Does your bathroom have a warm color scheme yet feel unusually cold? Designers say the problem is often sensory.
Tile, glass, and mirrors can reflect sound, while lighting from above can flatten a space and draw attention to functional fixtures.
In response to that problem, the soft bathroom trend draws upon features used in living rooms.
Bringing in furniture-style storage, layered lighting, soft finishes, and natural texture can make a utilitarian bathroom feel more relaxing.
All five interior designers interviewed for this story agree: it’s about softening your bathroom’s hard surfaces, not stuffing the space with extra clutter.
How you achieve that balance can vary, from upgrading a vanity to simply adding warm lighting, textured rugs, or natural accents.
Meet the Interior Designers
Zenia Nesterova is a New York City-based architectural interior designer at VIGO Industries.
Hayley Fellows-Prior is an interior designer based in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, and the founder of Atelier 44.
Sophie Earlson is an Atlanta-based interior designer and design consultant at Boutique Rugs.
Daniela Alilovic is a Toronto-based interior designer and the founder of Spaces by Dee.
Adrienne Morgan is a Fort Worth, Texas-based interior designer and the founder and principal designer of Adrienne Morgan Interior Design.
Choose Storage That Looks Like Furniture
Many bathroom vanities look like they exist only to serve a practical purpose.
Zenia Nesterova, architectural interior designer at VIGO Industries, recommends choosing something that looks more like a living room cabinet.
“Pay attention to the scale and character of a media console or sideboard,” Nesterova explains. “A floating vanity in fluted oak warms up a space without making it feel too busy.”
A wall-mounted vanity can make a small bathroom feel less cluttered by leaving more of the floor visible.
It also provides contrast against flat tiles.
Wood grain looks particularly good against light-colored walls or in a neutral, stone-colored bathroom. Oak softens the space without making it feel too heavy.
“In living rooms, we’re used to combining smooth textures with visible grain,” she says. “That’s an element bathrooms tend to lack.”
Light the Room at Different Heights
Lighting can make an otherwise well-styled bathroom feel cold, especially when recessed ceiling spotlights are the only source of light.
“The biggest mistake I see is relying solely on ceiling spotlights, which can make a bathroom feel more like a clinical workspace than somewhere you want to unwind,” says Hayley Fellows-Prior, interior designer and founder of Atelier 44.
She recommends decorative wall lights with textured or fluted glass. Adding dimmers allows you to lower the brightness in the evening.
For a more budget-friendly option, place a cordless, rechargeable table lamp on a dry shelf or vanity. It adds another source of light without requiring electrical work.
“Layered lighting instantly changes the atmosphere of a bathroom, creating warmth that overhead lighting simply can’t achieve,” Fellows-Prior says.
Choose a compact model with a warm light bulb. Keep it away from the sink, shower, and bathtub, and check that it is suitable for use in humid rooms.
Add a Bathroom-Safe Soft Surface
Sometimes, a bathroom feels cold because it sounds cold. Tile and glass reflect sound, making the room feel echoey and hollow.
The average microfiber bath mat may absorb some sound, but that’s the extent of its charm.
Sophie Earlson, interior designer and design consultant at Boutique Rugs, suggests using a small accent rug instead.
“By using a vintage-style performance runner, your bathroom starts to feel like it belongs in the house and not like a utility space,” Earlson says. “You have a focal point on your floor.”
A 2-by-3-foot rug will usually work in front of the vanity in a standard bathroom. A narrow runner may suit a longer space.
Choose a low-pile rug if the room gets a lot of moisture. It will dry faster and be easier to clean. Near a sink or shower, look for a washable design.
A patterned rug can disguise small marks. Muted shades tend to work well in compact bathrooms because they add interest without dominating the room.
A denser rug can also reduce some of the echo created by tile and glass.
“We often think about softness in terms of feel, not necessarily sound,” Earlson says, “but a denser rug can actually make the room feel quieter.”
Add Texture, Not Clutter
Natural texture has the effect of softening a bathroom without cluttering the space.
Look for items with a noticeable grain or woven finish in materials appropriate for humid spaces.
Daniela Alilovic, interior designer and founder of Spaces by Dee, suggests using moisture-resistant wallpaper on walls. It can add texture without cluttering up the floor or countertops.
“Even adding moisture-proof wallpaper with a grassy texture can assist with bringing softness into a bathroom,” Alilovic says.
A grasscloth-inspired finish can add interest to an otherwise flat bathroom wall, making it feel less bland.
Ensure the wallpaper is not installed in areas where it will come into direct contact with water.
For a smaller update, Adrienne Morgan, founder and principal designer of Adrienne Morgan Interior Design, recommends bamboo.
“Bamboo is a very natural material that’s relatively affordable,” Morgan says.
Its warm color creates a clear contrast against tile and glass. It also adds the woven texture often found in living room baskets and decorative storage.
“Bamboo is a great moisture-resistant material to use in bathrooms,” Morgan says. “It could be bamboo bath accessories such as a tray or a wastebasket.”
A simple bamboo tray can warm up a vanity without taking up much space.
A matching wastebasket provides the same natural texture in a practical form.
Choose sealed bamboo products intended for use in humid rooms.
The Living Room Test
If your bathroom feels disconnected from the rest of your home, try incorporating a few of these features for a more cohesive space: furniture-style storage, lighting at different heights, a moisture-resistant soft textile, and a natural texture.
You do not need to include all four elements at once.
Start with what the room is missing most.
A furniture-style vanity can break up a sterile space. A second light source can soften harsh overhead lighting. A washable rug can reduce echo.
For natural texture, consider moisture-resistant wallpaper with a grasscloth-inspired finish.
A sealed bamboo tray or wastebasket offers a smaller and more affordable alternative.
Together, these layers can make the bathroom feel less like a utilitarian zone and more like a finished room.
