The 3 Bathroom Finishes Designers Are Begging You Not to Use

Most people go into the process of designing bathrooms with the hopes of doing something timeless. And timeless doesn’t necessarily mean traditional. Your style may lean into a modern aesthetic or more toward eclectic design, but the goal is to create something that will last for a few years, if not decades. 

Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, no one is immune to choosing something that’s dominating social media at a given moment. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the bathroom. You know a 1990s bathroom the minute you see it. The band of earth tone tile around the shower, the warm taupe stone-look floors, the brushed nickel fixtures. 

And then there’s the 2010 bathroom, with its farmhouse-inspired geometric cement tile floors and matte black fixtures. There’s little you can do to hide these bathrooms’ ages, as swapping out tile and finishes isn’t as simple as updating curtains or even a paint color. 

A few finishes will carry you through the years a bit more seamlessly than others, though. I spoke to three designers on what to avoid if you want your bathroom fixtures to look timeless, and I’m sharing their insights here. 

“We’ve been steering clients away from brushed nickel finishes, which can read as builder-grade when not balanced thoughtfully,” says Rebekah Murphy, co-founder and architect of design at Murphy & Moore Design.

This silver metal has an appearance that can read lackluster, particularly when you put it in a bathroom where everything feels clean and crisp. The literal brushed surface texture of brushed nickel may feel aged — and not in a good way. 

Instead, Murphy recommends looking at polished nickel as an alternative. “It’s a material that will develop character over time, and the key is selecting finishes that complement the architecture of the space,” she says. “A well-chosen fixture should feel like it’s always belonged.”

Brass has been having a moment in design for years now, but getting the right tone is key. According to designers, a particular brass finish is essentially a one-way ticket to making a space look dated: bright yellow brass.

“I’d never say never, but I highly doubt the yellow brass of the 1980s is ever coming back in kitchen and bath fixtures,” says designer Darlene Molnar.

Brass is a finish where you actually want to see the early signs of aging, explains Molnar, which gives the metal its sense of character. “Unlacquered brass that’s had a chance to patina is gorgeous, and some companies are [even] pre-aging their finishes to get the look,” she says. For example, Rejuvenation has a new finish called “heritage brass,” which is inspired by the warmth and character of patinated brass but is lacquered and won’t change with time. So the pre-aged look you see now is how it’ll stay over time.

The bottom line here? If you love brass, it’s best to skip anything that’s super-yellow in tone, which can make a faucet or fixture look cheap, dated, and one-dimensional. Think you’ll fret over a “living” finish? Try any of the softer golds on the market — or lacquered pre-aged varieties —that don’t read as harsh and ’80s.

Well-designed rooms should feel like they’re living, breathing spaces, and flat finishes can sometimes have the opposite effect by making a space feel stale, and, eventually, dated. Matte black is one finish that definitely had its heyday, but now seeing it feels a little underwhelming and tired for some designers.

“Matte black might grab attention, but it doesn’t age well,” says designer Olga Doykhen. “I see this trend a lot in builder-grade homes or remodels.”

She points out that, often, black fixtures are too matchy-matchy. Instead, she chooses fixtures based on the architecture of a space as well as their ability to age gracefully. “Fixtures should feel like a natural extension of the house and align with your lifestyle,” says Doykhen. “A home should feel lived in.”