Stepping into your average men’ design. You walk into a cave your drunk uncle would be proud of. Something that encompasses the phrase “masculine” means dark slate tile, exposed pipes, and granite that gets its colour inspiration from a coal mine.
You know – the cement walls, black fixtures, prideful “masculinity” over actual “nice design” of something simple. I’ve walked into my fair share of the previously mentioned rooms. Not because I enjoy torture, but because I know they aren’t complete without one thing: style.
When my brother asked me to help him renovate his master bathroom a couple months back, he made it clear to me that he wanted the room to feel more mature than his teenage sons idea of what a “manly” bathroom would look like. His statement resonated with me for one reason: it’s the honest truth of what is wrong with most masculine design.
It’s trying too hard.
My brother and his journey to master bathroom enlightenment taught me quite a bit about masculine design. First, it wasn’t about removing warm accents and textures. It was about choosing high-quality materials, simple but intentional details, and utilising textures that add weight to a room without it feeling heavy-handed.
We started off with that warm and invited feel of white oak on the vanity and paired it with black granite that had gorgeous grey accents. The granite wasn’t your flat black slab you typically see nowadays. Instead, it had movement and personality.
Pairing the two gave us that heavy feel without it feeling oppressive. This is where the magic happens: Natural materials. Natural materials that age gracefully.
That means no fake stone that looks like plastic until you turn on the bathroom lights. That means wood that can hold up to moisture if properly sealed to let the wood grain shine through. That means brushed finish nickel on your fixtures instead of shiny chrome (that show every water spot) or matte black (that show every finger print.) Yes, these finishes may cost more up front but they will thank you when they start to develop character overtime.
Colours were another mistake I see in most masculine bathrooms. Sure, having navy blue walls looked cool on Pinterest but after living with them for half a year you’ll realise why the colour feels so looming. What I’ve found when working with masculine spaces is that warmer neutral colours win.
Some of my favourites are mushroom grey, warm taupe, or even adding cream with a hint of texture. These colours help the room feel heavy, without making you feel like your in a bunker. Lighting was another key component that turned my brothers bathroom into what it is today.
We hung pendants above the sink and used recessed lighting on dimmers, allowing him to layer his lighting. This gave him the option of having bright lighting when he needs to shave, or a more dim and ambient light for his nightly routine. The pendant we chose had a simple brass frame with clear glass.
The brass wasn’t your typical nickel or chrome but gave the fixture masculinity without being too industrial. Storage was something we focused on because clutter is the enemy of anything that’s trying to be refined. We installed a recessed medicine cabinet that faded into the wall and deep drawers with dividers in the vanity.
Storing products had a home so the space always looks tidy and clutter free. I learned that lesson the hard way. Open shelving in bathrooms looks amazing on blogs, but attracts dust and looks cluttered because of the products you use daily.
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The shower ended up being the show stopper. We used large format grey tiles that had some variation to them and ran them vertically and horizontally to create crisp lines from floor to ceiling. The shower fixtures we chose were brushed nickel.
Not too warm that it felt old, but cool enough that it still feels fresh. We decided to build a product niche instead of using the stereotypical plastic caddies that shout “I give up on style.” Last but not least we used a clear glass enclosure so you can see the entire shower without it cutting the space in half. Something that seemed like a small detail, but had an impact on the overall design was adding heated flooring.
Heated floors aren’t necessarily a “luxury” but they do add function. Who wants to step on cold tile before your ready to get out of bed in the morning? Additionally, the heat helps ward off moisture issues that can be detrimental to your grout down the road.
The last detail I want to talk about is the mirror. Men’s bathrooms kill it in this category. No you don’t need distressed wood trim or conduit framing your bathroom mirror.
We installed a simple rectangular mirror with a thin black metal bar. The black bar was so thin it almost felt like there wasn’t one. It helped create a small divide between the mirror and wall.
The mirror itself was proportioned correctly. It was wide enough to cover most of the vanity, but not too wide where it looked like it took over the wall. Our decor was simple and high quality.
We added a simple succulent (plants can be masculine too!) as well as a wooden tray to hold daily necessities. We even threw in some charcoal grey towels to match the stone. We purposely stayed away from using motivational quotes, wood signage, and other things that tried too hard to let everyone know this bathroom is man’s kingdom.
Let the quality of your materials and intention behind your dimensions speak for itself. Six months later my brother’s wife tells me that every guest they have raves about their bathroom. Not because it was super masculine or overly themed.
It was because it felt inviting and designed with intention.
Someone’s wife liked walking in there as much as his sons did. What I learned from helping my brother with his bathroom is that masculine design doesn’t have to be aggressive.
Every badass bathroom I’ve seen had a lot of similarities. They used natural materials with pride, function was just as important as how it looks, they didn’t overload the space with decorations, and everything felt incredibly solid and built to last versus trendy. Sure, it cost more than your typical bathroom renovation.
Good materials and hiring someone to do the job for you isn’t cheap. But it’ll be two years later and you’ll still walk into a bathroom that looks modern and well put together. That’s the difference between jumping on the band wagon of masculine bathroom trends and creating a space that is refined, while catering to masculine tastes.
Sometimes being masculine means making the decision to invest in something that will out last you showing off. Something as subtle as picking quality over showing off, substance over “meaning”, and longevity instead of instant gratification. That’s built men’ design.
