Some celebrities are showing off their carpeted bathrooms, but does this mean we should add carpet into one of the wettest rooms in the house?
Tour a house that was built in the 1960s or ’70s, and you might be in for a surprise. If the bathroom hasn’t seen the renovation hammer, shaggy, plush luxury bathroom carpet may be covering the floor.
Some designers immediately cringe at the thought of bathroom carpet, but at one point, it was a popular bathroom trend. When you ignore mold and other hygiene issues, stepping onto carpet instead of freezing bathroom tile on a cold winter morning sounds pretty appealing.
Like many bathroom decor trends, we’ve seen carpeted bathrooms come and go, replaced by modern tiles that are easier to clean. But the lifecycle of almost every trend sees an eventual rebirth. Are we witnessing a resurgence in the popularity of carpeted bathrooms?
The History of Bathroom Carpet
The trend toward carpeting American homes gained momentum post-World War II, as suburban neighborhoods proliferated across the country. Homes became larger, and real estate listings started including the sought-after “wall-to-wall carpeting.” Americans were hooked on the comfortable flooring of shag carpet. Some homeowners even carpeted the walls.
For a time, having a home with carpet was considered an affluent and in-vogue choice. In 1968 Jane Fonda traveled to space in a shag-carpeted spaceship in “Barbarella.” Up through the 1980s, it seems like carpeting your home was an integral part of the deal. The New York Times ran an article in 1979 that claimed that carpet sales were increasing year-on-year, and with the price of new homes surging, they expected more families to install carpeting in their homes. This trend didn’t exclude carpeting the bathroom.
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Many homes still feature carpeted rooms today, but many have since transitioned to favoring tiles, hardwood floors or vinyl flooring. Keeping carpet clean is often a harder task than sweeping and mopping non-fabric flooring options.
It’s harder to spot a carpeted bathroom in a modern home, but recently, we’ve seen some A-list celebrities stir some controversy while displaying their carpeted bathrooms. As displayed on Instagram, Demi Moore has carpet in her bathroom at her home in Sun Valley, Idaho. David Harbor and Lily Allen have a carpeted bathroom in their Brooklyn townhouse that doubles as a seating area.
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So, Is Bathroom Carpet Making a Comeback?
You’re not alone if you think carpeting isn’t the best choice for a bathroom. The EPA warns that carpeting in rooms prone to moisture, such as bathrooms and basements, can lead to mold problems.
Lawrence Bradley, who runs a commercial cleaning company, puts it this way: “Carpet is generally not recommended for bathrooms due to its propensity to absorb moisture and harbor bacteria, which can compromise hygiene. While professional cleaning can mitigate these issues, the recurring cost can be substantial.”
Bradley advises homeowners to consider hard-surface flooring, such as tile or vinyl. They are “more suitable and easily maintainable alternative for bathrooms, allowing for effective at-home cleaning.” Cork is another good choice because it’s hypoallergenic and moisture-resistant.
Bathroom carpeting does offer some appealing features. For example, carpets provide a non-slip surface for people getting out of the shower, and they provide warmth for bare feet. Aesthetically, some prefer the look of carpet in the bathroom, and some interior designers are reincorporating it into modern homes, but they’re doing so cautiously. One strategy is to carpet a portion of the bathroom and avoid areas that are likely to get damp, such as near the sink, shower or bathtub.
We’re convinced carpet in the bathroom falls into the bucket of bathroom trends on the way out, more so than making a comeback. But if you do decide it’s right for your bathroom, choose a carpet that’s made of synthetic fibers, such as nylon or polyester, that are mold-resistant and easy to clean.
FAQ
Will bathroom carpet affect home value?
Designer Paige Palmer, writing for Revive, answers this question: “It depends. New, neutral carpet in the right spaces? Buyers love it. Worn-out, musty, or outdated carpet? That’s an instant nope. It’s not so much about carpet itself—it’s about how it looks, smells, and fits with the overall aesthetic of your home.”
Carpet rarely adds value—it prevents value loss, she says. “Buyers aren’t paying extra for new carpet, but they will definitely lower their offer if they see old, dirty carpet they have to replace.”
How can I safely remove bathroom carpet?
As long as the carpeting isn’t glued to the floor, you can remove it by cutting it into strips with a utility knife and pulling it out strip by strip. If the carpeting is glued, you have your work cut out for you. After cutting the carpet into strips, you’ll have to scrape each strip off the floor with a floor scraper and dissolve the glue on the subfloor with water or mineral spirits, depending on the type of glue.
About the Expert
- Lawrence Bradley founded New Jersey-based Bradley’s Cleaning with his brothers in 2011. He is also a representative for GO-2, a carpet stain remover.
Sources
- The New York Times: Carpet Outlook: Quiet Growth; (1979).
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home; (2025).
- Revive: Does Carpet Increase Home Value? Pros, Trends & Tips; (2025).
