10 Modern Farmhouse Bathrooms That Exude Zen

You’d never guess one is in a basement.

Published Aug 9, 2023 1:10 AM

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When you think of a spalike bathroom, you imagine a space with lots of bells and whistles (a showerhead that doubles as a speaker, a bidet with five temperature settings). But there is another way to zen out, and modern farmhouse bathrooms hold all the answers. Instead of giving you all many luxuries that seemingly make for a relaxing experience, these spaces slow your mind and body down by stripping away the techy upgrades and leaving you with just the essentials. Think: cast-iron sinks that are deep enough to also hand-wash delicates in and pine wood walls that smell so good on their own there’s no need to light a candle. Ahead, we rounded up 10 modern farmhouse bathrooms that’ll make you want to bliss out.

With no natural light, designer Priscilla Frost had to find a way to make this Portland, Oregon, basement bathroom feel less cavernous and more welcoming with a series of optical illusions. The first? Swathing the room in floor-to-ceiling subway tile gives the impression of a taller ceiling. And unlike a curtain, the glass shower enclosure (a $1,200 Home Depot score) keeps the space feeling airy and open.

Interior designer Rachel Sloane Sherman thought about her New Jersey clients’ entire family when renovating their beige primary bathroom (the owners’ three kids were ages 7, 4, and 1 at the time). Next to the new freestanding soaking tub, she carved out a marble-lined niche so everyone could grab a towel without getting water on the polished herringbone Nero Marquina floors. Then for Mom and Dad, she went with elevated materials like white zellige shower tile and glass knobs on the prefab vanities.

What is a modern farmhouse bathroom without a scrappy DIY? To support the 100-pound stone sink they bought on Etsy for their woodsy Maine retreat, designer Hannah Oravec and her husband, Michael, had to build a frame structure out of old beams so they could drop it securely in place. In an effort to not have too much going on in such a tiny space, they continued the checkered Fireclay shower tile (in Antique and Carbon) onto the edges of the tub and the floor.

For Leanne Ford, white acts as the best canvas for showcasing organic and textural elements—in the case of this 1945 farmhouse, that included things like ceramic tile, shiplap boards, and a cast-iron tub. To ensure the monochromatic space didn’t read as boring, she used a sail (yes, like one from a boat!) for the shower curtain.

When designer Kelsey Duda stumbled across a piece of land located in Elk Rapids, Michigan, for sale on Craigslist, she knew it would be the perfect place to build a rental property. And while many vacation homes feel like an afterthought, her rustic retreat keeps guests in mind around every corner, even in the shower and nearby open shelves.

Mariam Naficy, founder and CEO of Minted, took two classic farmhouse design tropes—barn doors and raw wood—and put her own, San Francisco–inspired spin on things. Rather than mounting the dark green door on a sliding track, she stuck to matte black hinges. Over at the vanity, she topped a chunk of wood with a wide metal sink that leaves just enough counter space for toothbrushes.

“There’s something so romantic about life in the country,” says interior designer Luke Havekes, who owns this 1841 farmhouse in Canada’s Eastern Townships. He fully embraced this perspective upstairs with a claw-foot tub, toile wallpaper, and a sculptural brass mobile that’s on full display when the shutters are open.

Mid-century and modern farmhouses are an unlikely yet totally harmonious pair. This bathroom by the Brownstone Boys is exhibit A: They turned a classic West Elm media console into a vanity complete with vessel sinks and quartz counters left over from the kitchen reno.

Streetwear designer Beth Birkett imparted her signature vibrant shades on her sons’ bathroom with a vintage orange sink and a craft cart that is filled with bathing essentials. Everything looks even punchier against Farrow & Ball’s Off-Black paint on the walls.

Emily Ward drew on the sunny palette of Northern California when designing her West Marin home. The bunkhouse bathroom features Clé’s zellige tile in Golden Henna and an exposed pipe shower by Signature Hardware. An antique lamp and gallery of oil paintings give the room that coveted out-in-the-country touch.