The Bold Bathroom Design That's Making Your Space Look Dated

Bathrooms serve as personal sanctuaries during very private moments of relief and self-care. When badly styled, they can look and feel outdated, chaotic, and worn out. For instance, red marble, which can be associated with intense emotions and bold vibes, not only adds personality to the space, but also significantly affects the lighting and mood, especially if a huge part or area of the bathroom is covered in this material. Sayonara Rell, designer and founder of Sayo Designs, shared her two cents with The Spruce on red marble bathrooms, saying most homeowners who go for this may enjoy the novelty and striking appearance at first, only for them to regret it later on, once they realize what she calls "the slaughterhouse effect" the material gives off.

"In most small residential bathrooms, this type of heavy stone absorbs all the light. This creates a feeling of being in a claustrophobic and aggressive space instead of a luxurious one," Rell explained via The Spruce. She was particularly commenting on bathrooms with overpowering red marble, from the floors to the walls, and just about all the places where the material can be incorporated — an aesthetic that exudes old luxury, but doesn't fit in today's more minimalist standards.

While many bathroom trends are becoming completely outdated lately, red marble is that one dramatic bathroom element that's expected to make waves in 2026 and beyond. If you are planning to join the bandwagon, you need to know first how much red marble is just enough to add character and style to the space without going overboard. For designer Sayonara Rell, the trick is to treat the material as an accessory rather than a defining feature of the bathroom. In other words, don't cover the entire shower, floor, or walls with it. Use it sparingly, say as a vanity countertop or a soap dish.

However, if you want to make red marble a standout element in the bathroom, you need to be strategic about where you are going to place or use it. For example, you can invest in a red marble bathtub and place it in an otherwise more neutral space, with cream-colored flooring and walls. You can also stick to a white bathtub and use red marble in the tub surround. 

Meanwhile, the easiest way to incorporate red marble in the bathroom is to have it as a slab over the sink and counters. By not crowding the space with red marble, you are treating the material as the statement piece that brings a luxurious kick to it, rather than an outdated style.