Are bathroom carpets making a comeback?

Recent photographs of celebrity couple David Harbour and Lily Allen’s home have caused a bit of a stir, as they featured a bathroom with a vibrant coloured carpet. They are not the first celebrities to show off their bathroom carpet, however. In 2020, Demi Moore shared a photo of a carpeted bathroom in her home. With these trendsetters in mind, does this mean that carpeted bathrooms are making an emphatic comeback?

Carpets in bathrooms became unfashionable after the 70s and 80s. The main reason for this was practicality. There is a risk of health-damaging mould appearing on carpets in the humid conditions of the bathroom. This can be prevented by installing a new subfloor and a highly efficient extractor fan. If a sink, bath or toilet overflows, a carpet can be ruined. Many who love carpets in their North Wales living rooms would not dream of having a carpet in the bathroom. However, as Lily Allen demonstrates, there are no hard and fast rules against having wall-to-wall carpets in all rooms.

Darren Jett, a New York-based designer, is a supporter of bathroom carpets. He says:

“If there is a clawfoot tub on a raised plinth or dais, or if the tub is inset into a tiled niche, then a carpeted floor outside of that is the ultimate luxury.”

Carpets in bathrooms are not going to be a trend that has a mass following. Provided they are used with care, carpets can be laid in bathrooms, but perhaps should not be installed next to sinks or baths.