If 2025 was the year Australian interiors softened and warmed up, 2026 is shaping up as the moment those instincts mature into something more deliberate. Trend forecasting across kitchens and bathrooms is pointing to spaces that feel calmer, more textural and more personal, with a strong emphasis on natural materials, warm metals, mixed finishes and wellness-focused layouts.
What makes these trends compelling is that they are not short-lived moments. They are design directions that genuinely enhance both the look of a home and the way it functions day to day.
Warm Timber Makes Bathrooms Feel Human Again
One of the clearest movements heading into 2026 is the continued rise of warm timber tones and natural textures. Designers are leaning into wood’s ability to soften hard architecture and bring comfort to spaces that can otherwise feel clinical. This is especially true in bathrooms, where timber finishes and fluted detailing are becoming centrepieces rather than accents.
The Otti Laguna Mark II Woodland Oak Wall Hung Vanity sits right in the heart of this trend. Its woodland oak finish brings that sun-washed, organic warmth people are craving, while the wall-hung form keeps the room light and modern.
Mixed Metals Move from “Rule Breaking” to Design Language
If there is one trend that feels especially 2026, it’s the refined approach to mixed metals. Rather than matching everything perfectly, homes are embracing curated contrast: warm meets cool, soft meets bold, and different finishes talk to each other across the space.
In the kitchen, the Bella Vista Mica Gooseneck Sink Mixer in French Gold captures the warmer, softly radiant side of this palette. Gold reads refined and sunlit rather than glossy, bringing a gentle sense of luxury that sits beautifully against timber cabinetry or pale stone benchtops. Then you see a richer, earthier counterpoint in the Bella Vista Mica Pull Out Sink Mixer in Dusk Bronze, which adds depth and warmth to 2026’s neutral kitchens. The pull-out function also aligns with the trend toward beauty that works harder day to day.
In bathrooms, the same layered metal story continues. The Phoenix 40mm Pop Up Universal Waste in Brushed Gold shows how even the smallest finishing elements are being treated as part of the design narrative. Brushed gold is forecast to stay strong in 2026 because it adds warmth without the high-shine drama of older brass looks.
Sculptural Forms and Soft Geometry Take Over
Another noticeable shift in 2026 is the move away from sharp minimalism toward softer, sculptural geometry. Curves, rounded profiles and organic silhouettes are becoming the default across basins, cabinetry and tapware, supporting the broader desire for spaces that feel restorative rather than rigid.
The Seima Naxos Above Counter Basin in Sand is a perfect example. Its above-counter form gives it presence, while the sand tone adds warmth and earthiness. This kind of basin feels less like a utility object and more like a tactile centrepiece, aligning beautifully with the softer, more human design mood of 2026.
Bathrooms That Work Like Retreats
Wellness continues to influence design, and in 2026 it’s evolving past the “spa bathroom” buzzword into practical, daily comfort. This trend is about layered lighting, hidden storage and highly usable layouts that reduce visual clutter while boosting calm.
The Otti LED Bondi Shaving Cabinet in Black Oak fits this direction perfectly. Shaving cabinets are no longer strictly functional add-ons. In 2026 they’re becoming mood elements, combining soft LED illumination with concealed storage to keep benchtops clean and the atmosphere relaxed. The black oak finish also adds that deeper, grounding tone that pairs so well with warm timbers and mixed metals.
Personalisation Through Finish and Function
A final trend worth calling out is personalisation, not through loud statement pieces, but through finish choices and functionality that reflect how people actually live. Trend reports describe a move toward connected aesthetics between kitchen and bathroom, where recurring finishes and shapes create a sense of flow through the home.
The Phoenix Vask SwitchMix Wall Basin Bath Mixer Set in Brushed Gold speaks directly to that. Brushed gold brings a warmer, softly luminous alternative to cooler finishes, and it paired naturally with timber, sand-toned ceramics, and layered neutral palettes that defined 2026 interiors. Its wall-mounted format also aligned with the year’s preference for streamlined, space-freeing fixtures that feel architectural and intentional. This was personalisation without clutter: a finish and form choice that quietly shaped the character of the room.
The Through-Line of 2026: Calm, Layered, Intentional
When you step back, the trends that are shaping 2026 are not competing with each other. They’re converging. Warm timber like the Otti Laguna vanity and black oak cabinetry. Curved, tactile ceramics like the Seima Naxos basin. Layered metal finishes of dusk bronze and brushed gold. All of it points to homes designed for atmosphere as much as function.
These are interiors that feel lived in, not showroom-perfect. They’re elevated without being precious, and they’re built to look good today while still feeling right tomorrow. That’s the real promise of 2026 design.
