Seymourpowell’s head of trends, Mariel Brown, and trends researcher, Sarah Johnson, appeared in the July/August edition of Interior Design Today. In their report below, they discuss the sanctuary of the bathroom and the trends emerging for 2013.
The bathroom has long been a place of sanctuary within the home. It is (for most people) the one room in which we have a lock to keep others out. Once inside it we can shed our clothes, re-connect with our body, refresh our spirits, and regain our composure. Here are three of the key trends that will be impacting this sacred space in the future.
Practical Luxury
In recent years we’ve seen a significant shift in attitudes towards luxury. Many people are rejecting ‘bling culture’ and overt displays of wealth and are instead embracing a more restrained practical aesthetic. In the past, luxury bathroom products reflected an aspirational lifestyle, not the messy reality of day-to-day family life, but this is changing. Increasingly we are seeing designers exploring elegant design solutions that allow us to better manage key issues such as storage. Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola’s range for Axor, which incorporates a towel rail in to the end of the bathtub, is a fantastic example of how products can be both practical and luxurious at the same time.
Tactile Delight
The bathroom is already a sensorial space, but it is set to become even more so as textiles and texture regain popularity in the home. This resurgence is attributed to an increasingly digitalised world and the need this creates within us to find reassurance and comfort in the real world. As the appetite for textiles and texture grows, designers are exploring new ways to bring more tactility into the home. Ross Lovegrove’s Freedom tap for Vitra, which focuses on dispensing water in a more gentle way, shows that one of the most exciting opportunities for this trend within the bathroom is water delivery systems. By placing a greater emphasis on the tactility of water designers are creating more immersive sensory experiences that allow people to lose themselves in the moment.
Rituals of escape
Spaces that have an almost spiritual aspect are becoming increasingly important as people are looking for ways to re-treat and re-charge their batteries. This trend is being driven by our ‘always-on’ culture. Whilst the urge to escape from the hectic pace of modern day life is strong, actually managing to switch off when we are at home is not always easy. As such, designers and architects are beginning to explore ways of helping people to wind down through products and spaces that embody a sense of ritual. Japanese designers Nendo’s, recent bathtub for Italian brand Bisazza Bagno with its calm geometric form and deep fill level is a wonderful example of how contemplative and balanced atmosphere can be created within the bathroom environment.
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