What homeowners want in today’s bathrooms
Clean, uncluttered lines, energy- and water-efficient features, the open and accessible aesthetics of universal design, materials and colors drawn from nature, and a spa-like feel of comfort and relaxation: That’s today’s bathroom.
Sinks and Vanities
- Floating vanities enhance the open feel of the room. A simple countertop with cabinet and drawers, or a few shelves mounted underneath on the wall that seems to float above the floor, leaving an uninterrupted flow and easier cleaning.
- Granite and marble remain popular for vanity tops, shelves and ledges. However, increasingly, home owners are using new stone-based composite materials which combine natural quartz with resins. These retain the beauty of the natural stone in a non-porous, scratchresistant, lower maintenance product that comes in a variety of colors and patterns.
- A vessel sink, sitting on the surface of a vanity or wall-mounted countertop ledge, may form a visual centerpiece for the room, drawing the eye to its shape, color and material. Most popular vessel sinks are bowls in smooth white, pure black or colorfully patterned porcelain, or hammered metal, cast bronze, and even glass.
- Simple, sleek lines in faucets are trending. Tubular faucets express basic unity of form and function and are elegant and modern.
Showers
- Zero-threshold showers also known as curbless walk in showers create a contemporary inviting, seamless flow to the room, while at the same time offering ease of access and cleaning.
- Multiple shower heads for different water effects with walls and floors of nature-inspired colors and materials create a spa-like experience. A wall-mounted shower head, either a wide-surfaced head for the gentle feel of warm rain, or an adjustable-spray traditional head, with a second, detachable hand-held unit direct the spray as desired.
- Frameless glass is the choice for shower doors, keeping sight lines open and enhancing the clear, spacious aesthetics.
Toilets
- Toilets with a smooth, unified design, low water use and ease of cleaning are making a showing. White is the popular color choice.
- Wall-hung toilets also are popular for their simplified exteriors and for floating above the plane of the floor.
Lighting
- Layered lighting design, with different fixtures to illuminate different areas of the room, creates an inviting visual atmosphere while lighting each area for its uses. One example of this is under vanity lighting, an option that will beautifully illuminate the floor at night.
- Vanity light fixtures are emphasizing clean, graphic lines, energy efficiency, and softening sconces.
- Pendant lighting adds visual interest, and brings lighting to the exact desired location and height for grooming or other activities.
- Recessed or flush mounted ceiling LED lighting fixtures softly illuminate a shower area. Some shower heads even contain softly colored LED lights for a fun added glow.