8 Modern bathroom ideas for 2025 and beyond

Bathrooms should be a haven in the home as a space to relax, disconnect from the outside world and wash your worries away. A tired and dated bathroom isn't conducive to a calming environment, so if the opportunity exists, it's always good to do things to freshen it up. The great news is that many of the modern bathroom ideas that are popular today have timeless qualities and credentials. This means you can feel assured they are long-term solutions that will stand the test of time.

One of the most popular trends in modern bathrooms right now is maximising the use of natural light. Sunlight is known to boost our mood, and natural light can help a space to feel bigger. Many of us also look for ways to bring the outdoors in as we incorporate natural elements into our modern world. Of course, it can be tricky to get lots of natural light into a bathroom without compromising privacy. Many people are installing skylights, which can create a spa-like feel in the bathroom. Others put large, frosted windows in or even install daylight LEDs, which give the impression of natural light

Having worked hard to bring that gorgeous natural light into your bathroom, you hardly want to stop it with walls and screens. These barriers can also make tight spaces feel even smaller, especially around showers and toilets. Instead, many modern homeowners in Australia are installing glass walls and shower screens in their bathrooms. Glass walls can also help to bring a more spa-like feel to your bathroom and keep your spaces open. When maintained, they can add a bit of sparkle that makes your bathroom feel newer without making major changes. If you decide to install a glass wall, use tempered glass, as it will prevent dangerous breaks. The other option is to install a walk-in shower without a door for an open-plan feel, which is especially popular in master bathroom interior design. This immediately elevates a bathroom as a true hallmark of a luxury bathroom.

Related article: 8 sublime bathroom shower ideas for 2024

In addition to bringing in plenty of natural light, many people redo their bathrooms in white. For one, white paint can make spaces feel bigger and cleaner, something many of us want to emphasise in a bathroom. It also allows homeowners to customise their look easily by swapping out accent pieces and wall décor, the idea that most things complement white surroundings. If you plan to paint your bathroom white, choosing the right shade is important. Painting a white room can be risky as it can make a space feel overwhelming and sterile. Instead, select a few shades of white on your wall and look at them during different times of day and in different weather to decide which will work best in your space.

Related article: Our 5 favourite bathroom colours for 2024

Although white bathrooms exist, that doesn’t mean it’s your only option. Many homeowners are adding feature walls that serve as fun pops of character in the room. These walls can be as simple as adding a different paint colour or as elaborate as creating custom designs using unique tiles. If you want something simple, clean, and easy to rework, pick an accent colour you love and paint your feature wall in that shade. You can even use painter’s tape to create fun geometric patterns and add more pizazz. Or find a patterned or natural stone feature tile you love and use this to create a pattern on your feature wall.

Related article: How much does it cost to tile a bathroom in Australia?

You can add a few features to your bathroom that are more eye-catching than a floating vanity. These fixtures are staples of modern bathroom design, and their wall mount design leaves you with an open space underneath. All the plumbing is concealed into the wall behind, leaving you with a clean and tidy area around your basin. A floating vanity can help even small bathrooms feel larger with a real and visual impression of more floor space. However, looking at how your current plumbing runs before you install these fixtures is important. If your plumbing runs through the floor, reroute some lines before installing your floating vanity.

Related article: 10 versatile bathroom vanity ideas

At the end of a long, hard day, there's nothing more relaxing than sinking into a warm bath, and there’s no better type of bath than a freestanding tub. Once seen as an exclusive feature, there is now a wide range of options with an almost endless choice of styles. Fans of the classic clawfoot tub will be pleased to know they are coming back in style following this trend. If you don’t want to shell out for a new one, look for a vintage tub at a salvage yard and refinish it. If you prefer a more modern look, you’ll have no trouble with a bevvy of tubs with clean lines, polished finishes and interesting fixtures to choose from.

Related article: 7 trending bathtub styles for 2024

Modern bathrooms increasingly embrace smart technology to elevate convenience, efficiency, and luxury. From voice-activated lighting and temperature control to smart mirrors with built-in displays, these features add a futuristic touch to your space. Other options include sensor taps, smart showers that let you preset your preferred water temperature, and even heated floors with app-based controls. These technologies make your bathroom more functional and add significant resale value to your home.

Related article: The future of living: Insights into smart home design

Gone are the days of plain chrome dominating bathroom fixtures. A popular trend in modern bathrooms is the incorporation of bold and colourful fixtures, such as matte black, brushed gold, or copper taps and hardware. These finishes add warmth and personality to the bathroom, turning functional elements into stylish focal points. Pair these with complementing accessories, like towel bars and cabinet handles, for a cohesive, contemporary look.

Related article: Are black taps a good or bad idea in the modern home?

Your bathroom is where you start and end each day, and it should be a haven in your home. A skylight, a coat of white paint, a floating vanity, a freestanding bathtub are just some of the modern bathroom ideas being used across Australia, and you can trust them to have a positive impact.

Article last updated: 2nd December 2024.

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