11 Bathroom Remodel Ideas That are So Very 2026

When we were in the process of buying our house, one of the things on my musts-list was that the house had a good kitchen. I didn’t want to deal with a kitchen remodel, because they’re notoriously time-consuming and expensive. But I didn’t have the same criteria for bathroom remodel ideas. So, we ended up in a house that had a great kitchen, and three bathrooms that needed to be completely gutted.

My logic may have been flawed, because three bathroom remodels miiiight just end up being more of a headache (and maybe even more expensive?) than a kitchen reno. 

We’ve since updated all three of our bathrooms, but only one was completely, totally gut-renovated, which is our downstairs bathroom that we converted into a powder room and laundry room.

Here’s the before:

And here’s the after! I love it.

The other two bathrooms have gotten mini-makeovers, with cosmetic upgrades like paint, epoxy, plumbing fixtures and paneling. You can read about the primary bathroom update here and the kids bathroom here).

But, I’m really hoping 2026 will be the year we can actually give the primary bathroom a proper, grown-up overhaul).

So, in the spirit of research, here are some of the bathroom renovation ideas that are going to be big for the coming years, all of which I’m saving for when I start seriously planning our next bathroom remodel.

11 Bathroom Remodel Ideas for 2026

Here are a few of the ideas I love:

1. Go for a statement-sink

The high backsplash sink, AKA the statement sink, is one of my favorite home decor trends that I’m seeing everywhere now, but it’s a very traditional look. As I shared earlier, we recently did this stone sink in our powder room remodel on our first floor.

One funny note: I went to a local marble fabricator to do the marble sink (before I found the one I bought on Etsy), and when I told him about the high backsplash, he said ‘That’s a very traditional look. We don’t really see that a lot anymore.’ But I bet he’s going to start seeing it a whole lot more this year.

Shop my favorite statement sinks:

2. Paint it a dusty pink (Seriously)

I wrote a post last year about how pink bathrooms were trending, and I expect that to be the case for a few more years! Overall, warm paint colors with earthy undertones, like dusty rose pink and rich burgundy are becoming a major paint color trend, and they’re just a fun and unexpected way to warm up a functional space like a bathroom.

3. Add arabescato marble

Arebescato marble, which is characterized by its gray and black veining, has recently become a popular choice for both kitchens and bathrooms. In the bathroom, I love it as a sink or vanity-top material, or as shower or tub-backsplash material. It’s bold but stunning.

4. Add Moody Tile

Like paint colors, tile choices in the bathroom are getting richer and moodier. Subway and zellige tile in shades of emerald, sage, burgundy, slate blue and beige are replacing whites.

5. Add a furniture-inspired vanity

So this is an idea I’ve done a few times myself and I always love how it turns out. Using vintage dressers, sideboards, or cabinets as bathroom vanities can save money, but it also brings a unique element to your design that you won’t see anywhere else. Bathroom vanities from big box stores can run upwards of $2,000 for a large version, even more if they’re custom made or sourced from an upscale retailer or trade source. BUT! Who needs one of those when you can turn a vintage dresser or sideboard into an antique vanity.

You can find all sorts of old dressers on places like Facebook marketplace or Craigslist, or through local estate sales or flea markets, often for under $300 even for larger sizes (I’ve seen them for as little as $20). We used a small dresser with a basin sink on top and wall-mounted hardware in our Michigan house back in 2017 (see the house here!), and it was perfect. We had the contractor we were working with on our renovation install it.

6. Paint your beadboard

Beadboard is one of the more classic bathroom remodel ideas, but painted beadboard or wainscoting feels fresh–even modern–depending on what color it’s painted. I love the look of burgundy beadboard with a white wall and brass accents, like above, or a rich olive green color. If you already have beadboard and are looking for an easy way to give your bathroom a makeover, paint it a moody color and leave the top half a creamy white.

7. Color-drench the space

Color-drenching is when you paint your walls, trim, interior doors, and sometimes even the ceiling, all one color. It’s one of the biggest interior design trends happening this year, and it works for literally any room in the house, including the bathroom.

8. Add a moody wallpaper

While wallpaper isn’t always a great option in a bathroom that’ll get lots of steam, it is a perfect option for a powder room. I echo the often-cited advice that a powder room should be bold and fun because it’s small, and completely closed off from other spaces. If you have a bold wallpaper you love that you’re afraid to use elsewhere in your house, give it a go in the powder room.

Also, if you do want to do wallpaper in a wet-room, brands like Wall & Deco, Mitchell Black and Tempaper all sell moisture-resistant removable wallpapers in a wide range of prints.

My bathroom wallpaper favorites:

9. Use cream instead of white

If you love the look of neutrals but want a bathroom that feels inviting, choose a creamy paint color instead of a bright white or off white. It works especially well paired with wood-tones and brass hardware.

10. Choose timeless floor tile

This one is part of an overall trend toward traditionalism, but I’ve seen a lot of classic tile coming back into bathrooms. Think checkerboard designs, basketweave, rosette penny tile, etc. I honestly think this is such a practical “trend” because these sorts of tiles are simple enough that they’ll never go out of style. Much more so than the ceramic farmhouse tile we saw a decade ago.

11. Add a Striped Tile

Stripes are a classic, but one way I haven’t seen them done before, that I’m seeing more lately, is with tile. Striped bathroom tile feels original yet somehow retro/vintage. I love it for a kids bathroom, or in a home with some history like a classic Victorian or Tudor.

Now, I just need to find the budget and the time to apply some of these bathroom remodel ideas to my own bathrooms…