At the beginning of every new year, there’s excitement in the air to tackle some home renovation projects to bring a fresh start in our homes! An updated bathroom is on every homeowner’s wish list - whether that's a total overhaul to turn your bathroom into a personal spa or a quick refresh with new tiles for a shower upgrade. Check out Tile Club’s picks for the hottest 2022 bathroom trends in terms of design and functionality before you plan out your new remodel!
“The bathroom is a hyper functional space that’s becoming increasingly cherished as a place for retreat and regeneration,” says Tom Dixon, an internationally renowned interior designer. “It used to be seen as something secret and hidden, but it’s following the kitchen in becoming a place that you’re proud of, that you invest in and that you want to have an attitude."
Although bathroom design trends for 2022 are vast and varied, the unifying theme is the excitement to create a space “you love to be in”. Material choices including our wall and floor tiles will channel a sense of comfort and personality, while turning our home bathrooms into luxurious, spa-like spaces. And given that 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, there’s no surprise that bathrooms will slowly become bolder, wilder, more rebellious and regal than ever before.
Let 2022 be the year you put some effort into upgrading your bathroom! We’ve got you prepared with the newest and most exciting design trends that will be hitting in the new year - from exciting statement walls to stylish storage solutions and beautiful wet room designs. Whatever your style, there's something for every taste in these new trends!
1. Biophilic Bathroom Design
While our instinctive tendency to seek connections with nature is not new, we’ve seen natural bathrooms become one of the fastest growing trends in the last two years, with biophilic design and Japandi (a combination of Japanese zen and Scandinavian hygge styles) leading the way. After being confined to our homes for so long, our ongoing desire to engage with nature inspired the resurgence of natural materials in our bathrooms, from authentic marble subway tile walls to pebble showers and wood-look bathroom floor tiles.
2022 is the time for natural bathroom designs to stay in the spotlight - featuring tiles with organic details to add depth, soul, and visual intrigue to our bathrooms, while mimicking the calming and restorative ambiance of the outdoors.
There’s no denying the relaxing qualities of an organic design, especially when it’s a floor-to-ceiling wall as it’s in this neutral bathroom design! Varying shades of gray wood throughout our Recycled Glass Subway Mosaic Tile In Gray Wood Color gives the space a lived-in vibe while satisfying our need for a connection to the natural world.
Tiles in gentle browns, subtle shades of green, and soft beiges will be trending choices for the ultimate ‘au naturel’ bathroom to provide homeowners with absolute comfort and relaxation. You can bring a taste of the outside indoors with a soothing green ceramic tile shower that can complement rustic to modern bathroom decor, or opt for a white marble tile shower as an elegant way to install a meditative atmosphere while giving your bathroom an upscale hotel look!
Textured Wooden Beige Honeycomb Hexagon Marble Mosaic Tile evokes a sense of harmony with nature in this spacious walk-in shower, with an authentic textured surface that is pleasing to the eyes and slip-resistant under the feet!
While wooden accents play a big role in creating organic charm, hardwood isn’t the best material for bathrooms, but behold… Wood-look tiles are perfect! Wood-effect tiles aren’t necessarily a new phenomenon for bathrooms, but the latest take is to go bold and make them the star of the show rather than a complementary element. Build with the natural beauty of hardwood in your bathroom without worrying about constant humidity and exposure to water - give the showers an all-encompassing warm and sensory experience that reinforces the sense of nature!
2. Designed to Get Wet
The idea of an open floor plan has been so beloved for such a long period of time, and now making its way into the bathrooms as 2022's next big trend: wet rooms. As you may have already guessed, a wet room is a type of open concept bathroom without a separated shower enclosure.
According to HGTV, “Wet rooms continue to be a smart solution for small spaces, but they're also turning up in luxury bathrooms. It's a natural step from the freestanding tub trend which gained momentum a few years ago.”
Using tiles in matching materials on both floors and walls is a good idea to accentuate an extra sense of space in the wet room.
