Every functional bathroom needs the right storage, and the desire to hide away as much as possible has led to years of medicine cabinets dominating our bathroom schemes. But in 2026, are medicine cabinets still the best bathroom storage idea to go for?
Doubling up as a mirror and storage unit, it's clear to see why medicine cabinets are such a popular choice. However, they're an arguably uninspiring design feature that puts practicality first and style last.
So should you invest in a medicine cabinet for your bathroom storage or is there a better style out there to choose from? I spoke to the experts to find out.
Are medicine cabinets going out of style?
Most uninspiring rental bathrooms of the homes I've lived in have had variations of mirrored medicine cabinets, which has always led me to believe that they're a slightly outdated choice.
However, there's no denying how much valuable storage my medicine cabinet has provided, with space to store skincare and extra washroom essentials.
Keeping bathroom products housed in a cabinet on the wall helps to free up floor space, which is crucial in a small bathroom where square footage is at a premium.
There are also some stylish medicine cabinets out there - so I'm not entirely writing them off. As you can see above, the simple black curved unit adds an industrial edge to a bathroom without being too harsh, and frees up space underneath the sink.
However, in the wrong environment, medicine cabinets can look heavy, plain and clinical. Bathroom trends for 2026 are all about creating a lived-in feel in a washroom that reflects the atmosphere of the rest of your home, which has led to a rise in more aesthetic bathroom mirror choices that feel traditional and decorative - like it would look in a living room.
Gone are the days of a minimal mirrored medicine cabinet with no visual interest. More interesting bathroom storage, such as antique dresser units, cupboard curtains, and open shelving will give a bathroom a more interesting look without losing valuable storage.
However, this doesn't mean that medicine cabinets are totally out of the equation. If you have a particularly compact bathroom and need as much storage as you can get, a medicine cabinet can work for your room - just ensure it has a little bit more interest, whether through the shape or material.
'Rather than disappearing, medicine cabinets have evolved into far more refined, design-led pieces that respond to the way bathrooms are now used, where storage, lighting and atmosphere are expected to work together rather than sit as separate elements,' explains Richard Eaton, design manager at Tissino.
'Storage is no longer something to be hidden away entirely, nor is it something that should disrupt the visual calm of the space. Instead, it is being designed as an integral part of the bathroom architecture, contributing to a more streamlined, clutter-free environment while still delivering the practicality that everyday use demands.'
While medicine cabinets aren't completely out of the picture, we're seeing people turn to design led options to ensure that every bathroom choice adds to an overall aesthetic.
Whether it's through interesting use of colour, shape or material, adding visual interest will turn your storage into something to find joy in.
Shop stylish medicine cabinets
The soothing tone and ribbed glass front of this cabinet makes it into an eye-catching design feature rather than solely a storage solution.
This wooden bathroom cabinet will add warmth to your walls and leans into a more traditional look, rather than it looking stark and clinical.
If you prefer a more simple mirrored medicine cabinet then add interest through a curved shape.
Gone are the days of purely practical storage solutions - using your medicine cabinet as a way of injecting more personality into a bathroom scheme will make the whole room work cohesively.
