Bathroom Design Trends for 2023

It’s that time of the year where we take an honest look at bathroom design trends for 2023.
So, we’ve scoured the internet, read through a heap of blogs, and have come up with our five favourite bathroom design trends that won’t blow budgets out of the water.

We’ve also included an additional top tip when it comes to heating your future renovated bathroom.

So, for a no-nonsense approach to some bathroom design trends that you could easily implement as a competent DIYer, please, read on.

1. Modern gothic

This is an interesting one as it bucks the historical trend of light and neutral colours within the bathroom. To achieve the modern gothic feel, embrace darker and more moody colours such as dark blues and even darker greens. Black elements are not uncommon to find in the bathroom either.

Some may feel it is a little too dramatic, but done well, a modern gothic bathroom can make a real statement that wows any guests. To bring it to life a little further, include brass brassware which works brilliantly with gold veining on black marble. Don’t just stop there, why not include brass finished electric towel bars for the ultimate wow factor.

2. Sustainable and water-saving

Conscious consumption is a trend that continues to grow and won’t be going away anytime soon. Combine this with the rising cost of energy and you have homeowners that are much more aware of both water consumption and the cost of it.

If you consider yourself a conscious consumption homeowner they are some effective ways you can reduce your water waste and energy. These include tap aerators and water saving shower heads which restrict the water stream without affecting efficiency.

If you want to ramp up reducing your water waste and energy further, instantaneous hot water systems such as a Micro Electric Boiler could be ideal. With typical storage hot water systems, water is heated, it cools and then requires reheating which also wastes energy. The Micro Electric Boiler reduces water and energy waste by instantly heating the water you need, when you need it. No more waiting for the shower to heat up!

3. Wet room showers with a solid divide

Throughout 2022, we saw a lot of wet room projects come into ThermoSphere’s HQ. All of which required some electric underfloor heating. Wet rooms certainly aren’t going away any time soon but what we are seeing is a lot more variation in design.

Glass panel divides are still hugely popular for a walk-in shower area, but now there is an emergence of designs which section off the shower area from the rest of the room with a solid wall rather than glass screen. This approach is a great way to accommodate busy households where families are getting ready to start the day at similar times.

4. Wood panelling done a more modern way

We’re not talking about the wood panelling style that was popular from the 1950s through to the 1970s, but the style that brings some visual interest and uplifts neutrally decorated bathrooms. Adding some beautiful, yet modern, wooden panelling to a very neutral bathroom gives it a warmer feel and creates a beautiful statement wall.

The trend of combining neutral tones with natural materials was ranked high in the bathroom trends for 2022. So, if you are not sold on the idea of wood panelling for a feature wall, perhaps a sage green wall or wood-effect tiles are more of your thing.

5. Creative bathroom lighting

Bathroom lighting is nothing new but the way it is done is certainly getting much more creative. Whether that’s LED strip lighting around a wet room area, up lighting around a bathtub or LED mirror lighting, these are all playing a part in making bathrooms comfortable and unique.

When exploring your lighting options, it is important that you have the correct IP rating. An IP rating indicates how resistant a light fitting is to water and the rating required depends on which zone in the bathroom the light will be installed.

For example:

• Zone 0 (inside baths and showers) should be rated at least IP67
• Zone 1 (above the bath/shower) requires a rating of IP65
• Zone 2 (0.6m outside the perimeter of zone 1) needs IP44
• Zone 3 (no water splashes are likely) no IP rating is required

Should mirror lighting appeal to your new bathroom design, why not ensure that they are steam-free when you get out of the bath or shower by installing a mirror demister. The low wattage output uses very little energy, without compromising performance to keep your mirrors steam-free. It’s a little upgrade that provides a great bit of luxury.

6. Top tips for heating bathrooms with electric heating

As we have seen from the trends we’ve covered, a tiled floor is the most common floor finish in bathrooms. But a tiled floor can be susceptible to cracking and gaps forming between tiles due to changes in temperature. So, if you are thinking about installing electric underfloor heating, we would recommend an electric underfloor heating system that combines heating and decoupling such as ThermoSphere Membrane.

Decoupling and heating systems provide a faster and easier way to install electric underfloor heating in bathrooms and help to prevent any cracking or tile delamination once the system is switched on. They also provide great flexibility when it comes to heat output. The heating cable is gently pressed into the membrane mat in equal parallel lines and the space between each run of cable can be increased or decreased depending on what heating output is required for the bathroom project. The higher the heating output, the faster the system will heat up. We don’t recommend varying the width of the heating cable runs in a single installation because you may experience hot and cold patches on your floor.

Watch this installation guide to see the best way to install ThermoSphere Membrane in a bathroom.

What about heating control?

What is the best thermostat to use for underfloor heating? is a must-read blog when it comes to ensuring you have the right underfloor heating thermostat. However, with the popularity of electric towel bars on the up, consider installing a Dual Control thermostat. It allows you to control both your underfloor heating and your electric towel bars using just one thermostat. This is pure heating convenience at its best.

Conclusion

Well, these were our top 5 bathroom trends to look out for in 2023 with an added bonus of some top tips when it comes to heating your bathroom. The trends might not be for everyone but hopefully they provide you with a bit of inspiration for renovating your bathroom.

Have a question?

If you have any questions about electric heating, please contact our team who are always on hand with helpful advice that can save you both time and money.