As a wet room is designed completely open without any partitions, this design trend is the perfect opportunity to introduce your favorite colors and patterns with a statement tile wall! Unlock your artistic creativity with a floor-to-ceiling accent wall or tile rug, and zone a specific area in your wet room to make it stand out from the rest of your space. Contrasting the tiles you use on the floor and walls will make a bigger impact - take a cue from this Glossy Gold Hexagon Glass Mosaic Tile statement wall that spotlights the shower area, and makes the bathroom feel like it’s straight out of a five-star hotel!
3. Soothing Curves
Pure White Illusion Mother of Pearl Mosaic Tile adds a luminous quality and a eye-pleasing pattern that brings elegant comfort into this bathroom space.
The other notable trend for 2022 bathrooms is the gentle move away from sharp angles to more curved lines that allows us to inject a soft and soothing vibe to our spaces.
Architectural Digest notes that many of us are still not ready for sharp edges, and that femininity will have an impact on form in 2022, conveyed through rounded details ranging from circular structural elements to gentle curves.
“People are loving a soft line that feels like it wraps you in a hug after being through the hard times that Covid brought on,” says the award-winning interior designer Kim Armstrong, as she speaks about the bathroom trends for 2022. “The curve can be seen in architecture such as doorways, windows, cabinet designs, arched ceilings…and it will also show up in large ways in patterns, whether in fabrics or tile designs.”
Scalloped shapes, arabesque patterns and penny rounds are on the rise for tile designs to evoke nostalgia and comfort in our bathrooms while giving the whole room a more fluid feel.
4. Newstalgia
Speaking of nostalgia - the warm fuzzy feeling of the past is great, but mixing old with new can do so much more. If you ever feel like you want a bathroom that is updated and beautiful, but still feels confident and comfortable with a nod to the past, there’s this trend on the horizon for you - it’s called ‘Newstalgia’! This interior design style is all about harking back to the past using familiar shapes, patterns and materials that give us the feeling of heart-warming nostalgia combined with the comfort of modern-day updates.
Can’t picture it? Take a look at this wet room shower design that features Terrazzo Hex Porcelain Tiles as a nod to the Mid-Century Modern movement of the 1970’s, paired with sleek and modern black matte fixtures. Expect to see our bathrooms take the retro revival and modernize it with luxurious and contemporary finishes. Imagine straight lines of geometric tiles combined with soft architectural curves, chunky and modern concrete countertops sitting comfortably next to wood-look or natural stone tiles for a completely distinctive look.
The number one trick to nailing this look is updating old patterns with new colors, textures and finishes because what’s old can, and should, be made new again! A modern take on the retro penny round pattern, our Mixed Color Bubble Mosaic Tile brings an appealing combination of color and texture to this shower design, and creates the ‘old-meets-new’ look that makes this shower feel both comfortable and unique.
5. The Beauty of Imperfection
Designers agree that one thing’s clear about the future of our bathrooms: they need to feel as good as they look! “We’re finding that clients have become bored with basic paint for wall applications and are now looking for dimension and visual interest,” explains the lead interior designer at Decorilla, Devin Shaffer,in the 2022 Trend Forecast. Textured and 3D wall tiles will take the front seat to bring tactile experience to our surfaces while representing the real beauty of imperfection.
What we see going away in the bathrooms is the idea of sterile and one-dimensional environments often seen as ‘perfection’. In fact, designers agree that reaching that standard can be stressful. Instead, it’s all about appreciating the imperfections and asymmetry found in Mother Nature - tiles with textured finishes and handmade looks will be leading the way in bathroom designs as we continue to turn away from homogenous and smooth polished surfaces.
If 2022 bathroom designs are all about adding an extra dimension and personality to our space, it’s unsurprising that Zellige Tiles are still having a moment! With an unparalleled artisan appearance and refined timelessness, Zellige tiles will continue to be a design favorite for adding sapphire blues, jade greens, blush pinks and lavender blues into our rooms with a very artistic and bohemian appeal.
