Bathroom Design
How to Design a Sleek, Modern Bathroom
Learn which vanities, lighting, materials and other elements to include
While modern style is not for everyone, those who like it appreciate the beautiful simplicity of sleek, minimalist furnishings and clean surfaces. And this look works especially well in a bathroom. Whether your whole home is a modernist’s fantasy or you just want to dabble in this style for your dream bathroom, here is my formula for putting together a perfectly simple modern bathroom space. Feel free to take all these tips, or just the ones that appeal to you the most, to create your own take on this design recipe.
Exposing a peek of the floor below the vanity will make the space look and feel larger while giving a distinctly modern appeal.
A model with an integrated sink-top is a great choice, as they are easy to clean and even more beautifully minimalist.
Find modern floating vanities
A model with an integrated sink-top is a great choice, as they are easy to clean and even more beautifully minimalist.
Find modern floating vanities
The Palette: Crisp Neutrals
Speaking of minimalism, the palette of a sleek modern bathroom tends to be very simple, with a focus on neutrals in timeless tones like bright white, charcoal gray, black and taupe.
Because bathrooms are wet spaces and need to be easy to clean, the materials tend to be hard. Modern bathrooms embrace this crispness and let subtle, sophisticated material choices (like veined stone, shiny nickel and classic porcelain) make a demure statement rather than adding elaborate decoration.
Speaking of minimalism, the palette of a sleek modern bathroom tends to be very simple, with a focus on neutrals in timeless tones like bright white, charcoal gray, black and taupe.
Because bathrooms are wet spaces and need to be easy to clean, the materials tend to be hard. Modern bathrooms embrace this crispness and let subtle, sophisticated material choices (like veined stone, shiny nickel and classic porcelain) make a demure statement rather than adding elaborate decoration.
For those who don’t like their spaces to feel too chilly, warm woods with subtle grains are a great material to bring in a natural touch while preserving the tranquil atmosphere.
Detail: Repeated Materials
Besides using few colors, great modern bathrooms also tend to use a limited palette of materials and repeat these materials on different surfaces to make the entire space appear continuous and harmonious. Picking one stone to dress walls and floors, and one wood species for accents, for example, will make your space appear cohesive. (Bonus modern style points if you use these same materials in other spaces in your home as well.)
Besides using few colors, great modern bathrooms also tend to use a limited palette of materials and repeat these materials on different surfaces to make the entire space appear continuous and harmonious. Picking one stone to dress walls and floors, and one wood species for accents, for example, will make your space appear cohesive. (Bonus modern style points if you use these same materials in other spaces in your home as well.)
Material: Stone
Various materials can be used to clad the surfaces in a modern bathroom, from humble porcelain tile to luxe marble. However, a sturdy, natural stone like limestone, granite or travertine will deliver an excellent balance of function and beauty. Ultimately, in a sleek space with little flashy decoration, the materials need to bring the wow factor, and using a healthy dose of sumptuous stone is one of the most effective ways to give your space designer appeal.
Various materials can be used to clad the surfaces in a modern bathroom, from humble porcelain tile to luxe marble. However, a sturdy, natural stone like limestone, granite or travertine will deliver an excellent balance of function and beauty. Ultimately, in a sleek space with little flashy decoration, the materials need to bring the wow factor, and using a healthy dose of sumptuous stone is one of the most effective ways to give your space designer appeal.
While contrasting grout can create beautiful effects, in a modern bathroom I usually aim to use large-format tiles with minimal grout in a color matched to the tile as closely as possible to create a virtually seamless appearance, as if the walls and floors were continuous slabs of stone.
Detail: Dark Floor
While white, beige and light gray are common color choices in modern spaces — great for giving the room a breezy atmosphere — the floor is often a dark, contrasting shade.
While white, beige and light gray are common color choices in modern spaces — great for giving the room a breezy atmosphere — the floor is often a dark, contrasting shade.
Using a dark floor anchors a room and gives it a feel of maturity and gravitas. Plus, it hides the occasional bit of dust or debris so the sparkling space won’t look out of sorts minutes after a cleaning.
Essential: Modern Lighting
Making your bathroom feel clean and fresh requires bright lighting, and modern LED or fluorescent bulbs are great for giving off bright white light without yellow undertones.
Making your bathroom feel clean and fresh requires bright lighting, and modern LED or fluorescent bulbs are great for giving off bright white light without yellow undertones.
Cool lights like these that glow from above and below the medicine cabinet will help keep the walls seeming bright so the room looks larger, while lights emanating from the mirror itself will light your face, all while looking almost space-age in their minimalism.
