Home Home Improvement Renovations 21 Stunning Modern Bathroom Ideas to Inspire Your Next Renovation We're in awe of all these gorgeous fixtures and finishes. By Leslie Corona Leslie Corona Leslie Corona is the Senior Home Editor at REAL SIMPLE magazine. She has been styling, organizing, writing, and reporting on all things in the home space for a decade. She was previously at Good Housekeeping, HGTV Magazine, and Parents. She has shared her expertise on the TODAY show, Cheddar, and local television news outlets. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 25, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Nicole Franzen; Design by Sarah Sherman Samuel There's no shortage of gorgeous, luxurious bathrooms on display when you go on social media—it can be somewhat overwhelming to figure out where to begin when you're looking for inspiration as you brainstorm ideas for future reno projects. So, we pulled together modern bathrooms from our favorite designers to help make the search for ideas a little easier—hopefully these projects will guide you during the creative process (a.k.a. the fun part!). 16 Clever Small Bathroom Ideas 01 of 21 Turn Stone Into a Sink Madeline Harper, madelineharper.com Designer Emily Brown of Emily Lauren Interiors designed an integrated sink in this bathroom for her client—the sleek, clean lines of the viola marble paired with the white oak are a contemporary pairing that don't skew too cold and modern. This is partly thanks to the warm veining in the stone, but also the limewash walls, which have been coated with a sealant for water resistance and offer a softness to the space. If you're wondering what exactly an integrated sink is, Brown explains, "The sinks are made entirely from a single piece of stone, seamlessly integrated into the countertop." 02 of 21 Mount the Vanity and Toilet Kirsten Francis Mounting a vanity and toilet can help a tiny bathroom feel more airy and spacious—that's exactly what designer Isabella Patrick of Isabella Patrick Interiors did here in this tight room. Another reason she opted for the floating pieces? It helps show off even more of the beautiful, blue cement tile. 03 of 21 Pick a Sleek, Colorful Tile Shannon Dupre/DD Reps Modern doesn't have to mean colorless! Sure, neutrals are a classic choice in modern design, but you can still work in some hues to help a space feel a little more homey. Isabella Patrick chose this gorgeous ocean-blue ceramic subway tile for this client's updated bathroom, which complements the warm brown undertones of the custom walnut vanity. 04 of 21 Install a Unique Sliding Door Abigail Jackson Liz Goldberg, the founder and creative director of design firm Carolynleona, selected a sliding door that's just a little bit different from other shower doors—the black track features exposed, oversized rollers, which impart even more charm and character to the shower stall. Her reason for choosing black? "We like mixing metals and using the black shower frame adds to the depth mixed with the brass shower plumbing fixtures." 05 of 21 Mix Up Two Tiles Dustin Peck In this other bathroom designed by Liz Goldberg of Carolynleona, she chose a bold ceramic tile in a sapphire shade for the shower (which practically glows thanks to the skylight above) and paired it with WOW porcelain tiles. "We laid it in a unique pattern to add movement to the curbless, zero-access shower, where the bathroom flooring runs into the stall," she says. Blending the two tile styles creates a fresh look that's slightly eclectic but elevated. And instead of a full shower door, Goldberg opted for a glass partition, which still contains the shower but enhances the open feeling of the room. 06 of 21 Mix the Finishes Molly Rose Want a moodier vibe for your washroom? Designers Mollie Ranize and Kim Serani of Dmar Interiors transformed this one into a statement space with a coat of emerald green paint (specifically, Roycroft Bottle Green by Sherwin Williams). They wove in brass hardware with the black finish of other materials, which keeps the room from feeling too heavy. 07 of 21 Install Tiny Tiles Molly Rose The biggest reason this bathroom looks so cool is mostly due to the teeny-tiny tile! Here, designers Mollie Ranize and Kim Serani of Dmar Interiors chose 1/2-inch penny round tiles in a blue blend. Ranize says, "It's a smaller scale than a standard penny round tile, which I find to be so much more modern and fun!" They opted for a vanity made entirely of Arabescato marble to prevent the room from looking too busy. "Because we did tile on the full shower, full room and shower floor, and partial walls all around the room, we wanted to make another large and balanced statement with the custom marble vanity." 08 of 21 Choose Extra-Long Handles Bethany Nauert One trick to make your cabinetry look like a million bucks is to install oversized handles. In this bathroom designed by Mollie Ranize and Kim Serani of Dmar Interiors, the brass hardware on this custom walnut vanity imparts a touch of glimmer to the muted palette. The vertically stacked tiles (from Heath Ceramics) reinforce the modern vibes of the room, but the beige color paired with the creamy honed limestone and wood tones add a softness to the space. 09 of 21 Hang Halo Mirrors Jason Varney Designer Ghislaine Viñas really nails the retro-meets-modern aesthetic in this hotel bathroom of the Andra Hem Suites. The pill-shaped mirrors are backlit, and the golden glow actually matches the yellow grout! Other modern elements include the custom vanity cabinet, which are a fresh take on the traditional shaker style, plus the simple black hardware from Schoolhouse. If you're curious about the tile, Viñas explains of her work, "The Swedish influence of Andra Hem inspired us to use Scandinavian floral patterns in our design. Additionally, the bathroom tiles (from Imagine Tiles) tell a story through bees and the Andra Hem initials. What is perceived as just a motif is actually storytelling in the tiles that gives them a more custom feel." 10 of 21 Go With All-Black Finishes Rory Gardiner Pink can be a bold color choice for most people, and opting to tile an entire bathroom in the hue is even more daring. But Australian design firm Studio Bright managed to keep the shade sleek and sophisticated in this bathroom by combining it with black hardware. Choosing a smaller scale tile also keeps the space feeling contemporary—the grid-like effect has a modern edge to it. Plus, according to the firm, "We like how the small mosaics make the room feel bigger. We also liked the small tile in combination with the large format terrazzo tile on the floor." 