You can tell a lot about someone’s renovation plans based on their browsing history. Everything on Yelp right now is pointing to groovier homes in 2025. The online directory recently unveiled its 20 trend predictions for the coming year, informed by millions of searches for words, phrases, and businesses. Its team of data scientists found that inquiries into ’70s bathrooms have surged 124% in the past 12 months. Searches for green countertops have experienced a similar spike, meaning we might be seeing a lot less white subway and a lot more avocado in this space.
When we caught wind of Yelp’s forecast, we were all for it, because we know you can have all the amenities of a modern bathroom (a steam shower, plenty of vanity storage, a freestanding tub) and still give it a 1970s spin. Here are four bathroom updates we’ve seen that have nailed the retro look.
Paint Every Last Surface High Gloss
The countertops, the sink, the old 1970s IKEA cabinets—Emily Ward, half of the design duo Pierce & Ward, swathed it all in this bathroom using Benjamin Moore’s Southfield Green, sealed with a lacquer finish that’s typically used on cars.
Stick to Square Tiles
Small-scale square matte tiles are a mainstay of bathrooms from the era. Ome Dezin honored that in this 1971 home in Brentwood, California, but gave it a fresh feel by opting for textured zellige that stretches all the way up to the skylight.
Give Brown a Chance
What if we told you this 25-square-foot powder room’s palette stemmed from a ’70s-inspired Gucci runway show? Would that open you up to unconventional hues like brown and Hermès orange? For us, it’s an easy yes.
Start With Terrazzo
Laura Collins’s whole house was fueled by one question: What would her grandmother do? With that in mind, the first time she saw that her bathroom came with blush terrazzo floors, the designer decided to riff on the tiles by swathing the walls in matching pink paint (Benjamin Moore’s Rosedale and Soulmate). A 1970s-inspired bathroom lends itself to color drenching, another trend we expect to see more of in 2025.