Find modern bathroom vanity lighting
Find modern bathroom vanity lighting
Detail: Simple Mirror
As mentioned, modern bathrooms tend to use a minimalist approach, without ornate details like elaborate mirror frames. A simple frameless mirror looks perfectly elegant in a modern space, especially when it runs wall to wall or, as I often specify in my design projects, inset into the surrounding tile to create a flush surface.
Find frameless mirrors
As mentioned, modern bathrooms tend to use a minimalist approach, without ornate details like elaborate mirror frames. A simple frameless mirror looks perfectly elegant in a modern space, especially when it runs wall to wall or, as I often specify in my design projects, inset into the surrounding tile to create a flush surface.
Find frameless mirrors
Detail: Streamlined Hardware
Fixtures in a modern bathroom tend to be simple and streamlined. Ideally they should all come from one manufacturer, or at least look like they did, featuring one metal finish across the board between the faucets, shower controls and towel bars.
The cabinet handles in a modern space tend to be so minimal that they don’t even exist.
Fixtures in a modern bathroom tend to be simple and streamlined. Ideally they should all come from one manufacturer, or at least look like they did, featuring one metal finish across the board between the faucets, shower controls and towel bars.
The cabinet handles in a modern space tend to be so minimal that they don’t even exist.
Integrated pulls are highly functional and eliminate an element that can easily snag on a towel or cord, creating a more breezy experience.
For example, this elegant vanity has integrated reach-in pulls running all the way across for a smart architectural appeal.
For example, this elegant vanity has integrated reach-in pulls running all the way across for a smart architectural appeal.
Essential: Glass Shower Panels
One of the biggest upgrades you can choose for a bathroom to create a more modern look is to replace the shower curtain with a glass panel, and this can often be done even with an existing bathtub. The glass eliminates a visual obstacle in the space for an instantly larger look.
While a glass door may not seem optional, in many spaces a single glass panel is more than sufficient to prevent water from leaving the shower area. However, a panel-and-door combo is also a great choice for those who prefer a more complete seal or easier access to the fixtures.
See how to add a glass panel to your tub
One of the biggest upgrades you can choose for a bathroom to create a more modern look is to replace the shower curtain with a glass panel, and this can often be done even with an existing bathtub. The glass eliminates a visual obstacle in the space for an instantly larger look.
While a glass door may not seem optional, in many spaces a single glass panel is more than sufficient to prevent water from leaving the shower area. However, a panel-and-door combo is also a great choice for those who prefer a more complete seal or easier access to the fixtures.
See how to add a glass panel to your tub
To take it even a step further, many renovators choose to forgo the bathtub altogether and use only a glassed-in shower stall. For those who don’t prefer to take baths (or just never have the time), a shower stall is easy to step into and out of, and it avoids breaking up the space even more.
Having one continuous floor unbroken by a tub creates long visual lines that help the space look its largest.
Having one continuous floor unbroken by a tub creates long visual lines that help the space look its largest.
Essential: A Splurge
Remember, even in the most minimal of spaces there should be at least one stand-out element that the eye can focus on. Even just one high-end feature in the bathroom will elevate the look of the entire space.
For example, even if you aren’t tiling all the walls, I recommend tiling at least one full wall floor to ceiling to make that the feature. Other plain drywall walls painted in a matching hue won’t stand out when there’s a full wall of tile right beside it catching the eye.
So go ahead and give yourself permission to reward sensible spending with at least one splurge.
More
See How These 8 Bathrooms Fit It All Into About 100 Square Feet
Before and After: 6 Bathrooms That Said Goodbye to the Tub
Other Resources on Houzz
Find a bathroom designer
Get design advice
Browse modern bathroom products
Remember, even in the most minimal of spaces there should be at least one stand-out element that the eye can focus on. Even just one high-end feature in the bathroom will elevate the look of the entire space.
For example, even if you aren’t tiling all the walls, I recommend tiling at least one full wall floor to ceiling to make that the feature. Other plain drywall walls painted in a matching hue won’t stand out when there’s a full wall of tile right beside it catching the eye.
So go ahead and give yourself permission to reward sensible spending with at least one splurge.
More
See How These 8 Bathrooms Fit It All Into About 100 Square Feet
Before and After: 6 Bathrooms That Said Goodbye to the Tub
Other Resources on Houzz
Find a bathroom designer
Get design advice
Browse modern bathroom products
One of the hallmarks of a modern bathroom is a sense of minimalism, and one of the best ways to achieve that during a renovation on any budget is by using a sleek floating vanity.