Features by Diane Larner, founder and editor of Bathroom Review & Kitchens Review.
Diane Larner launched both titles over 15 years ago and has been writing about the bathroom and kitchen interior design industries ever since, publishing regular features across both sectors.
Bathrooms have evolved into restful retreats, with bathroom furniture playing a central role for designers, retailers and specifiers alike. 2026 interior trends will continue to celebrate visual appeal with durability, reflecting client requests for spaces that feel calm, considered and seamlessly connected to modern living.
Diane Larner examines the latest products to reach the market, from tactile opulence to clever storage solutions.
Classic bathroom furniture with a contemporary edge
Creating a nostalgic, bygone feel to the bathroom – without appearing clunky or outdated – is best achieved by combining traditional styling with bold, contemporary colour schemes. Incorporating useful storage combined with modern, durable features, such as minimalist sinks and taps, also helps lend a clean, streamlined feel.
Atlanta Bathrooms’ design-led Signature Collection is exclusive to displaying retailers and features the Herrington series of traditionally styled painted vanity units. Complemented by coordinating sanitaryware, countertops, and brassware, the collection is showcased in a dedicated Signature brochure.
Following the successful launch last October, Atlanta Bathrooms has reported an exceptional response from retailers, designers, and homeowners across the UK.
Tactile bathroom furniture & sensory style
Opulence and indulgence are influencing design outcomes for 2026. Global trends suggest a focus on colours and materials that deliver rich, earthy tones, combined with sumptuous gold or jewel-like accents. According to Interior Design Trends 2026: What’s Next in Luxury UK Homes, we can expect to see saturated colours such as jade greens and petrol blues, as well as rich reds – think ochre and clay – to step forcibly into the spotlight. Add in texture and contrast – such as sleek gold handles or hammered metal – and you have a multisensory space that appeals to today’s consumers.
Richard Shore, head of product design at Utopia, agrees, “Expect to see earthy greens, moody blues, warm neutrals, fiery terracottas and rich jewel tones coming through. These colours work to highlight an increasingly textural design landscape. Simple linear and fluted textures are becoming the entry point into a broader world of tactile finishes, where geometric forms blend with organic surfaces. This shift is breaking away from traditional patterning and opening up almost limitless combinations of texture and colour. In addition, sustainability and genuine durability will shape bathroom trends more than ever.”
HeyU, Utopia’s most versatile modular range, combines an inspired fusion of texture, colour and creativity, all designed and manufactured at Utopia’s headquarters in the West Midlands.
Durable bathroom furniture for long-term performance
Creating durable bathroom furniture means specifying products that combine functionality with longevity. High-quality surface materials that are low‑maintenance, hygienic, and robust enough to resist moisture and everyday wear ensure long-term performance.
In line with the latest trends, a high-gloss finish and the capacity to create bespoke pieces for all shapes and sizes offer additional advantages to architects and designers. These elements offer greater versatility since they can be tailored to unique project needs.
Monika Skotarczak, marketing & communications lead for the interior solutions UK, comments, “The evolution of the bathroom is increasingly driven by material choice. Beyond fittings and finishes, surfaces now define how a space performs, endures and ultimately feels. In both residential and commercial bathrooms, users look for long-lasting solutions that use robust, dependable materials able to maintain their appearance through many years of intensive, high-traffic use.”
Developed by REHAU, the RAUVISIO crystal collection is an elegant alternative to real glass, delivering the same visual brilliance with superior everyday practicality. Introduced this year, the new RAUVISIO crystal pure collection combines a refined, glass-like appearance with outstanding performance credentials.
Shaker style bathroom furniture
Shaker-style furniture is renowned for its timeless elegance, thanks to its clean lines and recessed panels, which create a calm, classic backdrop. Fitted bathroom furniture with customisable designs also makes it easier to optimise space and meet client requirements.
Hayley Bowman – marketing manager, for Harrison Bathrooms, agrees, “Fitted bathroom furniture has become popular mainly due to its space-saving functionality. Many homes feature compact bathrooms, and fitted units offer effective storage solutions that help reduce clutter. These slimline options preserve floor space and can be designed to fit around basins and toilets, creating a coordinated appearance. Additionally, fitted furniture enhances the bathroom’s overall texture. While Shaker units are typically associated with kitchens, their straight clean lines emphasise craftsmanship, and they are now increasingly used in bathrooms, adding a classic, versatile touch.”
Harrison Bathrooms has announced the launch of its refreshed and expanded Scudo Fitted Furniture Collection, designed to offer retailers a simplified, design-led and great-value fitted solution that meets growing demand across the UK market.
Built-in storage blends style with practicality. For homeowners, these nifty solutions help retain a polished brochure-worthy appeal by delivering a clean, clutter-free environment post-installation. For architects, they offer the opportunity to create fluid, functional layouts that don’t sacrifice style. With seamless integrations, built-in storage also has the added advantage of making smaller bathrooms feel larger and more organised.
Space-smart bathroom furniture & storage
Decluttering has been shown to provide benefits for emotional well-being – according to Psychology Today, “Several studies show a correlation between disorganisation, clutter, and mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and stress.”* Building in bathroom storage offers a considered solution, especially for busy family homes, where multiple users may use the same space.
Yiota Toumba, senior designer at Villeroy & Boch, explains, “Bathroom furniture is becoming more versatile, with storage solutions designed to suit every kind of space. In family bathrooms, we’re seeing larger vanity units with deep drawers and clever partitions to keep everything tidy. For ensuites and smaller spaces, slimline designs and modular units are key – they maximise functionality without overwhelming the room.”
Ideal Standard’s i.life furniture collections meet the demands of modern living, offering smart storage solutions and stylish vanity units for bathrooms of every size. Space-saving is the priority – making it an ideal choice for retailers working with homeowners who have limited space, such as ensuites or cloakroom bathrooms.
Tailored bathroom furniture for bespoke interiors
Designing spaces that reflect individual taste is easier than ever, thanks to a wide array of colours, shapes and finishes offered by manufacturers. This flexibility means householders can create personalised environments, in which cabinetry and fixture details are tailored to individual needs. With so many differing styles on the market, from bold to muted, or retro to modern, the potential to create a home that works for clients on a bespoke level is helpful to bathroom professionals.
Julie Lockwood, furniture product manager, Bathrooms to Love by PJH, explains, “Furniture design has evolved significantly over the past decade in response to the changing role of the bathroom and continued product innovation. Furniture’s dual role – bathroom storage space as well as stunning aesthetics – has inspired its design evolution helping to create one of the largest choices of options for all. An entire spectrum of colours, textures, materials, and unit shapes and sizes, means the customer can create a personalised space that is practical yet luxurious.”
In response to the growing demand for more colour and unit options, Bathrooms to Love by PJH has added two new flawless hues to its popular modular furniture range, ELEMENTS, as well as a new slim cloakroom basin unit and WC unit, for its 2026 Collection.
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