The latest bathroom trends for 2016

Last Updated Mar 4, 2016 · Written by Kat Tate

Bathrooms

Are you building a new bathroom or renovating your bathroom this year? If so, have a look at seven of the latest bathroom trends for 2016. Incorporate a few of these ideas into your bathroom design and you'll have a more stylish and functional bathroom.

Freestanding Baths and Vessel Sinks

Freestanding baths and vessel sinks have been a growing trend. It looks like 2016 is the year when they will be the first choice for new bathrooms and bathroom renovations. Some homeowners choose one or the other, but more are choosing both, since they complement each other so well in the bathroom.

Timber and Timber Accents

Timber is being used in a number of creative ways in the bathroom. A timber vanity bench can give a modern bathroom the touch of nature it needs to be a warm and inviting space. Timber wall panels, a timber-framed mirror or even a timber or timber-look floor are also popular. Properly sealed and finished, many types of timber will stand up to the wet conditions in the bathroom.

Bathroom Gardens

The bathroom is a private area, but by adding an outdoor privacy screen, you can have your privacy and a view of the outdoors. Your garden can be lush and green or simply have a garden feature as its focal point. Either way, you get natural light in the bathroom and a greater sense of spaciousness in a small bathroom.

Metallic Touches

For decades, most bathrooms had chrome plated faucets and other fittings. We're moving away from that in 2016. Both modern and period-style bathroom fittings are available in bronze, brass and other metallic colours. They can be bright and shiny or antiqued. Chrome will always be with us, but a few metallic touches in the bathroom can make a stylish difference.

Mood Lighting

The days of having just one overhead light in the bathroom are behind us. Mood lighting in the bathroom became a trend when bathroom designers started looking at the bathroom as a spa rather than a utilitarian room. You will appreciate the difference when you turn on your soft lighting before you step into the bath for a relaxing soak.

Lighting Fixtures

Lighting design consultants have been rethinking bathroom lighting for years. Their innovative lighting solutions have caught on and in 2016, there is no dividing line between bathroom lighting fixtures and other home lighting fixtures. Pendant lights or a chandelier might be just what your bathroom needs. Why settle for sconces designed strictly for the bathroom when something more stylish may be the perfect finishing touch to your bathroom design?

Shower Combinations

Sometimes you want to take a relaxing shower. At other times, you need a good scrub. Having a larger shower enclosure and a combination of shower fixtures allows you to fine-tune your shower to your needs. What's stopping you from having the choice between a cascade of water coming from a ceiling-mounted shower head and a more utilitarian wall-mounted shower head?

These are seven of the most popular bathroom trends for 2016, but if one trend stands out, it's the trend towards making the bathroom a luxurious spa. For more inspiration, visit our Bathroom Design Ideas pages.