4 min readInterior design has a track record of continually making something old new again, but occasionally, things look so dated that no amount of styling can bring them back to life. Bathrooms are one such space that captures what’s in and what’s out in a snapshot—and when they’re wrong, they can look really wrong.
“Anything that feels too tied to one specific trend can date a bathroom pretty quickly, especially when that trend is used everywhere at once,” says Melissa Selvaggio of Melissa’s Designs & Co. “A very specific tile on every surface, overly coordinated fixtures and finishes, or a vanity that feels more like a bathroom showroom piece than furniture can all timestamp a space.”
After speaking with interior designers, one bathroom feature came up again and again: the giant tub. “A freestanding tub was almost an automatic feature in a primary bath,” says Leigh Misso, owner of River Brook Design & Construction. “Now, clients are much more willing to eliminate the tub. They would rather devote that square footage to a larger shower, better storage, or a more functional layout.” And if said tub has Jacuzzi jets? Well, you might as well put a neon sign that says, “Welcome to my 1980s bathroom.”
See what else experts are pulling and replacing when tackling new bathroom renovation projects.
Jacuzzi-style Tubs
Almost every single designer interviewed for the story has pulled out a Jacuzzi-style jetted tub during a recent renovation. “This once-popular bathroom feature is falling out of favor with our luxury clientele,” says designer Joshua Rice. “The issue is that homeowners often do not anticipate the ongoing maintenance they require, including routine flushing of the systems and descaling.” When neglected, the jets of your tub could end up spewing black debris, putting a serious damper on your soak. Instead, emphasize luxury with tubs wrapped in marble or other natural stone.
Tiny Shower Niches
Tiny shower niches were the decor element du jour, but this design element is getting an upgrade. “The little centered shower niche that becomes a visual focal point is something we’re moving away from,” says Misso. “We prefer niches that are longer, more discreet, and integrated into the interior elevation or concealed when possible. Shampoo bottles don't need to be the focal point of the shower."
Standard Double Vanity
Builder-grade double vanities are practically a 1990s cliché. Just because two people use an en suite bathroom doesn’t mean you have to have identical sinks and mirrors as a rule. “Homeowners are thinking more about how they actually use their bathrooms rather than automatically checking the “double vanity” box,” Misso explains. “In the right space, additional counter area, drawers, storage, or a dedicated grooming area can be much more valuable than squeezing in a second sink."
Wall-to-wall Mirrors
Just like the phasing out of double vanities, designers like Sara Malek Barney of BANDD/DESIGN are moving away from wall-to-wall builder mirrors with vanity light bars that often accompany said vanities. The reason? You want the bathroom to have the same style intentions as the rest of the house. Using framed mirrors, sconces, and layered lighting adds “personality rather than purely functional fixtures,” Malek Barney points out. Interior designer Mary Patton adds that harsh vanity lighting with exposed bulbs can instantly make a bathroom feel tired and outdated.
Pedestal Sinks
Yes, pedestal sinks can look charming, but just because they are beautiful doesn’t mean they fit seamlessly into daily routines. Their biggest pitfall is the lack of much-needed storage in an already petite bathroom space. “A pedestal sink can make a bathroom feel dated unless it’s a vintage piece being used intentionally in a powder room,” says designer Yena Jung of By Yena Designs.
All-Gray Palette
If your bathroom looks like something out of a Zillow listing drenched in millennial gray, it’s time to call in some help. “All-grey bathrooms—tile, vanity, floor, walls—can quickly make a bathroom look dated and plain,” says interior designer Sara Bonometti. “It becomes a missed opportunity. A bathroom should follow a well-planned scheme and should not look like it has just been forgotten.”
The same goes for a formulaic design that intends to recreate luxury without fully understanding materials and finishes. Designers Analisse Taft-Gersten and Kristin Fine of The 1818 Collective point out that white marble, polished metal, and glass can all be incredibly timeless when they’re used with intention, but can look passe when these elements become a part of a checklist rather than a point of view.
The tacky tile strip
“Oops, I did it again,” was more than a Brittany Spears lyric that played on repeat. Designers in the late 1990s and early 2000s developed an obsession with mosaic strips on everything from shower walls to vanity backsplashes. It’s hard to find a designer who will intentionally introduce the linear glass mosaic line, especially over white tile. This is not the type of bathroom feature making a comeback. Instead, you’ll often find the shower replaced by 4-by-4 tiles in bold, saturated hues.
