Renovating a Bathroom? Consider These 2020 Trends!
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Beautiful ensuite bathroom renovation for our clients in Courtice, ON. Our carpenter created the stunning custom vanity and matching linen towers. Distressed hardwood looking porcelain tiles adorned the floor of the bathroom. A gorgeous Quartz countertop completed this beautiful bathroom.
I’m definitely not one to encourage our clients to follow trends. Most trends come and go and you don’t want to put money into a renovation that’s drastically out of date in 5 years and needs to be completely re-done.! However, there are trends that are practical, increase efficiency or value in a home and are long lasting. Those are some of the trends we will discuss today.
Prefer to listen?
Dark Blue—The New Neutral
It’s no surprise that Sherwin Williams named its 2020 Colour of the Year, Naval SW 6244. It’s a gorgeously rich, deep tone that is comforting and classic. Using colour in your home is not just about how it looks, but it’s also about how it makes you feel. A beautiful dark blue is inspired by nature, whether it’s reminiscent of a dark night sky or the deep blue sea.
A dark blue creates a great contrast in a bathroom, especially against a light or white tile. Picture a simple white subway tile on the walls of a walk in shower and a gorgeous dark blue painted wall right next to it.
Dark Blue also accessorizes well with gold. Consider putting a gold faucet on your sink, a gold frame around your mirror or gold accessories throughout the bathroom.
Do you like a cottage feel in your bathroom? Consider installing some wainscotting or paneling on the bottom half of the walls and either painting the paneling dark blue or keep the paneling white while painting the wall above it in a dark blue.
Click through the photos above to see several examples of how dark blue can be used in bathrooms.
Floating Vanities
Floating vanities are on point right now to help make bathrooms look more spacious. These vanities which are hung on the walls without any “feet” or kick plates provide many advantages.
More storage underneath
Much more modern looking than vanities with feet or kick plates
Easy to clean under the vanity
Counter can be at any height you want since you install it on the wall wherever you want.
It can make your bathroom look larger (visually)
If you’re tiling your walls, it shows off your tile better.
To learn more tips on how to make a small bathroom look larger, read our full blog post here.
Click through the photos above for several examples of floating vanities.
Low Maintenance Tiles
Big tiles, 12”x24” and larger, have consistently been popular over the past several years and they are still on trend today. These large porcelain tiles tend to be easy maintenance with just a simple wipe to keep clean.
We encourage our clients to select porcelain tiles over marble or other types of natural stone. Marble is a very soft stone and tends to crack easily. Natural stone requires a lot of maintenance and in particular requires sealing once per year. Ensure you look at porcelain tiles first. There are so many options available that you can find a natural stone looking tile made out of porcelain.
Large format tiles (LFTs) come in every size from 12x24, 16x16 and even as large as 10’. This helps to create a very seamless look within your bathroom. Click through the photos above to see several examples of using LFTs in your bathroom.
Whether you opt for large or small tiles though, we encourage you to have a grout sealant added to your grout to permanently seal the grout. Grout should be sealed on a yearly basis in order to keep the grout looking like new for a longer period of time. Adding a grout sealer to the grout while the grout is being installed will permanently seal the grout, eliminating the need for further sealing. It will also make the cleaning process much easier because any dirt will be kept at the surface and hence will be easier to wipe away. Using grout sealer will also prevent the growth of mildew because the pores in the grout will be sealed making it much tougher for mildew and mould spores to prosper.
Matte Black Fixtures
Matte black fixtures started to be popular in both kitchens and bathrooms in 2019 and they continue to be popular going into 2020. Matte black stands out against a stark white backsplash, complements charcoal veins in a marble looking countertop and is cohesive with other black accessories. A matte black faucet or shower unit can really add a dramatic finish to your bathroom. Click through the photos above for a few examples.
There are several benefits to matte black fixtures. They are easy to clean as by nature they are fingerprint and smudge resistant. They are a warmer, softer finish compared to chrome or even brushed nickel. Matte black pairs wonderfully with white and it creates a beautiful accent.
Wet Rooms
The European style wet rooms are starting to become more and more popular. This is a bathroom with an open floor plan and a drain where the water is directed. There are no glass shower walls, doors or partitions of any kind. The entire room is an open wet room.
Theoretically you can create a wet room in any bathroom. But if you have a relatively small bathroom, you will likely need to include a shower screen to prevent everything from getting sprayed. A gradient needs to be created along the floor to channel the shower water into a drain and then the entire room needs to be waterproofed.
Some of the advantages of wet rooms are:
Wet rooms are super-stylish and perfect for creating a contemporary look.
Great for small bathrooms if you remove the bathtub, you create loads more space.
Wet rooms are, in general, easier to clean. There’s no shower screen or tray to worry about and if you go for a wall-hung sink and toilet, it’s easier still.
If it’s done properly, your floor (the bit under the tiles) is better protected than it would be in a standard bathroom.
There are some disadvantages though as well.
In small bathrooms, watch out for wet towels and toilet paper getting wet caused by spray from the shower.
You’ll need a professional tile setter to waterproof the room – if it’s not done properly, leaking water can cause damage.
Wet rooms should be tiled from floor to ceiling – and that’s expensive. And if you go for porous stone tiles, they may need to be resealed every few months, which is hard work.
Swapping a main bathroom for a wet room could make your home less saleable – buyers want at least one bath.
Ready to renovate your bathroom? Whether it’s a big change or a small design trend, Multi Trade Building Services can help you realize your vision. Click here to contact us to schedule your free consultation.
