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As an interior designer in California whose clients tend to lean more toward a modern aesthetic, I’m always looking out for modern design elements that will take my clients’ homes to the next level of beauty and luxury.
Lately, I’ve been deep diving into the best elements currently out there for luxury modern bathroom design and I’ve rounded them all up here just for you!
Wood-toned cabinetry
The all-white bathroom–like the all-white kitchen–has taken a backseat in favor of a warmer look and feel. This means a rise in the popularity of vanity cabinets in light- to mid-tone wood tones, especially when it comes to modern bathroom designs.
These woods are easy to live with and work well within a wide array of color palettes from neutrals to moody hues and even more vibrant colors.
A major bonus is that these wood tones are also timeless so they’ll have staying power well beyond the here and now (which is always a win in my book!).
Funky-shaped mirrors
Anytime a mirror goes beyond the usual options, I’m on board!
Whether you call them funky or organic, the wild and at times even psychedelic mirror shapes we’re seeing for modern bathrooms are perfect for adding character and personality to a space.
With luxurious frame finishes, they offer a sense of playfulness and creativity while still looking elevated and sophisticated.
Stone counters with integrated sinks
Stone counters with the sink Integrated in as one cohesive piece are going strong right now in general, but they’re particularly appropriate in modern bath designs.
It looks and feels so clean and crisp. Visually, there’s an ease about this look that’s very chic yet also unfussy. Even better, it’s also literally cleaner and easier to keep it that way than having seams and joints everywhere.
To be honest, I never want a bathroom sink in my house that isn’t integrated into the counter ever again!
Fluting
I absolutely love this. I’ve talked about it before in other parts of the home, but in bathrooms, we’re seeing it on everything from wood vanity fronts to stone cladding on walls (see below).
Because it’s geometric and linear, it lends itself beautifully to applications in modern style designs. It’s a really lovely way to add a bit of visual interest and a luxurious feel to a bathroom design without making the space feel fussy or overdone.
Interesting stone applications
This is such a good one! We’re seeing the most interesting stone applications in bathrooms I’ve ever seen in my entire (nearly 30-year) career.
Much of this is fluted stone (see above), though there are many other gorgeous textures and finishes available. Generally speaking, it’s being used as cladding for a feature wall, sometimes in the shower, or as an accent wall near the tub.
A particularly clever use of these textured stones is combining the same stone in a space in two different textures. For example, a stone with a smooth-honed finish used in one area such as a niche, and the same stone in a fluted application in another area such as an accent wall; or terrazzo on the floors and again on the wall, but in a fluted texture. What a great way to bring cohesion to the design while still giving contrast and textural interest to the space!
Upgraded shower niches
There was a time when all we hoped for was that the shower niche would actually be tall enough for our shampoo bottle–who would have thought it would become an opportunity to add style and personality to the space?!
Lighted shower niches (with LED lighting incorporated into the niche) are becoming very popular in luxury homes right now. This feels borrowed from high-end hospitality design where we tend to see things like back-lighting a feature wall to create a frame of light (something that’s also being used in modern residential bathroom designs, by the way) and I love it! What a cool look and sophisticated ambiance this lends the space!
Another way the lowly shower niche is coming up in the world is with wall-to-wall versions.
These are fantastic on many levels, not the least of which is eliminating the need for additional bath product storage inside the shower. They also present a great opportunity to add style and character by using contrasting material, as I’ve done with the mosaic tile in a client’s bathroom, above.
Interesting sconces
Lighting is always a fun and important element of any space’s style; but because bathrooms don’t usually have much in the way of furnishings and décor, it’s a particularly critical part of their design.
As a rule, you want to place bathroom lighting both at eye level with sconces on either side of the mirror so your face can be well-lit, as well as overhead in the form of recessed can lighting.
The sconces we’re currently seeing for modern bathrooms are nothing short of stunning and in every material from metals to art glass to cane wicker and even textile tassels.
One option I’m loving lately is a set of sconces that are asymmetrical to one another with one that’s offset.
You can also hang two pendants to act as sconces (just be careful not to knock one with your brush or to smack it while talking with your hands as you’re giving yourself a pep talk in the mirror, haha!).
Intriguing metal finishes
When it comes to modern bathroom faucets and fittings, warm tones such as aged brass are still going strong. These work beautifully with just about any color palette and are truly timeless.
We’re also seeing a few other beautiful finishes such as gun metal gaining ground, as well. I love this, but it would need to be used in the right context to read as timeless since it’s a bit edgier.
It’s so exciting and inspiring to see all of these stunning modern bathroom design elements coming to the forefront! I love being able to share the trends I’m seeing, but most importantly, to point to the truly timeless elements that just so happen to be trending right now. In my experience, these are the elements that make for the best designs and the happiest design clients!
Are you craving a gorgeous modern bathroom design to call your own? Let’s talk about how I can help!