This is the year: You’re finally going to tackle that long-awaited bathroom redesign. And 2024 is an ideal time to take on this job because you have a wealth of options when it comes to colors, fixtures, materials, hardware, and much more.

With so many choices, you’ll want to look at the top trends and focus on one or two that align with your interior design style and can help you create your dream bathroom. Here are some simple ways to upgrade your bathroom so it’s the height of style, making it a room you’ll be happy to spend time in every day.

New Ways to Brighten Up a Bathroom:

You could stick with typical recessed ceiling lights, but take this opportunity to branch out and think about less traditional ideas. Depending on the space available in your bathroom, you could choose sconces, pendants, or even a petite chandelier. You can add extra illumination with lights in your vanity mirror or underneath the vanity cabinets.

By creating a design that combines direct and ambient light, you’ll create an aura of sophisticated elegance that highlights your new bathroom design.

Don’t Be Afraid of Color:

Why not branch out from classic white and take your color palette in a new and exciting direction? Whether it’s used as an accent in accessories or bath linens, as part of a tile pattern, or as the primary hue on your walls or vanity, color can create a particular ambiance using the concept of color psychology. This is when you select colors based on the emotions they generate.

For instance, green is predicted to be a popular color for 2024. In color psychology, green evokes a connection to nature, freshness, growth, and tranquility, among other qualities. You can combine two complementary colors or choose one shade to pair with white fixtures.

When selecting a color, you’ll also want to consider saturation (color intensity) and value (lightness/darkness) to get a shade that won’t overwhelm or overpower the space. In addition to green, other top colors for 2024 will be blues and earth tones like terracotta and sand.

Floors Have Plenty of Design Potential:

In bathroom design, it’s easy to focus on the usual elements like walls, vanities, cabinets, and hardware. But when you’re looking around your bathroom for design inspiration, don’t forget to look down. Transform your floor with bold geometric tile patterns, in either colors or neutral tones to make a singular style statement. These patterns often use minimal grout, which is better to show off the design.

Wallpaper Is Making a Comeback:

It’s not just for living rooms anymore—wallpaper is popping up in more and more bathrooms as another way to introduce color, pattern, and even texture into your design scheme. Choose a wallpaper based on your home’s overall design style.

A minimalist bathroom would use subtly patterned neutral wallpaper, while a bohemian design could incorporate vibrant colors and unusual patterns. Not sure if the wallpaper is for you? Try peel-and-stick wallpaper that is easy to remove.

Create Your Own At-Home Spa:

Who wouldn’t want to enjoy the luxury of a spa every day? The popular trend of modern bathrooms with light woods, soothing neutrals, plenty of glass, and natural light creates an ambiance that is immediately soothing and relaxing. You’ll want a vanity with plenty of storage space in the cabinets to keep countertop clutter to a minimum (which leaves more space to add a natural element like a small potted houseplant).

When deciding on a neutral, choose a warm undertone like cream, off-white, or a light tan so your space feels inviting. Plush towels and essential oil-infused soaps and lotions add the perfect finishing touches.

Go for the Gold (or Silver or Bronze):

When it comes to cabinet pulls, towel bars, and faucets, anything goes when choosing a finish. Nickel, brass, pewter, even black — you’ll see all those popping up in bathrooms in 2024. Don’t be shy when it comes to mixing and matching metals or matte and polished finishes if you’re ready to try something bold and new.

Make Your Mirror Shine:

Don’t get boxed in when choosing the shape of your bathroom mirror. Square and rectangular mirrors will never go out of style, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something different. A round circular mirror makes an interesting counterpoint to an angular vanity.

Or you could choose a more offbeat shape like an arch or an oval. If you’re sticking with a classic mirror shape, you can spruce it up by choosing one with an eye-catching frame or backlighting. In addition to your vanity mirror, you could also add one or two smaller mirrors in other parts of the bathroom, which has the bonus effect of making a small space appear larger.

Add Your Own Personal Spin:

Your home’s interior design should reflect your own taste and design aesthetic, which is true for your bathroom as well. Adding a personal touch makes the space unique and keeps a bathroom from looking too sterile. It could be as simple as putting a few heirloom jewelry holders on your vanity countertop or hanging a piece of art or framed photograph on the walls.

If your bathroom is large enough or has a picturesque window view, see if you can create a small lounge area with a soft rug and seating where you can retreat for a few moments of peace amid a busy day. When your bathroom reflects your sense of style, you’ll feel enveloped in comfort in a space that is more like a sanctuary.

New year. New bathroom. In 2024, dare to reimagine this most utilitarian space into something beautiful and practical. It’s easy to do with these simple ideas you can try for yourself. What are you waiting for? It’s time to get the bathroom you’ve always wanted.