Materials and Finishes
The bathroom floor is a crucial design element, setting the tone for the entire space. In 2019, bathroom floor trends embraced a blend of timeless elegance and contemporary sophistication, with a focus on durable, stylish, and functional materials.
Natural Stone Tiles
Natural stone tiles have always been a popular choice for bathroom floors, and in 2019, their popularity continued to soar. These tiles offer a unique blend of beauty, durability, and timeless appeal.
- Marble: Known for its luxurious appearance and elegant veining, marble is a classic choice for bathroom floors. Its polished surface reflects light, creating a sense of spaciousness and grandeur. However, marble is relatively porous and requires regular sealing to prevent staining.
- Granite: A highly durable and scratch-resistant option, granite is a practical choice for high-traffic bathrooms. It comes in a wide range of colors and patterns, offering versatility in design. Granite’s inherent hardness makes it less susceptible to scratches and stains compared to marble.
- Slate: With its distinctive, earthy tones and textured surface, slate adds a rustic and natural feel to bathroom floors. It is also highly durable and slip-resistant, making it a suitable option for areas with high moisture levels.
Large-Format Tiles
Large-format tiles, often exceeding 12 inches in size, have gained immense popularity in bathroom design. Their expansive surface creates a sense of spaciousness and modern aesthetic, minimizing grout lines and emphasizing clean lines.
- 12×24 inch tiles: These tiles are versatile and can be used for both walls and floors, offering a seamless and elegant look. They are particularly well-suited for smaller bathrooms, where they can visually enlarge the space.
- 18×36 inch tiles: These large-format tiles are ideal for creating a dramatic statement in larger bathrooms. They can be laid in a variety of patterns, from traditional to contemporary, to achieve the desired aesthetic.
- 24×48 inch tiles: These extra-large tiles are a bold choice for creating a minimalist and sophisticated look. They require careful planning and installation, but the end result is stunning.
Wood-Look Porcelain Tiles vs. Real Hardwood Flooring
The debate between wood-look porcelain tiles and real hardwood flooring for bathroom floors is a common one. Both options offer unique advantages and disadvantages.
- Wood-look porcelain tiles: These tiles are designed to mimic the appearance of real wood, offering a realistic and elegant aesthetic. They are highly durable, water-resistant, and easy to maintain, making them an ideal choice for bathroom floors. Unlike real wood, they do not require sealing or refinishing, and they are resistant to scratches, stains, and moisture damage.
- Real hardwood flooring: Real hardwood flooring brings warmth and natural beauty to any space, including bathrooms. However, it requires careful consideration due to its susceptibility to water damage. While some hardwoods are more resistant to moisture than others, it’s essential to seal and maintain them regularly to prevent warping and decay. Additionally, hardwood flooring can be more expensive than wood-look porcelain tiles.
Bold Colors and Patterns
Bathroom floor tiles are no longer limited to neutral tones and simple patterns. In 2019, a trend emerged toward incorporating bold colors and patterns to create a statement in bathroom design.
- Geometric patterns: Geometric patterns, such as chevrons, herringbones, and mosaics, add visual interest and texture to bathroom floors. They can be used to create a focal point or to define different areas within the space.
- Vibrant hues: Bold colors, such as deep blues, emerald greens, and rich reds, can create a dramatic and sophisticated atmosphere. They can be used as a primary color or as accents to complement other design elements in the bathroom.
- Statement tiles: Large-format tiles with intricate patterns or bold colors can be used to create a focal point in the bathroom. These tiles can be incorporated into a design scheme to add visual interest and personality.
Textured Tiles
Textured tiles add a tactile element to bathroom floors, enhancing both visual appeal and underfoot comfort. These tiles feature raised patterns or embossed surfaces, providing a unique sensory experience.
- Embossed tiles: Embossed tiles feature raised patterns that create a three-dimensional effect. They can add depth and texture to bathroom floors, creating a more visually interesting and tactile surface.
- Mosaic tiles: Mosaic tiles, made from small pieces of ceramic, glass, or stone, offer endless possibilities for creating intricate patterns and textured surfaces. They can be used to create a focal point in the bathroom or to add a touch of elegance to the floor.
Design Trends: 2019 Bathroom Floor Trends
In 2019, bathroom floor design embraced a sense of simplicity and sophistication, mirroring the growing popularity of minimalist aesthetics. This trend extended beyond just the choice of materials, influencing the overall design approach, with a focus on clean lines, subtle patterns, and a harmonious blend of colors.
Minimalist Influence
Minimalism’s impact on bathroom floor trends in 2019 was evident in the selection of materials, colors, and patterns. The emphasis was on creating a sense of calm and spaciousness, often achieved through the use of neutral colors, natural materials, and simple geometric patterns.
“Minimalism is about creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, with a focus on quality over quantity.”
This principle was reflected in the popularity of materials like porcelain and ceramic tiles in muted tones, such as white, gray, and beige. These materials provided a clean and uncluttered backdrop for the bathroom, allowing other design elements to stand out.
Geometric Patterns
Geometric patterns played a significant role in adding visual interest and defining spaces within the bathroom. Chevron, herringbone, and mosaic patterns were particularly popular, offering a range of options for creating unique and stylish floors.
“Geometric patterns add a touch of sophistication and visual interest to bathroom floors without overwhelming the space.”
- Chevron: This classic pattern, characterized by its V-shaped design, was often used to create a sense of movement and direction, particularly in long and narrow bathrooms.
- Herringbone: The herringbone pattern, with its staggered brick-like arrangement, added a touch of traditional elegance and was well-suited for both modern and contemporary bathrooms.
