Flooring Forecast 2021: Here’s What’s Trending in Bathroom Floors

If a well-designed house is like a complete outfit, we like to think of the bathroom as the perfect accessory that ties everything together. It’s a little space with the power to make a big impact and a prime opportunity to make bold design choices—starting at the ground level with great flooring.

From a price and time-commitment perspective, a bathroom renovation is an ideal starting place for any fixer-upper. And because the footprint is small, the bathroom is a natural space to experiment with some up-and-coming flooring trends.

Getting started with your bathroom flooring makeover is as easy as pulling up The Home Depot’s app. First, snap a picture of a flooring style you like and use the app’s Image Search feature to find similar products that will get you the look you love. Then, use the Product Locator to find it at your local store (right down to the aisle). Whether you want to hire a licensed flooring professional or are eager to test your DIY skills with beginner-friendly flooring materials, The Home Depot has the resources to turn your vision into reality.

That leaves the fun part to you: selecting flooring for your bathroom makeover. Here is a look at some emerging trends:

Go with a color-infused stone look

In bathrooms, stone-type flooring is a traditional pick for good reason: It offers durability, is easy to clean, and always looks classic. But even classics can go for an updated look—like this oceanic porcelain tile.

“Color can be used everywhere, including the bathroom,” says Sarah Fishburne, Director of Trend & Design for The Home Depot. “We’re seeing more blue-green tones incorporated into flooring.”

The beauty of vibrant flooring tiles is that they can make an otherwise standard-stock bathroom look custom. If your budget and timeline don’t allow for a full renovation, a tile like this can set the tone for future updates to come while delivering some serious style. The result, says Fishburne, is a refreshing, updated color palette.

Tile also is a great option for eager DIY-ers. Start with a tutorial on how to lay tile and then borrow everything you need for the job through The Home Depot’s extensive tool rental shop.

Pick a maximalist pattern

For too long, the trend has been to play it safe with flooring. This year, it’s all about embracing bold, maximalist patterns or designs. “Maximalism is the new minimalism,” says Fishburne. “Surround yourself with items and design that bring comfort and joy.”

Maximalist flooring can help freshen up the farmhouse-like aesthetic that was popularized in the mid 2010s. By contrasting with white or brown cabinets, maximalist flooring will make the whole bathroom space look trend-forward.

Even with large-scale patterns, there is no need to get intimidated by measurements. Along with tips for getting accurate measurements, The Home Depot’s app has built-in quantity calculators for flooring supplies.

Get a waterproof wood look

If you’re new to homeownership or it’s been a while since your last renovation, it’s time to take a look at luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring. One of the fastest growing categories in flooring, LVP takes top marks for durability and ease of DIY installation. It’s also a great way to incorporate the wood look into a bathroom space—without dreading every splash or spill. Not only is LVP waterproof but also scratch, stain, and slip resistant.

With an attached underlayment, installing LVP is as simple as clicking and locking the planks together. Even with minimal DIY skills, you can transform your whole bathroom in less time than it takes to unpack your kitchen boxes. And speaking of boxes: You probably don’t want many more piling up in your house. With a schedule delivery option, The Home Depot can deliver the flooring materials and tools you need—when you need them.

Throw it back with retro flooring

Think you’ll need to pick between price, ease of installation and style? Not so with vinyl-sheet flooring, which comes in a huge variety of styles and patterns that can all be explored through The Home Depot’s app. You can filter by color, style, price, rating, and even what type of subfloor the sheets are suitable for laying over. You can even search for vinyl flooring that is certified as antimicrobial.

Trend forecasters expect retro-inspired flooring to surge this year. And with vinyl-sheet flooring, you can make the “what’s old is new again” look happen in just hours. With its realistic look and texture at a fraction of the cost of tile, vinyl-sheet flooring can keep your budget in check as you move onto other renovation projects.

The bottom line

Whether you choose from one of these trends or start one of your own, the theme here is: Don’t be afraid to go big in your smallest space. With The Home Depot as your expert partner to get from “just moved in” to “just right for me,” your bathroom might just end up the star of your new home.