The bathroom as a retreat: BC Designs reveals the key bathroom trends shaping 2026

Bathrooms have always been practical spaces, but in 2026 they are becoming deeply personal ones built around ritual and comfort – bathroom manufacturer BC Designs reveals how this evolution is being driven by both behavioural and design change.

The rise of home wellness culture has redefined how we think about our interiors. The bathroom is no longer a place to rush through, but somewhere to pause and recalibrate, a daily retreat from overstimulated lives.

At the same time, advances in material technology and spatial planning have opened up new creative territory. Homeowners are investing in texture, tone and proportion, with a focus on how materials feel as much as how they look. Timber, brushed metals, and natural stone are being paired with diffused lighting, sculptural baths and layered colour schemes that shift with the day.

Keeley Sutcliffe, design manager at BC Designs, says: “We are seeing people design bathrooms with the same level of thought that would once have been reserved for a kitchen or living room. Every detail matters, from how light moves across the surface of a freestanding bath, to the tone of the brassware or the warmth of the timber. It is a more intelligent, sensory approach to design.”

From proportionally larger layouts to softer metallics, BC Designs predicts that 2026 will be defined by texture, spatial calm and the continued influence of wellness on the way we live.

The Freestanding Bath

The freestanding bath continues to hold its place at the heart of the bathroom, but 2026 is seeing a more architectural approach to how it is positioned and detailed. Its popularity stems from a desire for pause and immersion,  a direct response to fast, digital daily lives.

“Bathrooms are now being designed around the bath, not the other way round. Placement, proportion and materiality matter. A sculptural bath under a rooflight or set against textured plaster becomes a focal point that defines the room’s rhythm.”

To bring this look home, the advice is to treat the bath as furniture: position it where it can breathe, use wall or floor fillers in soft metallic finishes like brushed nickel to accentuate its form, and anchor it with subtle lighting that celebrates shadow and shape.

Larger Bathrooms

For a long time, more bathrooms have always been the go to, even if that meant they were on the smaller size. But not anymore. The bathroom is expanding, both in footprint and in intent. As open-plan living has matured, homeowners are beginning to re-balance their homes by carving out quieter, more restorative spaces. Increasingly, that means giving the bathroom greater importance in the floorplan. Spare bedrooms and oversized landings are being reimagined as generous spa suites, while en-suites are merging with dressing rooms to form fluid, multifunctional zones.

“People want to linger,, We are seeing bathrooms designed with seating areas, dressing zones and even fire or sauna features built in. The growth in size is not about excess, as a larger footprint allows light to flow, materials to breathe and the bath to become the sculptural focus it deserves to be.

In homes where space is more limited, the same sense of generosity can be achieved through design: reducing visual clutter, using continuous flooring, or framing key features such as the bath or vanity.

Brushed Nickel 

The move away from statement finishes such as matt black reflects a wider design direction towards softness and longevity. Brushed nickel is emerging as the finish that best captures this shift; calm, tactile and quietly sophisticated.

Its muted tone complements both natural woods and the earthy colour palettes now dominating bathroom design, and its texture diffuses rather than reflects light, lending a gentle warmth.

“Brushed nickel gives you the neutrality of chrome without the coldness. It feels timeless, a finish that will not date as trends move on. To integrate it successfully, use it consistently across taps, fillers and towel rails, allowing it to harmonise with the wider palette rather than compete with it.”

Earthy Neutrals

Bathrooms are embracing richer, more emotive colour palettes. Neutral no longer means white; instead, tones of clay, stone, olive and sand are creating a grounded aesthetic that complements natural materials.

Layered lighting is the other essential element. “Lighting has become a design tool, not an afterthought. We are building in circuits that shift from bright and functional in the morning to soft and ambient at night.”

Homeowners can bring this to life by pairing warm wall lighting with backlit mirrors or hidden LED detail, ensuring light grazes across surfaces rather than flooding them. The result is a bathroom that changes character with the time of day, calm in the evening through to energising in the morning.

The Return of Natural Woods

Timber has migrated from the kitchen to the bathroom, driven by advances in moisture-resistant finishes and a growing appetite for tactile materials. Oak, walnut and ash now appear on vanities, bath panels and even ceiling details, bringing an immediate sense of warmth and craftsmanship.

“Wood bridges the gap between hard and soft. It stops bathrooms feeling clinical and introduces the visual comfort of furniture, creating a link between bathing spaces and the rest of the home. There is a strong desire for bathrooms that feel connected rather than separate  and timber helps achieve that. It absorbs and reflects light differently to stone or tile, softening the overall tone of a room. We are using it in ways that feel architectural, not decorative; fluted panels, integrated shelving, even subtle ceiling cladding that draws the eye upward.”

To make the trend work at home, balance timber with stone or porcelain surfaces, keep profiles simple, and choose finishes that highlight grain and authenticity rather than uniformity.

The Rise of the Home Sauna

The ultimate expression of the bathroom as retreat, saunas are quietly entering the domestic space. Compact modular units and infrared technology mean they no longer require vast footprints or complicated ventilation, making them achievable for many homes.

“The demand for wellness at home is real. People want to replicate the calm they experience in spas within their own four walls. A small sauna or steam cabin integrated into a larger bathroom does exactly that.”

Homeowners exploring this route should consider access to ventilation and water supply early in the planning process, and treat the sauna as part of the room’s overall design, using consistent materials to create a cohesive aesthetic.

Keeley concludes: “Design is moving beyond the visual. It is about how a space feels when you step inside from the light, the materials, the stillness. That is what makes a bathroom truly timeless.”