shower combined with a layer of mood lighting, which could be motion-sensor lights at floor level, plus another layer of dimmable task lighting.
Bathroom lighting is becoming more sophisticated and homeowners are requesting layers of light, much as in the rest of the home, say the professionals.
“People are much more aware of the lighting in a bathroom now,” Olga says. “People want to create different atmospheres, and they understand that when you’re getting ready to go to work, you need one type of light, while in the evening, you need to use different lighting.”
“We say, ‘Look at the bathroom with your living room eyes,’” Emma Merry explains. “You usually have layers of light in a living room, so you need the same in the bathroom.” She suggests this could mean functional lighting over the vanity unit and the shower combined with a layer of mood lighting, which could be motion-sensor lights at floor level, plus another layer of dimmable task lighting.
Microcement and limewash walls
Wall treatments were top of mind among designers, with polished plaster, microcement and limewash all set to make a splash in 2022.
“We’re using limewash on walls in bathrooms now,” Olga says. “It’s a natural material that’s water resistant and creates a tadelakt [Moroccan plaster] effect. We also use a lot of microcement”.
“Microcement is definitely not going anywhere,” Omar agrees. “As opposed to grey tones, I see more beiges and earthier shades and also brighter, bolder colours, such as pinks, blues and greens.”
Wall treatments were top of mind among designers, with polished plaster, microcement and limewash all set to make a splash in 2022.
“We’re using limewash on walls in bathrooms now,” Olga says. “It’s a natural material that’s water resistant and creates a tadelakt [Moroccan plaster] effect. We also use a lot of microcement”.
“Microcement is definitely not going anywhere,” Omar agrees. “As opposed to grey tones, I see more beiges and earthier shades and also brighter, bolder colours, such as pinks, blues and greens.”
Targeted heating zones
Heating was a hot topic among our professionals, who all noted new ways of targeting specific areas of the bathroom in order to cut down on cost and environmental impact, and also to save wall space.
“Towel radiators are changing in my opinion,” Omar says. “You can get single heated rods now [as opposed to ladder-style towel rails].” These can provide targeted heat without taking up too much wall space, which is useful in a small room. “They’re not meant to heat up the room,” he adds, “they just heat the towels.”
Underfloor heating is also changing, with a more patchwork approach being favoured by professionals. “Lots of clients love underfloor heating,” Emma says, “but [with electric underfloor heating] the cost of running it can be expensive, so we look at targeted heating zones.” This, she explains, is the practice of heating just specific high-traffic areas, such as the floor in front of the vanity unit or next to the bath, with the rest of the floor remaining unheated.
Olga also sees underfloor heating being used strategically and quotes the example of a recent bathroom project where it was extended up into the wall, removing the need for heated towel rails entirely.
Heating was a hot topic among our professionals, who all noted new ways of targeting specific areas of the bathroom in order to cut down on cost and environmental impact, and also to save wall space.
“Towel radiators are changing in my opinion,” Omar says. “You can get single heated rods now [as opposed to ladder-style towel rails].” These can provide targeted heat without taking up too much wall space, which is useful in a small room. “They’re not meant to heat up the room,” he adds, “they just heat the towels.”
Underfloor heating is also changing, with a more patchwork approach being favoured by professionals. “Lots of clients love underfloor heating,” Emma says, “but [with electric underfloor heating] the cost of running it can be expensive, so we look at targeted heating zones.” This, she explains, is the practice of heating just specific high-traffic areas, such as the floor in front of the vanity unit or next to the bath, with the rest of the floor remaining unheated.
Olga also sees underfloor heating being used strategically and quotes the example of a recent bathroom project where it was extended up into the wall, removing the need for heated towel rails entirely.
Water saving
The quest for sustainability is driving change in bathroom design, with more water-saving devices set to make an entrance in 2022.
“I get asked quite a lot about water saving, especially when clients have a large family, so we need to work out how we can be clever about it,” says Emma, who lists this as a big trend for 2022.
“It’s already been a big thing in the commercial world; many hotels are very much invested in this, and they cap the flow rates on their showers for example,” she continues.
“One piece of technology I’m seeing appear more in residential projects is a closed-loop shower system that recycles the water,” she says. “In the next five years, I think this technology is going to have a big push forwards, because the market is asking for it.”
Tell us…
Do you agree with these predictions? Is there anything we’ve missed? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
The quest for sustainability is driving change in bathroom design, with more water-saving devices set to make an entrance in 2022.
“I get asked quite a lot about water saving, especially when clients have a large family, so we need to work out how we can be clever about it,” says Emma, who lists this as a big trend for 2022.
“It’s already been a big thing in the commercial world; many hotels are very much invested in this, and they cap the flow rates on their showers for example,” she continues.
“One piece of technology I’m seeing appear more in residential projects is a closed-loop shower system that recycles the water,” she says. “In the next five years, I think this technology is going to have a big push forwards, because the market is asking for it.”
Tell us…
Do you agree with these predictions? Is there anything we’ve missed? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Sponsored
Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore
Relaxation seems to be the key word for interiors in 2022, and the bathroom is no exception, with homeowners requesting a cocooning space in which to unwind. Both Olga Alexeeva and Omar Bhatti have seen a rise in requests for baths and predict this will increase in 2022.
“A lot more people are taking more baths,” Omar says, “and the focus is on relaxing and unwinding.”
“In general, relaxation is the key element now for all the rooms in a home,” Olga adds. “People are more aware of their mental health and the importance of relaxation and mediation.”
Squeezing in a bath can be tricky in a smaller space, “but if there’s a chance, people are asking to have a tub, which is a bit of a change [from previous years],” Olga says.