- Mosaic: Mosaic tiles, available in a wide range of colors, sizes, and materials, offered endless possibilities for creating intricate patterns and designs, adding a touch of artistry to the bathroom floor.
Contrasting Tile Colors and Patterns
The use of contrasting tile colors and patterns was another prominent trend in 2019, allowing homeowners to create focal points and define different areas within the bathroom. This technique provided a way to visually separate the shower or bathtub area from the rest of the bathroom, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.
“Contrasting tile colors and patterns can be used to create a sense of visual interest and define different areas within the bathroom.”
- For instance, using a darker shade of gray or black tile in the shower area and a lighter shade of gray or beige tile in the rest of the bathroom created a distinct visual separation, while maintaining a cohesive and minimalist aesthetic.
- Another approach was to incorporate a geometric pattern, such as a chevron or herringbone design, in the shower area, while keeping the rest of the bathroom floor in a solid color. This added a touch of visual interest without overwhelming the space.
Accent Strips and Borders
Accent strips and borders were increasingly used to enhance the overall design of bathroom floors, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication. These elements provided a subtle yet effective way to break up the monotony of a solid-colored floor, adding visual interest and highlighting specific areas.
“Accent strips and borders can be used to create a sense of visual interest and define different areas within the bathroom.”
- Accent strips, often made of a contrasting material or color, were used to create a subtle border around the shower area, or to highlight specific areas of the bathroom floor.
- Borders, typically wider than accent strips, could be used to frame the entire bathroom floor, or to create a decorative element around the shower or bathtub area.
- Materials commonly used for accent strips and borders included metal, wood, and natural stone, each offering a unique aesthetic and adding a touch of sophistication to the overall design.
Natural Materials
The use of natural materials, such as wood, stone, and bamboo, continued to be a popular trend in bathroom floor design, bringing a sense of warmth and inviting ambiance to the space. These materials offered a timeless elegance and a connection to nature, creating a calming and relaxing atmosphere.
“Natural materials bring a sense of warmth, elegance, and connection to nature to the bathroom.”
- Wood: While traditionally not a common choice for bathroom floors due to moisture concerns, advancements in water-resistant finishes made wood a viable option for creating a warm and inviting ambiance. Wood flooring, particularly in darker shades, added a touch of sophistication and elegance to the bathroom.
- Stone: Stone tiles, such as marble, granite, and slate, provided a durable and luxurious option for bathroom floors. These materials offered a wide range of colors and textures, allowing homeowners to create a unique and personalized look.
- Bamboo: Bamboo flooring, a sustainable and eco-friendly option, offered a warm and natural aesthetic, adding a touch of exotic charm to the bathroom. Bamboo’s durability and water resistance made it a suitable choice for bathroom floors.
Functionality and Sustainability
The modern bathroom is no longer just a space for hygiene; it’s a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation. As such, functionality and sustainability are becoming increasingly important considerations when choosing bathroom flooring. A bathroom floor needs to be durable, water-resistant, and safe, while also reflecting a commitment to environmental responsibility.
Durable and Water-Resistant Materials
Choosing a bathroom floor material that can withstand the rigors of daily use and exposure to moisture is crucial. Popular choices that meet these criteria include:
- Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles: These are highly durable, water-resistant, and available in a wide array of styles and colors. They are also relatively easy to clean and maintain, making them an excellent choice for high-traffic areas.
- Natural Stone: Options like granite, marble, and slate offer a timeless elegance and durability. While they may require more maintenance than tiles, their unique beauty and longevity make them a popular choice.
- Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVP): LVP is a newer flooring option that offers the look of natural materials like wood or stone, but with the durability and water resistance of vinyl. It’s also relatively easy to install and maintain, making it a popular choice for DIY projects.
Heated Floors for Comfort and Efficiency
Incorporating heated floors into bathroom design is a growing trend, offering a luxurious touch and improving energy efficiency. These systems work by circulating warm water or electricity through a network of wires or pipes beneath the floor, creating a comfortable and even temperature.
- Hydronic Heating Systems: These systems use hot water to heat the floor, offering excellent energy efficiency and long-term durability.
- Electric Heating Systems: Electric heating systems use electricity to heat the floor, offering flexibility and ease of installation. They can be installed in smaller areas and are a good option for bathrooms that don’t have access to a water supply for a hydronic system.
Sustainable Flooring Options
Sustainability is becoming a key consideration in all aspects of home design, and bathroom flooring is no exception. Many manufacturers are now offering flooring options that are made from recycled materials or utilize eco-friendly manufacturing processes.
- Recycled Materials: Look for flooring made from recycled materials like plastic, glass, or wood. These options help to reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact of manufacturing.
- Eco-Friendly Manufacturing: Some manufacturers use sustainable practices throughout their production process, from sourcing raw materials to packaging and shipping. These practices can help to reduce emissions and conserve resources.
- Energy-Efficient Flooring: Heated floors, particularly those powered by renewable energy sources, can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint.
Accessible and Safe Bathroom Flooring, 2019 bathroom floor trends
Creating a bathroom that is accessible and safe for people of all ages and abilities is crucial. This includes considering features like:
- Slip-Resistant Tiles: Choosing tiles with a textured surface or a high coefficient of friction can significantly reduce the risk of slips and falls.
- Non-Slip Mats: Placement of non-slip mats in key areas like the shower or bathtub can provide additional safety.
- Level Surfaces: Minimizing the number of steps and ensuring that all surfaces are level can make the bathroom easier to navigate for people with mobility issues.
