Colour trend: beige tones are an increasingly popular choice in bathroom design

There’s always demand for a cosy home – especially in corona times. Which is why it’s plausible to assume that the pandemic will have an impact on the colour palette in the bathroom. It’s a fact: more and more bathrooms are being designed in beige tones. Walls and flooring, bathroom furniture and accessories in modern shades of beige don’t just convey a close-to-nature atmosphere, they create a warm and cosy feel as well.

Colour trends come and go in waves – some shorter, some longer. But whereas in the fashion world a hyped colour is out again before you know it, in architecture or the bathroom sector a wave can take 30 years to reappear. But reappear it will – that’s been scientifically proven. The current trend towards beige tones in the bathroom seems to be evidence of this phenomenon.

Beige as the ground colour for a modern mix & match approach

The Bahama Beige phase of the 70s and early 80s that immersed bathrooms all over Europe in a rather rustic ambience is gone and forgotten. The beige tones we’re talking about nowadays are modern and cheerful shades rooted in nature. Sand, light oak, linen, raffia, reeds and other natural materials are being echoed in the new surfaces of bathroom furniture and tiles. And in contrast to the once so homogeneous Bahama Beige hype, the collection approach – i.e. unvarying use of the colour for ceramic washbasins, toilets, toilet lids, floor mats and accessories – is no longer contemporary. Instead, bathroom planners’ growing expertise and their clients’ preferences permit a mix & match look, and the expectations of a modern interior design are extremely high when it comes to the planning of a new bathroom.

The Pop up my Bathroom Instagram channel – probably the biggest bathroom showcase on the social web – is representative of this development and provides impressive evidence of how beige tones have been shaping trends in recent months. “At the same time, the beige trend isn’t about a fashionable accent colour, it’s about a shift in the preferred ground colour – away from neutral grey and towards a light but brownish ambience,” says Jens J. Wischmann, managing director of the German Bathroom Sector Association (Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. [VDS]) and co-initiator of the Pop up my Bathroom trend platform. “This development can easily be overlooked because it only seems to be a minor change as compared to the greige we’ve been seeing so much of for the last few years. But because it’s a ground colour that can influence the entire palette of accompanying shades, we’re expecting it to have a lasting impact.”

Beige tones convey security and a cosy sense of warmth

Thanks to the 70s revival and a more open-minded view of what is a classic colour for interiors, living rooms and home offices are being decked out in colours ranging from winter-warm shades all the way to light hues evocative of beach grass. Now the beige trend has arrived in the bathroom too. Beige is the neutral but on-trend alternative to expressive black, grey, gold and dark blue. And in view of the high aesthetic standards that are commonplace nowadays, it’s reassuring to know that the client can’t really go wrong with beige, and when paired with white it adds up to a winning combination that conveys a secure and cosy feel. In these stressful corona times, natural materials and products in beige tones are almost enough to create a private spa all by themselves.

A light or dark ambience? Beige looks as good with white as it does with brown

Combinations featuring darker shades are also in vogue again. A brown ambience helps us unwind in next to no time and makes us feel secure. And as long as the muted shades don’t make the colour scheme seem too oppressive – splashes of orange, turquoise, taupe, green, blackberry or white are a good antidote – there’s no reason why brown or beige can’t be used to create a modern interior. On the other hand, classic bathroom products like ceramic sanitaryware or toilet lids are less commonplace.

“It’s interesting that beige is being used as a distinct colour space in its own right again – i.e. it’s not constantly trying to legitimise itself with grey tints as a colour that goes well with modern materials like concrete – unlike the still-dominant greige,” says Frank A. Reinhardt, creative director of Pop up my Bathroom, summing up the trend colour’s new-found role. “The ‘new’ beige comes across as self-confident and is therefore also a valid partner for cinnamon all the way to dark brown. On the other hand, too much of a reddish tint, as in the case of terracotta shades, looks almost old-fashioned and is not such a good fit with the modern beige colour space.”

Matt surfaces are a popular choice for underscoring the fresh, natural look. And when it comes to materials, wood tops the list of frontrunners for creating a bathroom with a snug feel. Oak is a perennial favourite: whether it’s used for the wall, the countertops or the floor, the evergreen yet modern-looking wood – preferably with a finish that reflects the current trend towards a light ambience – conjures up a pleasant, feel-good atmosphere. The first indications from German bathroom furniture manufacturers suggest that bathroom furniture made of solid wood will be the trend at the ISH digital 2021.

Regardless of the specific style, imitations are a popular choice too: from stone, marble or wood effects all the way to fabric textures, anything is possible – without looking the slightest bit artificial. Shower surfaces, floor tiles or splashbacks printed to look like wood, fittings with wood inlays or countertops made of composites skilfully imitate nature and combine it with the positive material properties of the established product canon.

Planning a bathroom in beige: storytelling made easy

When designing a bathroom, planners can create a narrative centred around nature and sustainability: a rose garden that extends into the ground-floor bathroom, a love of the sea reflected in a look that evokes a walk through the dunes, a combination of wooden surfaces and lots of plants. Whatever the narrative, beige is the ideal basis for planning a new bathroom.

The convergence of a colour trend, a crisis experience and sustainability awareness

The VDS – the umbrella association of the German bathroom sector – sees a continuation of the colour trend, driven by the corona crisis and growing sustainability awareness: “Even before the corona epidemic, we were observing growing demand for brown and beige tones. People don’t just want their bathroom to be cosy: it’s increasingly becoming a kind of sanctuary with sensuous appeal, a place where we can withdraw and recharge our batteries. Now Covid-19 is working like a catalyst and intensifying the desire for a protected space,” says Jens J. Wischmann, managing director of the VDS. “On top of that, there’s a strong desire for sustainable bathroom planning and eco-friendly products. And because it’s a natural-looking colour, beige is ideal for conveying those values. At the ISH digital 2021 we’ll be seeing a great many products that help create a Living Bathroom designed for quality time in a quality space,” says Wischmann.