It’s arguably the most important room in your house to get right – a personal sanctuary where you can primp or power shower in peace. But it’s not always easy to nail the bathroom glow-up, with many renovators feeling a certain amount of angst from the outset. 

‘There is a lot of choice out there when it comes to bathroom products and design options, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed,’ says Alfie Guard, senior designer at Ripples Bathrooms in Beaconsfield. ‘How I normally work with a client is to ask them to collect images of bathrooms they love, and we can then see if there is a running theme in their inspiration.’ Ask yourself: what’s absolutely non-negotiable? ‘Perhaps a client has fallen in love with a roll-top bath or become obsessed with a statement tile. Usually, deciding on one element of the bathroom can help guide the rest,’ he says.

As well as employing the services of a specialist bathroom designer, who will guide you through the essentials, such as plumbing, electrics and layout, plus take the stress out of sourcing, think carefully about your budget. Guard says you can usually expect a 50/50 split cost-wise across product and installation, with brassware finishes, traditional styles (over modern) and freestanding baths (rather than built-in ones) pushing the price up. Budget finalised, the fun begins. And if you need inspiration, the following trends will guarantee your bathroom is fit for the ’gram. 

A white bathroom might sound high-maintenance but, done right, it’s undeniably high impact. At Mallorca’s Hotel Corazón, a luxury boutique hotel in the Tramuntana Mountains, one bathroom is practically a paean to the colour, with a bathtub hewn out of clay and steps forged out of local stone from the property. Want a similarly clean yet luxurious aesthetic? The hotel’s owner, Kate Bellm, suggests ‘integrating the faucets to hide any piping’ and credits the design studio, Moredesign, for the bathroom’s soft edges. ‘They used their signature flow design throughout the hotel, where every possible edge was curved.’
hotelcorazon.com

The avocado bathroom once gave exuberant ceramics a bad name, but not any more. BC Designs’ Casini tub, glossed on the inside and matte on the outside, proves that green does belong in your bathroom (although, crucially, it’s called khaki). And while it’s probably best not to turn your whole suite green, with a tub, loo and basin in coordinating shades of everyone’s favourite brunch item, a khaki bath, as the biggest item of furniture, is a statement worth making. ‘For 2024, our bathrooms will be strongly inspired by nature and the surrounding elements. Earth tones, such as sage green, beige and light brown, will be widely used to create a relaxing atmosphere,’ says Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs. ‘These colours will harmoniously blend with organic materials, such as wood and natural stone, infusing warmth and comfort into the bathroom.’
Casini in khaki, £4,236, BC Designs

The Bull Charlbury, a 14th-century inn that opened last year after extensive restorations, whose sister residence is Notting Hill’s The Pelican, has the kind of bathrooms that demand an extra night’s stay (room 6 has a wood-burning fire, for crying out loud). But for the ultimate soak, take inspiration from Loaf Cottage, where the tub has been given pride of place on its own reclaimed oak platform.
thebullcharlbury.com

If sustainability’s top of your agenda, consider floor-to-ceiling cork. Journalist Olivia Lidbury was inspired by Port, a boutique hotel in Eastbourne, which uses the material in its loos. ‘I realised it could be an effective way to add warmth to what can feel like a sterile space,’ she says. ‘Cork is natural, antimicrobial, water-resistant and helps soften the acoustics.’ She used Colour Flooring’s Espira Corka Plank, £59/m². Also think about how to save water if you’re starting from scratch. ‘The rise in the cost of living has made people more aware of the amount of waste water an average household produces,’ says Ripples’ Guard. He recommends an in-line regulator for new bathrooms, which is installed by professionals into the mains water line. A dual flush plate on your toilet, which allows you to save around nine litres of water for a standard flush, is another efficient option.

As well as ‘tile framing’, micro tiles and plaster tiles, another trend is to use three contrasting tile designs in one bathroom. ‘Mixing and matching tiles, whether through colour, shape, size or pattern, adds plenty of interest,’ says Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at Ca’ Pietra, who suggests choosing two striped tiles then an accented floor tile to make your trio. ‘If carefully thought out, applying two, three or even more tile types can suit all tastes and decors. It’s one of the most adaptable bathroom tile trends.’ 
Stucco tiles, £98/m², Marco tiles, £89.38/m², both Ca’ Pietra