Our Mallorca green square ceramic tile was chosen for a recent episode of HGTV Fixer to Fabulous to add handmade charm to a renovation for an artistic family who loved the unique surface and soothing color.
6. Show-Stopping Walls
A touch of 3x12 Celestial Sky Glass Tile can do wonders for a shower’s appeal and make a lasting impression as a bathroom feature wall with rich gemstone details!
Although natural colors are having a moment in the bathroom designs for 2022, it doesn’t mean that homeowners will abandon vibrant decor elements altogether!
Personalisation has become the hallmark of bathroom trends - enter bold statement walls that give us the total freedom of trying bold colors, patterns and textures! From mirror glass subway tiles to intriguing floral mosaics, it’s time to break away the predictability of a single color or texture in our bathrooms.
The delicate cherry blossom pattern of our Kasai Sakura 10x60 Rectified Porcelain Tile is a great addition to your shower or bathroom walls to create an attractive wallpaper effect. Best part? There’s no repainting or worrying about staining your floral wallpaper as this porcelain tile is resistant to water, mold and stains no matter where you install!
Taking a color or pattern risk for one statement wall can allow you to keep the most of your space calm and relaxed while at the same time introducing a strong decor element for added interest. With minimal grout lines to visual interruption, large format porcelain tiles are trending for modern statement wall designs, allowing for a more unified and spacious look in small bathrooms while also providing the easiest cleaning routine to keep your tiles clean!
7. Atmospheric Walls
Comfort, cocooning and creating one’s own world is a key theme in 2022 bathrooms. This definitely impacts color choices, and black walls are going to feature heavily for creating a bathroom space that feels relaxing and enveloping with real staying power. If it’s hard to imagine an entire bathroom being black, dark accent walls are much less of an undertaking than designing the whole room in black, while still allowing the bathroom to get a wonderful dramatic effect!
For a pairing that makes a strong appeal, opt for the combination of black tiles and warm metallics - use plumbing and light fixtures in brass, copper or rose gold tones. We love the way our Mallorca Black 4x4 Ceramic Tile makes this washed out bathroom come to life with its moody vibe and authentic handmade look, while creating a beautiful contrast behind the crisp white vanity and rose gold fixtures.
With the right lighting, accent colors, and pops of metallic contrast, it’s easy to add a dash of dark tiles into your bathroom and create a whole new space that feels homey, cozy and atmospheric!
8. Smart and Stylish
An organized home is a happy home, and bathrooms are no exception! 2022 bathrooms will display stylish storage solutions to effectively organize bath essentials, while giving the opportunity to create pleasant designs to look at! Whether that be a shower niche, built-in shower ledge or shelf, tiled storage designs will allow for a personalized design in the bathroom, giving the opportunity to break monotony with a different color, pattern or finish!
Sick of over crammed, messy shower spaces? A double niche design is the perfect space saver for a shower, and the ideal place to display authentic materials on a smaller surface area, letting you try a new style with less commitment. Tile Club Trade Member Jennifer Kizzee Design took things to the next level with a triple niche shower.
You can satisfy your desire for a light and airy decor such as in this shower design with La Riviera White Ceramic Subway Tiles, and then add a creative touch with a colorful tiled niche design. Spanish Siesta Mosaic Tile is the eye-catching decorative feature of this walk-in shower with its vivid colors and detailed pattern that evokes the feeling of Mediterranean vacations!
Varana Morengo Decor textured porcelain tiles deliver a mysterious and dramatic look on the walls, creating the trending atmospheric look for the bathroom space above.
The bathroom is a place for retreat and self-care, now becoming more like any other living space rather than a cold white laboratory-style environment. Spending more time at home has made our bathrooms become almost like a personal spa, a space in which we can really enjoy moments of privacy and wellbeing.
If you still haven’t given your bathroom the upgrade it deserves, these hottest tile trends will help you get it done right! Make a note of these 8 bathroom trends, and contact us when you’re ready to hit refresh on your bathroom with beautiful new tiles!
