High tech isn’t just for smartphones anymore! Today, it’s commonplace for remodeling homeowners to request smarter homes—which include high-tech bathrooms.

So, people are equipping their bathrooms with smart toilets, showers, speakers, and mirrors. If high-tech bathrooms are new to you, picture this scenario…

After returning home from the gym, you walk in the door and use an app to program your shower—making sure it’s the perfect temperature and spray intensity before you get in.

You don’t stop there though. You also choose the music and colored lights you’ll want on while you’re showering. And if you want to be especially indulgent, once you hop in the shower, you watch the waterproof TV installed inside.  

After getting out, you can use your smart mirror to check your email, look at the weather forecast, or view your calendar.

Futuristic bathrooms like these are becoming more popular with Tahoe homeowners, and we suspect this trend will continue as smart technology becomes even more mainstream.

Tahoe homeowners are also decorating their bathrooms with wood more often. Wood is especially sought-after because it offers warmth and texture, while toning down modern bathrooms, so they don’t look overly industrial.

Although wood in the bathroom may seem unusual because of its susceptibility to moisture, some woods, like teak and old-growth cypress, stand up well to water. Wood’s appeal also lies in the fact that it allows outdoorsy Tahoe residents to bring a part of nature indoors.

And speaking of nature-loving Tahoe residents, homeowners here tend to prefer reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood is wood that’s been salvaged and recycled, making it a wonderful environmental choice for eco-conscious Tahoe residents.

When choosing wood accents for your bathroom, there are no hard-and-fast rules. We’ve seen homeowners use wood in a number of unique ways, creating beautiful bathrooms with wooden vanities, wood-accented walls, wooden cabinets, wood ceilings, and wood flooring.

Selecting tile for your bathroom used to be a fairly simple task. That’s hardly the case anymore. Today, homeowners have more tile choices than ever, making them increasingly creative with their selections.

For instance, instead of choosing a ho-hum square-shaped tile in the bathroom, they might opt for one of the more interesting geometric shapes being offered like hexagons, diamonds, or fish scales.

Because these uniquely shaped tiles come in tons of different colors and textures, they’re ideal for virtually any bathroom design.

But perhaps the best thing about these tiles is that you’re only limited by your imagination! Instead of just using them for flooring, you can beautify your bathroom by choosing unique tiles for backsplashes, ceiling accents, and shower walls.

Even in the bathroom we can see the influence of Marie Kondo, bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Rather than trying to pack bathrooms to the brim with lotions, creams, and shampoos, there’s a Tahoe trend toward bathrooms with a clean, minimalist look. This simpler approach creates a spa-like ambience.

To achieve it, most homeowners opt to use storage solutions like hidden cabinets, wall-hung linen towers, storage ledges, and vanity under space storage.

If possible, it’s a good idea to visit your remodel four times: (1) to meet your contractor in person to review the project scope, construction costs, and job schedule before signing a contract, (2) after demolition and before framing, (3) after cabinets and floors have been installed, but before finishes like counters and appliances have been put in, and (4) at final walk through to create a punch list of small items in need of correction.  These visits will allow you to make sure the project’s running smoothly, while putting your mind at ease.

Oversized whirlpool bathtubs definitely had their moment—back in the 80s and 90s. Today, homeowners are much less likely to have a whirlpool bath installed.

There are several reasons for that but chief among them is the fact that whirlpool tubs are noisy, prone to algae, and require frequent cleaning. They also usually take up more space than a soaking tub—leaving homeowners with less room for an open shower.

Bathrooms of the past were highly functional … you had a job to do in the bathroom, dang it, and your bathroom provided a space to do it—no more, no less.

Nowadays, designers understand that a bathroom should create a pleasing and tranquil ambience. After all, it’s the first room we visit in the morning, so its warmth—or lack thereof—affects how we feel as our day begins.

The bathroom’s also the last room we visit at night when we’re trying to develop a restful mindset before bedtime.

For these reasons, we’re seeing fewer utilitarian bathrooms today. Instead, the trend is toward bathrooms that are serene, soothing, and spa-like.

White-on-white bathrooms positively gleam … if they’re clean. But that’s part of the problem. People are increasingly busy, and nobody wants to devote slavish amounts of time to keeping an all-white bathroom looking spic-and-span.

That’s probably the main reason white-on-white bathrooms are on their way out. Instead, Tahoe residents are requesting bathrooms using neutrals, earth shades, or terrazzo effects.

Even in the bathroom we can see the influence of Marie Kondo, bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Rather than trying to pack bathrooms to the brim with lotions, creams, and shampoos, there’s a Tahoe trend toward bathrooms with a clean, minimalist look. This simpler approach creates a spa-like ambience.

To achieve it, most homeowners opt to use storage solutions like hidden cabinets, wall-hung linen towers, storage ledges, and vanity under space storage.

While homeowners will probably never stop using granite completely, as styles change, so do their material selections.

For instance, right now industrial-designed bathrooms are very popular. This style relies on visible pipes and rough materials to achieve a chic, urban aesthetic.

A super-heavy granite countertop isn’t the best choice for an industrial-designed bathroom. For this reason, more homeowners are using engineered stone, solid surface, or concrete countertops—which are all better-suited to that bathroom style.