12 Bathroom Flooring Trends for 2024

Flooring trends for 2024 remain much the same as in previous years with a higher emphasis on aesthetics and low-maintenance materials. Vinyl is becoming increasingly popular as it is an aesthetically attractive material with low maintenance, high water resistance, and an easy DIY process.

Geometric and floral designs are overtaking patterned tile, but these three are still incredibly popular. Here are some other flooring trends that are growing in popularity for 2024.

1. Sheet Vinyl Bathroom Flooring

Sheet vinyl has slowly become more and more popular as they provide you with almost unlimited design choices. Sheet vinyl is more resistant to water as there aren’t gaps compared to a vinyl tile. Sheet vinyl comes in large sheets that are comfortable to walk on and easy to clean. The only downside to vinyl is that materials such as wood or stone will look artificial and cheap. However, sheet vinyl is still great with a printed geometric pattern or mosaic look that meshes with any bathroom setup.

2. Mosaic Tile

Mosaic tiles are a classic design for a reason as they help to create a timeless look for your bathroom that really has no downsides. Mosaic tiles are available in a large range of sizes, shapes, materials, and colors, providing a wide range of options to choose from. The material can either be porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, or glass. The benefit of the mosaic is that the final pattern is up to you, giving you more creative control.

3. Large Format Bathroom Tile

Extra-large tiles are becoming more popular for two reasons: cost and ease of installation. Tiles are more expensive due to the labor involved in cutting it into the right size and shape for multiple bathrooms. With large format tiles, there is less cutting involved, which makes it cheaper for the end user. In addition, large format tiles make your bathroom appear larger, especially with the right lighting and color scheme. This installation also ensures fewer grout lines which are both aesthetically pleasing and provides fewer entryways for moisture to enter the tile, ensuring their longevity. 

4. Geometric Designs for Tile

Geometric designs are another classic as their symmetrical patterns pair well with any bathroom design. Geometric shapes include squares, polygons, triangles, hexagons, pyramids, diamonds, rectangles, and almost any symmetrical shape you can imagine. In addition to the wide variety of shape choices, their complex patterns and design make up for any imperfections or deficiencies in your flooring materials. They can make any lower-quality material appear elegant and vibrant, and help emphasize higher-quality material. Popular colors include black, white, red, yellow, orange, blue, green, and grey. 

5. Textured and Non-Slip Flooring

Textured and non-slip flooring are growing in popularity as it provides better protection against slipping and safety hazards when navigating the bathroom. When it comes to non-slip flooring, there are many options such as vinyl, natural stone, bamboo, cork, and rubber flooring. This provides both high-end and low-end options that will help prevent safety hazards in your bathroom. As trends go on, non-slip flooring doesn’t seem likely to change or go away as people want to be comfortable traversing their own bathroom no matter the conditions. 

6. White Bathroom Tile

White tile is a classic look as it helps to tie in a clean aesthetic in your bathroom. This pairs well with elements such as a classic clawfoot tub and porcelain fixtures. However, you shouldn’t be limited to just white elements in your bathroom. Consider contrasting your white tile with darker tones such as black or brown to create a modern aesthetic, or consider adding in plants or a touch of green to create a more vibrant aesthetic. The primary benefit of white tile is that it will make your bathroom feel much larger and more spacious. 

7. Waterproof Vinyl Floors

Vinyl is quickly becoming a popular flooring option as its durability has slowly improved over the years. It is also a great deal cheaper than more traditional flooring choices and they are waterproof, giving them more flexibility in the bathroom. They can also be DIY since they are very easy to install which lowers the install price for many homeowners. Lastly, vinyl can emulate the look of any material, giving you a great deal of aesthetic customization.

8. Waterproof Carpets and Rugs

Although it may seem crazy to include carpets or rugs in a shower, there have been many improvements to waterproofing material over the years. Waterproof carpets and rugs are slip resistant and comforting to step on, which make navigating your bathroom more enjoyable. Keep in mind, that while the flooring is waterproof, it is still a good idea to wash your carpet periodically to avoid any strange odors. 

9. Marble Look

Marble is a classic material for a reason as it blends both sophistication and durability. However, marble is quite porous, and in a bathroom, this can be an issue as it can develop water spots and stains that are less attractive. For this reason, there are a few composite materials that can simulate marble without inheriting its material downsides. Quartz has marble finishes and high-end vinyl can simulate the look of marble. Many trends in 2024 revolve around lowering the maintenance and improving a material without increasing its cost and marble flooring is another example of this in practice.

10. Patterned Tile

Similar to geometric tile, but with more structure, pattern tile is an incredibly popular flooring choice in both modern and classic designs. They create an attractive point in your bathroom and help to bring more character and creativity to your space. Patterned tile is a great option if your space is small and needs a bit of flair or if you have plain fixtures such as a white sink, bathtub, toilet or shower.

11. Herringbone Flooring

Herringbone is created by overlapping V shape patterns over one another, making it ideal for both wall tile and floor tile. The benefit of using herringbone is that the design pairs well with any bathroom color scheme and aesthetic without drawing away any attention from any of your fixtures. The only drawback to herringbone is that the multi-tiered method of installation will cost a little more than other flooring options. 

12. Emulate Wood

Wood remains a popular option for the bathroom as it provides a rustic and cozy feel, but in practice, wood requires a great deal of maintenance and care to withstand the environment of the bathroom. That is where composite materials such as vinyl come in, offering a composite material that emulates real wood. Vinyl tile has improved over the years, providing a look that simulates the look of real wood remarkably close. And if you are looking for alternatives to vinyl tile, consider bamboo or hardwood for a more authentic look and seal them with a waterproof coating. 

Bathroom Flooring Tips

Here is some tips to consider when choosing your bathroom floor to help you decide on which material is right for you:

Experiment with Different Styles

Be sure to compare and contrast different floor styles before choosing. Flooring is quite time-consuming to install so you have ample time to compare and contrast between different styles before you commit to one. And if you install flooring, it is relatively easy to remove and replace in the future, so don’t feel locked into one choice if you are dissatisfied with your choice. 

Choose a Durable Material

When selecting a bathroom floor material, you want the material to either be impact durable or resistant to moisture. If you can find a material that is good at both, then that is ideal, but moisture resistance is key for your bathroom. And if a material is not ideal for the bathroom, remember that you can always seal it with a waterproof solution to help protect it. 

Ensure Slip-resistant/Avoid Smooth Materials

A bathroom can be a dangerous place so it’s key that you choose materials that are slip-resistant and avoid smooth materials for flooring. You can offset this by placing bathroom mats with grip to ensure a safer surface area. 

Keep Water in Mind

Always keep water and moisture in mind when choosing a flooring material. The bonding agent between tiles, otherwise known as grout, is very porous. This means that water can easily enter, creating mold, mildew, and discoloration, which can be a hassle to deal with. Ensure that you always seal grout after placing your flooring. 

Always Check the Substructure

Be sure to periodically check the substructure of the bathroom to ensure that there is no water leakage or damage. Damage to the substructure can be arduous to deal with, so catch it soon before it becomes a real problem. 

2024 has only just begun and it will be exciting to see how flooring trends will evolve throughout the year. One thing for certain is homeowners want more out of their materials without excessive maintenance which is why vinyl is the material to look at this year.

Eric Jensen

Eric is the founder and president of Badeloft USA. He has been the president of Badeloft’s US division for over ten years and oversees all marketing and branding aspects of Badeloftusa.com.
His expertise lies in small business development, sales, and home and bathroom industry trends and information.

Contact us with any business related inquiries.