4 Bathroom Trends You May Regret Splurging On, According to Designers

Making over a rental bathroom or designing one from scratch is no small undertaking. But no matter your budget — or whether you can make any permanent changes — it’s always helpful to have a sense of where you should splurge versus save during the process. And, as it turns out, not all bathroom trends or luxe features are actually worth the hype, at least if you ask interior designers. Here, a few pros share the bathroom trends you’re better off avoiding if you want your space to stand the test of time — and you don’t want to sink money into something you might immediately regret due to its impracticality or upkeep.

While marble countertops are absolutely gorgeous, they’re often not the best choice for a bathroom, at least not in designer Liz Kirby’s book. “With all the water, toothpaste, and other personal hygiene products being used regularly, you are bound to spill something on the marble that will inevitably stain,” says the founder of Surf Road Interior Design. “Even water stains can be a bear to remove from most marble surfaces.” Plus, marble can be difficult to maintain and keep tidy. “You’ll be limiting yourself in terms of cleaning agents in a room where cleanliness is the name of the game,” Kirby says. She recommends opting for quartzite counters instead. These, she explains, “are still natural stone and beautiful, but without the high maintenance!”

In her previous home, designer Callie Windle opted for what she describes as a “cavernous, doorless walk-in shower.” However, Windle came to regret this decision down the line, even though it has such a high-end look and plays into the increasingly popular wet room bathroom trend. “While it sounds glamorous, it is in fact drafty and impractical,” Windle says of doorless showers. “I learned my lesson: Steam is my friend, and a shower door keeps the steam inside where it belongs!”

Penny tile is very pretty, but designer Andrea Seymour doesn’t find it to be the best pick for a bathroom floor. “Penny tile looks really fun, retro, and cool on Pinterest and Instagram, but the reality is that much grout on a bathroom floor can be a bit of a nightmare,” says the co-founder of Springdale Custom Builders. Plus, as she explains, penny tile rarely actually looks perfect when grouted, which may bother those with an extreme level of attention to detail. “Penny tile is very tricky for installers to hide the seams,” Seymour says. “If you look carefully, you can almost always see them, especially when the grout and tile contrast.”

Wallpaper may be pretty, but it isn’t always the best pick for a full bath. “If you like steamy showers, I would avoid putting wallpaper in your bathroom,” says designer Kate McElhiney, the founder of Kate McElhiney Studio. “Over time, the paper will slowly start to peel away from the wall.” Still craving something other than just plain paint? “If you are dying for a patterned wall, try a painted stencil or stripes instead,” McElhiney suggests. You can also use wallpaper without any worry in a powder room, since humidity isn’t really a factor with handwashing. Or hang it in a guest bathroom that only gets used from time to time.

I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered

We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space

See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room