4 Bathroom Design Trends Taking Over in 2024

Bathroom design trends come and go – but one thing is for certain: Gone are the once utilitarian spaces of the past. Instead, contemporary bathroom designs now embody the essence of spa-like retreats, featuring saturated hues and opulent finishes.

And luckily, Native Trails artisan crafted offerings fit right in.

Here are four bath trends that we’re happy to see forecasted by some of our favorite designers, plus expert tips for incorporating our sinks, tubs and bathroom furniture into them.

We love them so much that we’re really hoping that they take off their coats – and stay awhile.

1. Brightly colored, stacked square tiles

White subway tile, which dates back to 1904, is a bathroom design trend that comes and goes. After a lengthy resurgence in popularity over the last couple of decades, this rectangular staple of shower walls is exiting the stage while the curtains open on its square-shaped and flamboyantly hued cousin.

Colorful, stacked square tiles can now be found trending in bathrooms around the globe. “I’m looking forward to incorporating more bright tiles with deep glazes (in various patterns and combinations),” McKenzy Golding, founder and principal designer of Golden Bird Design, tells Native Trails, “in 2024. They have an impact on the space that feels highly elevated and highly personal.”

For one of her recent projects, McKenzy paired a neutral NativeStone Trough 4819 sink with 4×4 square jade tiles from Heath Ceramics that she says feel vibrant and energizing in the morning sun and dark and grounding into the evening.

“The primary bathroom had a small footprint, so we needed to get creative to make the space feel both elevated and functional,” she says. “The tiles afford beautiful visual interest in the space. We loved them so much that we carried them onto the tub apron and onto the back wall of the bathroom, creating an accent tile wall that reflected in the vanity mirror and infused a bit of a ‘wet room’ vibe to the small space.”

Our NativeStone sinks, available in six finishes, make the perfect complement to a wall clad in bright tile. “For function, we designed a custom white oak vanity that perfectly held the neutral NativeStone trough sink,” says Golding. “The trough sink allowed us to upgrade from a single faucet to two wall mount faucets, essentially creating a ‘his-and-hers’ vanity experience with a fraction of the space.”

2. The wellness bathroom

Okay, we’ll admit this bathroom design trend was in our 2023 trends roundup, too. But that’s because it’s continuing in earnest and taking on new iterations. What remains consistent in these spa-like sanctuaries is the use of soaking tubs, neutral color palettes and natural materials.

“Spa-inspired bathrooms are trending right now because of the hustle and bustle of life,” says Designer Christine Vroom. “We are constantly being pulled in different directions and need a grounding space. Our bathrooms can become our sanctuary. So, we want these spaces to evoke a sense of calm, taking us down those few extra notches.

Designing an environment where you can literally take a deep breath when you walk in is something that is going to continue to be on trend as we navigate the curves and bumps of life.”

This trend, which goes hand in hand with the larger movement to incorporate health and wellness into every area of our lives, explains why our NativeStone Avalon tub has become a bestseller.

“Native Trails’ tub evokes a spa-like tone in so many aspects,” says Christine. “It has that handmade artisan feel with which brings in warmth and character with its variation of textures and tones. The curvature is soft and subtle, making it feel really calming as that shape is really neutral. The tone, although grey, has a warm undertone and an almost ‘in the wild’ type of feel, making you feel like you’re in nature.”

3. Colorful plumbing fixtures

While the wellness bathroom may sit firmly in the neutrals camp, not all bathrooms are content there. More and more, we’re coming across bathrooms that energize us with a shock of color — and not necessarily on the walls or cabinets but with colorful plumbing fixtures and sinks.

Native Trails is embracing the trend (while still staying true to our earth-inspired color palette) by debuting our first-ever blue hued NativeStone in a finish we call Ocean, a mesmerizing fusion of serene blue and captivating green that brings the tranquility of the sea into your home.

“The comeback of colorful plumbing fixtures is part of a larger trend towards bolder and more expressive home décor,” says Billy Ceglia of Billy Ceglia Designs. “As people spend more time at home, they are looking for ways to inject more personality and character into their spaces, and colorful plumbing fixtures provide an opportunity to do just that.”

A rise in midcentury-modern home remodels also plays into this bathroom design trend. The key to making it work is to balance the bright fixtures with neutral tones elsewhere — for example, on the walls, floors or countertops. And make sure you avoid designing a room that feels dated by pairing colorful plumbing fixtures with timeless materials like wood, tile and marble.

“When committing to a bold color on a fixture, it’s important to complement that with other elements in the room: the wallpaper, paint or tile,” says Rosanna Bassford, founder and principal designer of Memmo Interiors.

4. Warm wood bathroom furniture

The verdict is in: warm wood is trending. The 2023 Houzz U.S. Bathroom Trends Report found that wood is the most favored choice when it comes to upgrading bathroom furniture. “While white continues to dominate as the most popular choice for countertops and walls, this attraction to wood vanities connects to a larger move throughout the home from cool grays and stark whites to warmer neutrals like beiges, creamy off-whites and rich browns,” Mitchell Parker, Houzz senior editor, tells Better Homes and Gardens.

“Natural wood is grounding,” Bianca Ecklund, interior designer, tells Better Homes and Gardens. “There’s something about it that feels comforting in a space.”

Native Trails’ all-new Winemaker Series is embracing this pull towards warm and comforting pieces, while amplifying the appeal by handcrafting each piece. Created by local artisans in the USA using upcycled oak staves from California wineries, each vanity features generously grained horizontal slats of oak, which bring linear interest to the design.