5 Bathroom Features That Are Falling Out of Favor

Take a look at any new bathroom, and you’ll notice some commonalities: sleek frameless doors rather than curtains or bulky sliding ones, bold statement mirrors in place of traditional medicine cabinets, and even a resurgence of cool colored tiles (think bright blue and emerald green!).

But you know what they say: in with the new, out with the old. Just as these design elements fall into favor, others fall out of favor. So what will we see fade into distant memory? We asked a few seasoned pros to weigh in.

“A few years ago, everyone wanted a rain showerhead in their master bathroom. It had become a status symbol,” says Liz Toombs, C.I.D, an interior decorator and the president and owner of PDR Interiors. “Now, people realize there is not much point to this fixture—it offers low water pressure, making it difficult to wash off soap and shampoo. People are choosing to spend that money in other areas of their home.”

“The Hollywood mirror look was a popular trend, particularly in master bathrooms, that has now fallen to the wayside,” says Crystal Nagel, owner and lead designer at Crystal Nagel Design. “These strip lights have been traded in for sconces that provide softer light and help homeowners achieve a particular look that matches their aesthetic.”

“As with any other styling feature, silver-hued faucets, handles, and the like simply became the trendy thing to have in your bathroom,” says Los Angeles-based designer Breegan Jane. “It’s time to put silver on the curb for a bit and usher in newer and fresher golds, or even matte black. They give any bathroom a significant facelift, and these colors instantly modernize the space.”

“People just don’t install towel holders as much anymore,” says Los Angeles-based interior designer Ryan Saghian. “Yes, you see them in master and secondary bathrooms, but never in powder rooms anymore. It’s all about cute hand towels on trays on the counter.”

“These feel really ’80s to me, and they are also kind of gross. They never look particularly clean,” says Drew Henry, founder of Design Dudes. “A more luxurious modern alternative is a free standing soaker tub. This offers a much more spa-like feel.”