Celebrated for its versatility and enduring appeal, stainless steel brings light, depth and texture to the home. In this edit, we spotlight five bathrooms where the coveted material is used to shape contemporary, streamlined spaces with lasting impact.
Glassblock Apartment by Studio Karhard
Berlin, Germany
Studio Karhard’s design for the Glassblock Apartment’s bathroom draws on the mood and materiality of Berlin’s nightclub scene. “We’ve had quite a few clients approach us through our connection to designing nightclubs,” co-founder Thomas Karsten says. In this powder room, stainless steel sets a moody, immersive tone, amplified by a metal grid ceiling and colour-adjustable lighting. Designed around shifting ‘light scenes’, the space feels cinematic and unconventional—a sensory counterpoint to traditional bathroom design. Embracing the material’s industrial and ‘futuristic’ appeal, Studio Karhard reimagines stainless steel through light, tone and texture.
Stockholm Residence by Halleroed
Stockholm, Sweden
In the guest bathroom of this 1930s apartment by Stockholm-based studio Halleroed, the use of stainless steel brings a distinctly modernist element that contrasts and honours its heritage. The stainless steel sink, mirror, and faucet—designed by Andrée Putman for New York’s Morgans Hotel—reinterpret traditional 1930s design details to create a distinctive dialogue between past and present. Set against glossy black and white tiles, the bold and reflective stainless steel adds tactility and a fresh, contemporary flair in this Stockholm apartment.
Architect Adam Kane’s Home
Dja Dja Wurrung Country / Daylesford, Australia
There are deliberately few furnishings in architect Adam Kane’s Daylesford home, an approach amplified in the minimalist bathroom. Kane pairs Dulux grey polished plaster—cladding every surface—with thick, scoured stainless steel elements, notably the vanity and freestanding bath. These stainless steel features reflect light subtly, adding depth and texture to the muted palette.
Terra Residence by Jessy Van Gorp
Zeebrugge, Belgium
On Belgium’s Zeebrugge coast, a first-floor apartment embodies Jessy Van Gorp’s commitment to functionality, sustainability and custom design. Embodying the apartment’s focus on minimal, functional design, each bedroom in Terra Residence features custom “ensuite cells”, featuring stainless steel accents paired with recycled off-white Micromosaic tiles sourced from repurposed computer screens, natural stone floors, and lava stone tabletops. “I am drawn to textures, as they interact with light to create movement,” Van Gorp says, highlighting the dynamic materiality that defines the home.
Designer Giampiero Tagliaferri’s Home
Los Angeles, North America
In Giampiero Tagliaferri’s Silver Lake atelier, stainless steel plays a striking role in the office bathroom, where a repurposed prison toilet—an original feature by the previous architect Wes Jones, who transformed the original martial arts studio in 1990—anchors the space. The bold, utilitarian form reflects Tagliaferri’s appreciation for creating tension between different styles—particularly drawing inspiration from brutalist architecture. “I like to mix in pieces from various periods that don’t relate directly to the architectural style,” Tagliaferri reflects.
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