11 of 21 Extend the Countertop Material Daniel Peter A brilliant, gorgeous idea we haven't seen too much of (yet!) is extending the countertop material to create a semi-backsplash in the bathroom, which is what Sarah Sherman Samuel did here with this dedalus marble. This chic feature is further enhanced by the reeded white oak vanity. 12 of 21 Use a Full Stone Slab for the Walls Nicole Franzen In this bathroom designed by Sarah Sherman Samuel, she chose to apply an Arabescato Corchia (marble) behind the vanity, taking the idea of a backsplash to a whole new level. It's an alternative to tile (albeit a luxe one), and doesn't require the tedious task of grout cleaning. Highly-veined marble has a traditional feel to it so to give it a fresh vibe, this custom concrete vanity (with its smooth, hardware-less fronts) provides a welcome, solid contrast. 13 of 21 Build In a Shower Seat Nicole Franzen A different angle of the above bathroom shows the shower stall, which is encased in WOW tiles that create a multi-tone, dimensional effect. Sarah Sherman Samuel installed a seat topped with the same Arabescato Corchia stone, which ties the room together. The seat is a nice addition that not only makes it easy to relax, but it provides extra storage space. 14 of 21 Create an Accent Wall David Duncan Livingston If you ever want to really blend modern style with more classic materials, take a lesson from designer Anne-Marie Barton of AMB Design, who managed to create a focal point in this bathroom that really celebrates the past and present. The smooth, sharp lines of the floating sink, which is a dark Carnico Grigio stone slab customized by European Marble and Granite in Utah, offer a pleasant contrast against the textured backsplash tiles, which have an aged, weathered look. (The "pipe" is actually a cool light fixture!) 15 of 21 Drench Your Space in Color Jacqui Turk One of the latest trends is color-drenching, where you coat a room entirely in one hue. This isn't done often in bathrooms because it's a bit challenging (and costly) to change things out once you're tired of the color, but when it's done right, it's highly unlikely you'll want to switch things up! Australia-based designer Caitlin Parker-Brown of Parker Studio had a client who embraced the trend because of their love of color. The variety of textures, like the Venetian wax plaster and terrazzo, in addition to the blush pink, warm up the bathroom with its modern clean lines. She says, "The terrazzo was selected because we wanted a casual and laid-back feel while still feeling luxurious. As the location of the apartment is coastal, the terrazzo really lends itself to this vibe!" 'Color Drenching' Is the Latest Paint Trend—Get the Look 16 of 21 Install Cool Lights on the Mirror Christopher Stark, christopherstark.com Designer Gretchen Murdock of MODTAGE Design took a very unique approach to the lighting of this ultra-graphic bathroom, and actually had holes pre-drilled into the vanity mirror so lighting could be installed directly on top of the glass to create a fun, floating effect. The vanity is a stained oak that really pairs nicely with the avocado green Fireclay tiles—according to Murdock, the cabinetmaker used a process with mushrooms to get the stain! 17 of 21 Hang Pretty Shower Shelves Christopher Stark, christopherstark.com Instead of picking up a bunch of plastic storage and hooks for your bathroom, consider installing wood shelves for a more elevated vibe. Here, Gretchen Murdock of MODTAGE Design hung teak shelving that complements the green ceramic Fireclay tile. Wood in bathrooms is sometimes questionable, but teak is naturally quite water-resistant! 18 of 21 Enclose the Tub Gina Rachelle Design Gina Gutierrez of Gina Rachelle Design (and a Real Simple Home alum!) created this modern oasis for clients who wanted a soaking tub without breaking the budget. Hence, the decision to install the tub inside a shower stall. She says of the project, "This was our creative solution to give her a true soaking tub without much engineering. It’s very similar to an alcove tub/shower set-up but you get the true feel of soaking tub." Plus, it really contains spillage! Bath Versus Shower: A Microbiologist Confirms Which Is Better 19 of 21 Highlight Multiple Tiles Gina Rachelle Design This bathroom, also designed by Gina Gutierrez of Gina Rachelle Design, features a trio of Fireclay tiles in different styles, but it still looks clean and modern thanks to the light-colored cabinetry (an Italian laminate), proving you can have fun with pattern in contemporary spaces. Gina explains, "Tile is one of my favorite materials, and so I really like to play with it if the client is open. In this space, the different patterns are the standout and so I wanted to keep the colors fairly neutral and monochromatic." She also details why she chose specific tiles for certain zones: The hand-painted accent tile is the statement and focal point in this space, while the smaller size and matte finish of the floor tile allows for grip. 20 of 21 Don't Forget a Towel Warmer Gina Rachelle Design To really enhance the cozy vibes of a bathroom (and help it feel more like a spa!), include a towel warmer. A client of Gina Gutierrez of Gina Rachelle Design added it as a finishing touch to this smartly designed space. The silver finish of the rack complements the cool undertones of the vertical, blue Fireclay tiles. "We chose to stagger the tiles as a nod to a classic subway but have a little fun and turn it vertical!" 21 of 21 Install Wall-Mounted Faucets Alanna Hale Wall-mounted faucets are one of the biggest trends we're seeing in the bath space, and we totally get why. It frees up precious countertop space! We love the look of these brass Rejuvenation faucets in Emily Henderson's primary bathroom—they skew a little traditional but don't feel old-fashioned because of the streamlined, more modern white oak vanity. How to Organize Your Bathroom to Make Busy Mornings Easier Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit