Finding a theme, planning smart

What makes a modern bathroom, and how do you make your wishes a reality?

Could your wet cell do with a refresh? And would you like a spa oasis? In this hansgrohe guide to the modern bathroom, we show you how to plan and design this kind of individual space. A timelessly beautiful place in which you can immerse yourself with pleasure every day. For more relaxation, luxury, design, joy, and comfort in your home.

The smart living bathroom by hansgrohe.
Less is more: Modern design is characterized by scaled-back shapes and clean lines. The lavatory faucets in the Talis Select E line are operated at the touch of a button.

Decide on a theme: add a clear concept to your modern bathroom

How would you like your bathroom to look? Before we offer you some concrete assistance with your bathroom planning, we can show you a few ideas here. hansgrohe design tip: give your bathroom a theme. Once you have decided on a concept, you should consistently follow this through. Here are three suggested themes:

"Inspired by nature” theme: the modern bathroom in a natural look

Cold, tiled practicality is a thing of the past. In a nature-inspired bathroom, you can enjoy wonderful relaxation and refreshment. You can also create a cosily furnished bathroom with a personal touch:
  • Natural surfaces and materials are a must: wooden floors, wooden washstands or wooden platforms. Pebble floors, natural stone tiles or natural stone floors also look good, appeal to all the senses and warm the feet. Also trendy is a wood finish with concrete or marble, or a concrete look with wood effects. Another great combination: old wood with stone.
  • In terms of colour, beige shades along with grey, granite or anthracite give your bathroom a modern look. On walls and ceilings, the entire range of natural tones really works well. Perhaps you dream of having an open-air bathroom on a terrace or in the garden? In this case the ceiling would be sky blue.
  • An open-plan room concept creates lots of space for a spa area. Large windows flood bathrooms with natural light and make for sunny times. If this is not possible, you can skilfully illuminate your bathroom: this will create a cosy, feel-good atmosphere. In floor-level shower areas featuring rain showers, you can move around freely and enjoy the feeling of the droplets tumbling onto your skin.
  • Do you love accessories? Whether you opt for jungle, mountains or desert: photo wallpapers are back in. Also wooden side tables, stools, ladders or deckchairs. Lush green plants as well as rugs and textiles in earthy shades are original eye-catchers.
  • With so much harmony, you need some contrasts. An attractive mix of materials in the bathroom: wood with chrome. Also beautiful: mineral casting or ceramics in white with chrome and stone with glass.

Summary: Tips for modern bathrooms and amazing inspiration

  • Natural surfaces and materials: Wooden floors, wooden wash basins, terrazzo-effect floors, natural stone tiles.
  • Natural colors: Shades of beige, gray, granite, anthracite, natural tones.
  • Open-space concept: Large windows, daylight, clever lighting, floor-level shower areas.
  • Love of accessories: Photo wallpaper, wooden furniture, green plants, earthy textiles.
  • Harmony with contrasts: Wood with chrome, mineral casting or ceramics in white with chrome, stone with glass.
  • Modern bathroom furniture: Floating wash basins, mirrored cabinets with integrated lighting or handle-free cabinets.

“Design statements” theme: add accents to a modern bathroom


Skilfully-placed design elements will make your bathroom look classy and high-quality. In a discreet interior, modern taps or shower combinations give the impression of works of art. Or you can treat yourself to real luxury and pull out all the stops when designing the entire room.

  • Modern design is characterised by minimalist shapes and clean lines. Less is more, objectivity is your trump card. High-quality bathroom design is convenient to operate and highly functional.
  • Assemble all your things in built-in units, base cabinets, tall cabinets or sideboards with exclusive surface finishes. Plenty of storage space allows your bathroom utensils to disappear, creates a sense of orderliness and offers an unimpeded view of the essentials: your treasure trove of design features.
  • Exclusive eye-catching features are: free standing bath tubs or bathroom sinks, combined with towering taps (=Highrisers). A shower area with a large, completely invigorating rain shower. A wash bowl with a sophisticated tap, operated at the touch of a button. An elegant designer radiator for towels ...
  • If you like patterns and material combinations, you’ll love the tiles: colourful mosaics, oriental, geometric or floral decorations. Gold with marble, glass with stone, cool surfaces in black/white or light/dark. High-contrast colours, materials and textures add a touch of glamour to the bathroom.

Summary: Design statements in the modern bathroom

  • Skillfully placed design: Faucets and shower head combinations as works of art.
  • Modern design: Minimalist shapes, clean lines.
  • Create storage space: Built-in units, base cabinets, tall cabinets, sideboards.
  • Exclusive eye-catching features: Free-standing bath tubs, wash basins, rain showers, designer radiators.
  • Patterns and material mixes: Colorful mosaics, oriental, geometric or floral decorations, gold with marble, glass with stone.
  • Clever room-dividing ideas: Separate the shower and bath tub to ensure additional comfort and flexibility in daily use. 

“Unusual architecture” theme: the modern bathroom that is also a living room

How wonderful would it be if you could have lots of space in your bathroom! In a new build or a total renovation, dream bathrooms that are flooded with light can be achieved using lavish architecture. Trend-setting: when sleeping or living areas merge.
  • To create the feeling of a spa in your home, you can install spacious solutions which expand your radius of movement. For example, a free-standing bath tub in the centre of the room or on a platform. Double wash basins with designer taps or taps that tower up from the floor. A bidet. A floor-level shower paradise with multiple showers. Also luxurious: king-size shower systems with convenient shelves.
  • Who says that a bathroom must only be used for personal hygiene? Use couches, leather armchairs or lounge furniture to design relaxation areas and turn your bathroom into a second living room. Thanks to avantgarde designer lamps, sophisticated LED lighting or plenty of natural light, you will never again want to leave your dream bathroom.
  • Opulent or cool? Parallel or asymmetrical? Give expression to excellent taste and creativity: with structure-creating tiled walls, contrasting colour surfaces, purist accessories or a mirror cabinet. Windows offer pleasant views into the garden. Why not try out a landscape painting or a sculpture?
Do you need more inspiration? We have tracked down the latest bathroom trends for you.

Summary: Unusual architecture

  • Lavish architecture: Dream bathrooms bathed in light and merged with living areas.
  • The feeling of a spa in your home: Free-standing bath tubs, double wash basins, bidet, floor-level shower paradise.
  • Relaxation areas in the bathroom: Couches, leather armchairs, lounge furniture, avantgarde designer lamps, sophisticated LED lighting.
  • Excellent taste and creativity: Structure-creating tiled walls, contrasting color surfaces, puristic accessories, windows, landscape paintings, sculptures.

Use smart planning: design your own modern bathroom

Does your bathroom have a theme? Great. In that case, here are some frequently asked questions which lots of builders or renovators have.

  • Do you have a small bathroom? It doesn’t matter. Use bathroom mirrors to simulate size. Conjure up lots of light with a sophisticated illumination concept (LED strips, mirror lights, halogen spotlights). Even in windowless bathrooms. To make optimum use of every square centimetre, you can install an angular bath tub under a slanted ceiling, for example. Use concealed installations so that the taps don't appear bulky. Flat shower and bath tub control systems are embedded in the wall. This looks classy and provides room to move around even in small spaces. Or you could do without the bath tub altogether, and instead build yourself a modern shower area featuring a lavish rain shower. Put your towels on wooden ladders or heated towel rails. Placing a wash bowl on a floor unit offers you extra storage place underneath. Here too, the tap can be concealed in minimalist design. Tall cabinets and built-in units allow bathroom utensils to disappear and clear away the clutter in a small bathroom. You can also visually enlarge the bathroom using a light colour for the walls and floor.
  • Shower on weekdays, bath on Saturdays? Do you need a shower AND a bath tub? Understandable. Both have their merits. But what bath tubs and showers look impressive in a modern bathroom? The free standing bath tub is the epitome of luxury and upscale bathroom culture. The playful lion foot variant, an angular, boat-shaped or oval shape: they all look grandiose in a large modern bathroom. A stylish addition: a bath mixer that towers up from the floor. The corner bath tub is a space-saving solution for smaller bathrooms. Nevertheless, please make sure that it fits your body size and offers space for more than just a sitz bath. The practical shower cabin never goes out of fashion, but tends to get bigger, more comfortable and more luxurious. Whether it is placed in the centre of a room, on the wall, in an alcove in the wall, in front of the window or in the corner depends on your taste and on the bathroom architecture. Very much the current trend: transparent showers with glass/Plexiglas all around. This can be curved, angular or spiral. With or without chrome fittings: glass provides a clear view of a modern shower system, for example with overhead/side showers or minimalist, flat concealed mixers. Do you dream of having a walk-in shower? There are models which can be entered from multiple sides. Sometimes a discreet glass partition provides splash protection; purists can even make do without the glass. Avantgarde variant: the shower that you can walk straight into from your bed. In the open-plan shower paradise, you can add exciting highlights with modern tiles. As it happens, walk-in showers are not only an asset in terms of aesthetics. Since they have no tripping hazards, they are an ideal basis for creating a future-proof, cross-generation bathroom and for environments that are suitable for the elderly.
  • Found some great tiles but don't know how or where to install them? Whether they are discreet and natural, oriental and playful or youthful and fresh: bathroom tiles offer infinite possibilities for décor and design. They are eye-catching features in the bathroom, and hopefully you will want to feast your eyes on them for a long time to come. In purely practical terms, they are an important spray and mould protection for walls and floors. With intricate ceramic and/or glass mosaic tiles, you can add beautiful accents to the shower, wash basin, bath tub or in an alcove. Increasingly, classic tiles are giving way to tiles in a wooden floorboard look and marble floors. You can line your walls and floors all over with large natural stone tiles, for example: slate, granite or sandstone. With their natural grains and structures, they add a sense of pristine cosiness to the bathroom. Whether you opt for porcelain stoneware or tiles in a wood finish, half-height tiling or tiling right up to the ceiling: anything goes. Whatever is easy to clean too. Of course, you don’t have to use tiles: “bare” walls are often found in modern bathrooms. If you like the cool, purist look, you can opt for a trendy concrete look in grey or natural shades.

Summary: Small modern bathroom

  • Bathroom mirrors: Simulate size.
  • Sophisticated lighting: LED strips, mirror lights, halogen spotlights.
  • Square bath tub: Under a roof slope.
  • Concealed installations: Flat shower and bath tub controls embedded in the wall.
  • Modern shower: With lavish shower rain.
  • Towel holders: On wooden ladders or heated towel rails.
  • Vanity on a floor unit: Extra storage space.
  • Tall cabinets and built-in units: Bathroom items disappear.
  • Light color for the walls and floor: Makes everything look bigger.

Shower on weekdays, bath on Saturdays?

Do you need a shower AND a bath tub? Understandable. Both have their merits. But which bath tubs and showers look impressive in a modern bathroom?

  • The free-standing bath tub is the epitome of luxury and upscale bathroom culture. The playful lion foot design or a square, boat or oval shape all look grandiose in a large modern bathroom. 
  • The corner bath tub is a space-saving solution for smaller bathrooms. Nevertheless, make sure that it fits your body size and offers space for more than just a sitz bath. A stylish addition: A bath tub faucet rising high from the floor.
  • The practical shower cabin never goes out of fashion, but tends to get ever bigger, more comfortable and more luxurious. Whether it is placed in the center of a room, on the wall, in a niche in the wall, in front of the window or in the corner depends on your taste and on the bathroom architecture. Very much the current trend: Transparent showers with glass/Plexiglas all around.

