While we know well that good design outlasts fads, no one can resist a good trend prediction. So, we’re here to separate the good from the bad and deliver you the 2023 design trends we actually think will have legs. Now that we’ve covered color trends, kitchen trends, living room trends, and design trends in general (whew!), we’re honing in on one of the more private rooms in the home: the bath. Although bathrooms often go overlooked, they’re a necessary part of any home—and, as the place where we often begin the day, they should set us up for success. So, we’ve pored over recent home tours and consulted experts to see what makes sense for bathrooms in 2023. Read on for our favorite bathroom trends to incorporate in the year ahead.
Small powder rooms are the perfect places to experiment with bold color and pattern, like Katie Ridder did in this Manhattan apartment. The small square footage gives a pattern extra drama, and creates a visual surprise for your guests. As wallpaper continues its newfound popularity into next year, we predict a steady rise of eye-popping powder baths.
Spurred by the combined forces of production delays for new furniture and an eye towards sustainability, vintage and antiques are enjoying newfound popularity. We especially love the creative ways designers incorporate them into bathrooms, like Victoria Ford did with an antique chest that she retrofitted as a vanity using a vintage sink.
Fluting is one of the biggest trends on our radar right now, and the look has myriad uses in a bathroom, whether on cabinet drawers, like Huma Sulaiman did here, or with fluted edges on countertops, detailing on backsplashes, and more.
Speaking of fluting, we’re anticipating a rise in millwork details of all kinds. Designer Nina Carbone predicted more detailed cabinetry in kitchens next year, and we’re betting that will move into the bath space too. While you may not go quite as all out as Corey Damen Jenkins did for this “Library Bath,” take this as a sign to add a little oomph to those plain shaker cabinets.
In their primary bathroom for the 2022 Whole Home, Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos created the feel of a luxury hotel with a statement marble (another trend!) and a spacious “wet room” for the shower, including a bench. We love these extended spaces for many reasons: They tend to be more accessible, making them optimal for aging-in-place, plus they enable the bathroom to be more multifunctional, essentially dividing it into separate rooms without breaking it up visually.
Williams and Papadopoulos also hit on another look we anticipate going strong next year: bold marble. Take a lesson from Elizabeth Cooper, who proved in this bathroom that, when used right, a natural stone surface can act as de-facto wallpaper.
When you hear the word “wainscoting” you may envision a 90s-looking beaded half-wall—but today’s designers are making the look chic again. Take this bath by Eneia White, where a typical half-paneled wall gets a modern, graphic spin with vertical subway tile.
Finally, we’re here to break it to you: If you’re not on Team Bidet yet, you should be. Once mostly regarded by Americans as a European eccentricity, bidets have now become mainstream, with brands like Toto offering them up built into high-tech toilets, or companies like Tushy selling versions you can add onto an existing toilet. (Shop the best bidets here).
Hadley Keller
Digital Director
Hadley Keller is House Beautiful’s digital director.
