Renovating a bathroom in an older home comes with its unique set of challenges and rewards. These homes, often full of charm and history, provide a perfect canvas for modern upgrades while maintaining their vintage appeal. Whether you’re in New South Wales or Tasmania, here are the top five bathroom renovation trends to keep your space functional, stylish, and in line with today’s design needs—especially for homes with a bit of age.
1. Vintage Meets Modern: Blending Old with New
One of the top trends is to embrace the character of older homes by blending vintage design elements with modern functionality. Keep existing features like clawfoot bathtubs or exposed brickwork and pair them with sleek, contemporary fixtures. Think polished chrome taps, minimalist vanities, and frameless glass shower screens. This combination honors the history of the home while adding the conveniences of today’s bathrooms.
Tip: Restoring original tiles or using replicas is a great way to keep that vintage charm alive.
2. Accessibility and Aging in Place
With many homeowners in older areas opting to stay in their homes longer, designing bathrooms with accessibility in mind is becoming essential. Features like walk-in showers, grab bars, wider doorways, and non-slip flooring are practical additions that blend seamlessly with the rest of the bathroom design.
Pro Tip: You don’t need to sacrifice style for function—many modern accessibility features come in sleek, sophisticated designs.
3. Eco-Friendly and Water-Saving Solutions
Renovating older bathrooms also offers a great opportunity to incorporate eco-friendly features. Water-saving fixtures such as low-flow toilets, taps, and showerheads are in high demand. Additionally, consider installing energy-efficient lighting and ventilation systems to reduce your carbon footprint.
Tip: Dual-flush toilets and water-saving showerheads can dramatically reduce water consumption without compromising comfort.
4. Neutral and Earthy Tones
Older homes often have bathrooms in outdated colors that might not appeal to modern homeowners. The trend now is to incorporate neutral and earthy tones, which help create a calm, timeless aesthetic. Soft greys, whites, beige, and earthy greens can all breathe new life into a tired space while complementing the rustic charm of older houses.
Tip: Pair these tones with natural materials like stone or wood for an organic, grounded feel.
5. Maximizing Space in Small Bathrooms
Older homes, especially those in cities and small towns in NSW and Tasmania, often have smaller bathrooms that weren’t designed for modern needs. Maximizing the space is a key renovation trend. Clever storage solutions such as floating shelves, recessed medicine cabinets, and vanity units with built-in drawers can help keep the bathroom functional and organized without taking up too much space.
Pro Tip: Mirrors and glass elements can make a small bathroom feel more spacious and open.
Conclusion
Renovating an older bathroom can be both exciting and rewarding. Whether you’re in the heart of NSW or the scenic towns of Tasmania, these five trends offer a balance between preserving the character of older homes and bringing them into the modern era. By embracing both function and style, you can create a space that is as practical as it is beautiful.