Interior Designer Shares her Bathroom Remodel Vision

Guest Post by Leah Tuttleman

• Are you feeling drab everytime you walk into your bathroom?
• Are you selling your home and looking to add a bit of resale value?
• Are you wanting to give your bathroom a facelift, without the eight-week rennovation timeline?

You're not alone. With 25 years of experience as an interior designer, here are my thoughts on the upcoming bathroom trends of 2020 to give you a solution to these common bathroom remodel questions — plus small bathroom design bonus tips and tricks.

Trendy bathroom tile

Tile continues to dominate in every bathroom in the house. Breaking away from the traditional brick bond layouts on wall spaces, vertical tiling looks popular for 2020. It offers something fresh and new.

One simple way to create a big impact in any bathroom is to create a statement floor or wall, and nothing achieves this quite like patterned tiles. Bathroom floor tiles offer a long-lasting, scratch resistant and easy-to-clean alternative to other flooring options. Best of all, they cover a huge variety of the latest trends: from encaustic-styled patterns to lifelike wood to stone effect designs.

The charm and elegance of vintage elements will continue to be popular throughout 2020. Using encaustic styled period patterns in your bathroom is one way of creating your own slice of vintage paradise.

Fixate on fixtures

Just as stainless steel is becoming less popular in the kitchen, it’s time to say good bye to chrome in the bathroom.

Many fixture manufacturers are churning out a variety of minimalistic designs, creating a sleeker, cleaner, no-fuss fitting. Unique faucets will complement simple vanities and sink shapes as we see a rapid shift with many consumers moving away from traditional styles and leaning into contemporary styles and finishes.

You may also start hearing the word “maximalism” more in 2020, which is characterized by a style that both evokes glamour and opulence, while remaining minimal in shape, ultimately made maximalist solely by a product’s hue or finish. Instead of chrome and brushed nickel, opt for gold, copper, brushed brass, and black matte.

Another major fixture trend is mixing and matching finishes and products. The trend goes as far as mixing spouts, handles, and finishes as well as marrying a modern design with timeless shapes.

This ain't your grandma's wallpaper

Wallpaper has gotten a bad rap in years past, but whether you’re looking to add a statement wall or cover your entire bathroom in a tasteful pattern, wallpaper is back. Natural color palettes are at the forefront, typically in grey tones and black matte – luxury is in the subtlety.

Using wallpaper in the bathroom is an easy way to add character and personality. However, if you are feeling a little hesitant to dive head first into the wallpaper trend due to the stress of commitment or possibly damaging your walls, look into removable wallpaper. A variety of companies are selling removable, peel and stick wallpaper — this can help you take the wallpaper plunge without having to say yes to a longtime commitment or possibly sacrifice your walls.

Bonus tip: What should you do with your small bathroom?

A small bathroom remodel will require a bit more tetris-like planning to ensure that your bathroom is as functional as it is beautiful. Perhaps it is in your best interest to re-work the plumbing to ensure that your bathroom is maximizing its space. You'll be surprised how possibly switching the location of your shower with the sink can add a few square feet of usable space.

•  Make storage space as purposeful in design as it is in functionality
•  Mirrors help to accentuate the space and make it appear larger
•  Showers with a glass door rather than a blockade of a shower curtain will help visually expand the bathroom
•  Busyness in patterns and decor can be mistaken for clutter, so opt to go more minimal

Don't be afraid to chase these bathroom trends in 2020. If you're looking for even more bonus tips, check out our 19 latest budget-friendly design ideas for your upcoming bathroom remodel.

Leah Tuttleman is an ASID Allied member since 1995, has worked over 25 years in the design industry. Leah received her BS in Interior Design from The University of Arizona in 1984. She’s currently an interior designer for Re-Bath, a full-service bathroom remodeling brand.