Dreaming of a walk-in shower?

There are models which can be entered from multiple sides. Sometimes a discreet glass partition provides splash protection; purists can even manage without the glass. Avantgarde version: The shower that you can walk straight into from your bed. In the open-plan shower paradise, you can add exciting highlights with modern tiles. Top tip: Walk-in showers are not only an asset in terms of their looks. Since they have no tripping hazards, they are an ideal basis for creating a future-proof, multi-generational bathroom and environments suitable for people of any age.

Summary: Showers and baths in the modern bathroom

  • Freestanding bath tub: Luxury and upscale bathroom culture.
  • Corner bath tub: Saves space in smaller bathrooms.
  • Practical shower cabin: Bigger, more comfortable, more luxurious.
  • Transparent showers: Glass/Plexiglas all round.
  • Walk-in shower: Models which can be entered from multiple sides.
  • Modern tiles: Exciting highlights in the open-plan shower paradise.

Found some terrific tiles?

Whether they are discreet and natural, oriental and playful or youthful and fresh, bathroom tiles offer infinite decor and design possibilities. They are eye-catching features in the bathroom, and hopefully you will want to feast your eyes on them for a long time to come. In purely practical terms, they provide important spray and mold protection for walls and floors. 

With intricate mosaic tiles made of ceramics, glass or even both, you can add beautiful accents to the shower, wash basin, bath tub or niche. Increasingly, classic tiles are giving way to marble flooring and tiles with a wooden floorboard effect. Or you can clad your walls and floors from top to bottom in large natural stone tiles. Slate, granite or sandstone are great materials for this. With their natural grains and structures, they add a genuine “hygge” feel to the bathroom. Whether you opt for porcelain stoneware or tiles in a wood finish, half-height tiling or tiles right up to the ceiling – anything goes, as long as it’s easy to clean. 

Of course, you don’t have to use tiles: “Bare” walls are often found in modern bathrooms. If you like the cool, puristic look, you can opt for a trendy concrete effect in gray or natural shades.

Summary: Tiles for a modern bathroom

  • Decor and design possibilities: Discreet and natural, oriental and playful or youthful and fresh.
  • Intricate mosaic tiles: Beautiful accents in the shower, wash basin, bath tub or niche.
  • Natural stone tiles: Slate, granite or sandstone bring their natural grains and structures into the bathroom.
  • Porcelain stoneware or tiles in a wood finish: Go for the materials that you like and are easy to clean.
  • Concrete effect in gray or natural shades: Cool, puristic, modern.

Frequently asked questions about modern bathrooms

What makes a modern bathroom?

A modern bathroom features clean lines, high-quality materials, functional elegance, and innovative water- and energy-saving faucets.

Which design ideas are popular in the modern bathroom?

Popular design ideas include “inspired by nature” with natural materials and colors as well as “design statements“ with minimalist and functional elements and efficient faucets.

What is the role of lighting in a modern bathroom?

The lighting is crucial for creating atmosphere and facilitating functionality, ideally through a combination of natural light and sophisticated, energy-efficient artificial light sources.

What are “design statements” in the bathroom?

The term “design statements” indicates the use of remarkable yet often minimalist design elements that are appealing both in terms of looks and functionality. Even modern faucets can become design statements.

Which colors dominate in modern bathrooms?

Classic, neutral and natural colors, such as white, gray, beige, and earthy colors, often dominate in modern bathrooms.

How important is the choice of materials when designing a modern bathroom?

The choice of high-quality materials, such as natural stone, glass, and wood, is essential for the durability and aesthetic value of a modern bathroom. They should be paired with faucets that save water and energy.

How can I make my bathroom design more sustainable?

Sustainability can be achieved through the use of eco-friendly materials, locally sourced products, water- and energy-saving faucets and energy-efficient lighting.

Bathroom planning with hansgrohe: more guidance articles for designing modern bathrooms

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