Best Bathroom Remodel Ideas for the New Year

Vintage aesthetics have performed a coup in the bathroom space. Everything from bath fixtures to wall treatments is taking inspiration from the eras of the past. Antique brass has never been trendier, and standalone tubs continue to creep onto the pages of décor magazines.

Organic features like stone and exotic woods add a dash of luxury to your aesthetic, but many of the hottest bathroom fashions are entirely practical. Let’s explore the most exciting fads of the season.

Wet room bathrooms

With the ever-conscientious Generation Y entering the housing market, it’s only natural that accessibility would be a dominant trend. In the past, wheelchair access was provided through rail-free doors and walk-in tubs. While the latter are still popular, wet rooms are attracting most of the attention.

These waterproofed bathrooms place the shower at floor level, combating dampness by sealing all porous surfaces with a waterproof membrane. A well-designed wet room is seamless, leaving no room for mildew and rot. Wet rooms can be fitted with toilets and cabinetry provided they’re water-resistant. For that reason, wall-hung toilets and cabinets are excellent choices. Wet room floors cope with plenty of moisture, so alcoves and recesses are often used to combat the problem.

Spa bathrooms

Luxury bathroom features have reached the middle of their price-skimming journey, so they’re finally affordable enough for residential use. If you adore spoiling yourself, this renovation will upgrade your lifestyle exponentially. Spa features include:

Steam showers
Towel heaters
Underfloor heating
Whirlpool tubs
Air massage jets.

If you want to immerse yourself in the full spa experience, you might want to add bamboo blinds, aromatherapy candles, and LED lighting. Luxury should engage all your senses, after all.

Smart technologies

Smart homes have been all the rage for years, but bathrooms have lagged behind until recently. These days, you can at last enjoy the automation of a digitally-connected space. Faucets can operate with the wave of a hand.

Showers can turn on automatically the moment you walk through the door, and you can even program your temperature settings by each family member in the home. Smart bathrooms connect to your phone so that you can customize your features on-the-go.

Vintage bathrooms

If you’re more concerned with aesthetics than you are practicality, vintage-inspired bathrooms are sure to excite you. Copper dominates here, as do clawfoot tubs. You can add a vintage flare to your walls with vinyl, which can masquerade as any organic material. Faux antique brass will provide a pop of color, giving austere spaces an extra dose of homeliness.

Moroccan Zellige tiles can add rustic flare to walk-in showers. They’re typically hand made and fired in a kiln, so their longevity makes the extra investment worthwhile.

Accessible features

Multi-generational homes have become a common feature in suburbia, so families all over the US are remodeling their bathrooms for the older generations. You don’t need a wet room in order to create an accessible space. Walk-in tubs and curbless showers are equally practical. Shower controls are a handy finishing touch.

Voice and gesture-controlled faucets will give arthritic hands a break and are decidedly more beautiful than traditional ADA-compliant designs. Overhead lighting will enhance safety while adding layers to your décor. Who says accessible bathrooms can’t be beautiful?

Hidden-tank toilets

Yesterday’s toilet designs tend to predominate the room, so why not replace yours with a hidden tank design? It’s sleek enough for even the most minimalistic space and is particularly useful in small rooms.

Water-efficient renovations

Efficient plumbing helps to maintain aquatic biomes and safeguard drinking water resources, so the EPA encourages all homeowners to do their part in participating in the WaterSense movement. You can save $110 a year by using low-flow toilets alone.

They have a lifespan of up to 30 years, so they’ll pay for themselves in the form of reduced lifetime expenses. WaterSense faucets will decrease your water flow by at least 30%. That adds up to a saving of 700 gallons a year for the average household.

Floor treatments

A new floor will elevate your entire bathroom design. Mosaics and grout-free tiles have raced into showrooms all over the world for their slick elegance and ease-of-maintenance. Faux wood and cork will add a rustic flavor if you prefer a farmhouse look. Vinyl has been turning heads this year because it can mimic all the organic textures you can’t afford.

Automation has revolutionized American bathrooms, but it’s more than just luxurious—it’s an intensely practical way to save water and provide disability access.

Your latest renovation might seem expensive at the outset, but they could offer enough return on investment to pay for themselves. Modern bathrooms are high-tech wonderlands. They’re easy, elegant, and Wi-Fi connected, so the next time you take a shower, ask Alexa to take care of the details.

Need help with a tub or shower conversion? Contact 1-800-HANSONS for a free bath estimate today*