In today’s world, bathrooms are usually neat, spacious, and sleek.
Not all bathrooms are, of course, but a neat, spacious, and contemporary design is often the ideal that modern homeowners strive for.
It wasn’t always like this though.
Bathrooms weren’t always this spacious, aesthetically pleasing, or even hygienic.
As a matter of fact, there was a time when showering didn’t even take place in bathrooms, but in front of fireplaces instead.
It took a long time for bathrooms to evolve into today’s beautiful, thoughtful, and often spacious designs.
Curious about how they started and became what they are today?
Then let’s get started.
The Very First Bathrooms
Now, before we get into actual bathrooms, let’s get one thing straight — bathrooms have existed for as long as humans have.
If you’re human, you need a place to relieve yourself, and the earliest civilizations most certainly didn’t have 5-star hotel bathrooms to shower and relieve themselves in.
So wherever they relieved themselves, that was their bathroom. Maybe it was a special tree, maybe it was a special cave. Whatever it was, that was the earliest type of bathroom.
At some point, people likely started digging holes, and then moved on to buckets, and then eventually, the Romans and the Greeks built shared public bathhouses with some form of plumbing in place.
But we’re not referring to those.
When we say bathrooms, we’re specifically referring to a dedicated room in your house with a proper toilet and plumbing system in place, that you use to relieve yourself.
We’ll be starting with Victorian bathrooms, but those definitely aren’t the first instances of people carving out a dedicated area for answering nature’s call.
So before you go wondering how humans went straight from defecating on grass to building a full-on Victorian bathroom, we just wanted to make it clear that we didn’t cover all the little advances leading up to Victorian bathrooms.
With that out of the way, let’s really begin.
Late 19th Century: Victorian Bathrooms — Where It All Began
The Victorian bathroom was invented in the late 19th century, and it’s often associated with the rise of indoor plumbing, as well as the concept of bathrooms actually being an essential part of homes.
Despite bathrooms being a relatively new concept then, the aesthetic aspect was done very well, so much so that even today, certain homeowners adopt Victorian-style bathrooms for their classic, timeless, and romantic look.
Perhaps one reason for the aesthetics being so well-thought-out is that Victorian bathrooms were meant to be a display of status.
Victorian bathrooms typically feature clawfoot tubs as the centrepiece, ornate fixtures like intricate brass and copper taps, and elaborate floor tile patterns paired with rich wallpapers.
These would also be accompanied by marble countertops, heavy wooden cabinets, and decorative mirrors, all of which further add to the grandeur.
In essence, Victorian bathrooms didn’t just serve as places to relieve yourself, but a symbol of wealth and status.
That said, as with most first tries, the Victorian bathroom had many flaws.
While they were visually pleasing, toilet and bathing functions were combined awkwardly (and unsanitary), and ventilation was poor, which resulted in almost constant dampness and odors.
Needless to say, modern Victorian bathrooms don’t have these issues, but early Victorian bathrooms had lots to improve on, to say the least.
Still, it was a necessary and important first step to get people to accept the idea of having a bathroom in their home.
Before this, bathing was done in portable tubs in front of fireplaces, so notwithstanding their flaws, Victorian bathrooms were still undoubtedly ahead of their time, paving the way for the innovations and improvements that made bathrooms what they are today.
Early 20th Century: The Rise Of Sanitary Design
In the early 1900s, as people increasingly accepted that bathrooms were an essential part of their home, not only did hygiene become a much bigger deal, but people also started coming up with more bathroom designs.
By the 1920s and 1930s, the Art Deco movement had swept through Europe and America, inspiring bathrooms with geometric shapes, glossy finishes, and bolder color schemes.
With the rise in popularity and widespread use, bathrooms also slowly became more standardized, along with their components starting to be mass-produced. These included toilets, sinks, vanities, and various other fixtures.
The rising importance of hygiene also meant homeowners preferred more practical and clean-looking components, such as white subway tiles.
Overall, the early 20th century marked a key period of growth for bathrooms, from status symbols to being practical, hygienic, and affordable.
Mid-20th Century: Functionality With Flair
By the 1950s and 1960s, practical, well-ventilated, and sanitary bathrooms were pretty much a given.
As such, with the practical needs taken care of, people began to shift their focus to the aesthetic aspect.
People didn’t just want practical bathrooms anymore. After all, that was a given. People wanted stylish and functional bathrooms.
Bathrooms started to have more color, with avocado green, powder blue, pink, and harvest gold fixtures being popular choices.
On top of that, people also started to incorporate more functionality. They didn’t just want a sink — they wanted double vanities. They didn’t just want a mirror — they wanted medicine cabinet mirrors.
The mid-20th century was a time of mature growth, when bathroom aesthetics started to become more refined and varied, and bathrooms also began to incorporate more functionality.
Late 20th Century: Luxury
By the 1980s and 1990s, bathrooms already had everything they needed in bathrooms. Aesthetics and functionality were also well-addressed.
From here on, homeowners started to explore two largely untouched aspects thus far — comfort and luxury.
This was where whirlpool tubs, large walk-in showers, and expansive countertops came about, along with expensive natural materials like marble and granite.
Master bathrooms also became the new status symbol. After all, when there was only so far one bathroom could take you, you needed another one to flex your wealth and status.
Rising incomes and a stronger focus on wellness were key contributing factors to the direction that bathrooms took in this era, bringing bathrooms from practical, functional spaces to luxurious retreats.
21st Century: Minimalism And Sustainability
As you may have noticed, the general trend throughout each era is that more and more components were being added to bathrooms.
Well, with comfort and luxury being accomplished in the late 20th century, there wasn’t much more that needed, or even could be added to bathrooms anymore.
Furthermore, with modernisation and more buildings being built, space started to become more limited, and as a result, bathrooms became smaller.
These, along with minimalism as a design philosophy gaining popularity in the 21st century, resulted in a significant shift towards minimalist bathrooms from the 2000s onwards.
It was also around this time that global warming and climate change became widely recognized as pressing issues, sparking a huge shift towards more sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
As such, in the 21st century, minimalist bathrooms, along with environmentally friendly materials and practices, are becoming increasingly common.
The Future
Bathrooms have come a long way. Each era has improved bathrooms in different aspects, which is how bathrooms have, over time, evolved to become the beautiful, stunning, and practical spaces that they are today.
With many aspects already well-optimized, whether it’s ventilation, layout planning, or designs, there’s little need for major changes moving forward.
However, technology is constantly evolving, so as time goes by, we’ll likely see advanced technology being increasingly integrated into bathrooms, to make them even more comfortable and user-friendly.
These may not always be huge changes, but small things like smart mirrors, antimicrobial surfaces, chromotherapy lighting, and voice controls will make your bathroom much more user-friendly and comfortable.
With climate change still being a significant issue, you can also expect to see more eco-friendly technologies, such as super water-efficient systems and new sustainable materials, being invented and incorporated.
Nowadays, there are bathroom remodel companies that can help you design and bring to life futuristic and eco-friendly bathrooms. One such example is Denver Bathroom Pros, a company that provides bathroom remodeling services in Denver.
These companies often charge more to integrate advanced or environmentally friendly technology, as advanced tech and more eco-friendly systems usually come at a higher cost than regular systems.
Furthermore, these aren’t in high demand and are usually done on a case-by-case basis, so costs will also be higher as compared to buying standard items in bulk.
Having said that, you’re also getting added functionality, comfort, and lower water bills, so your additional investment will be money well spent.
So if you can afford it, spend a little extra to incorporate technology and eco-friendly features into your bathroom. Trust us, they’re worth every penny.
