Now more than ever the bathroom is a place of sanctuary, relaxation and comfort. What are they key trends that help create such a space? Ben Bryden, Sales and Marketing Director of RAK Ceramics, looks at the materials, colours and finishes that are coming through to will help architects and installers create bathrooms that meet up to their customers’ high expectations.
While we’ve all been staying at home that little bit more than we may have liked, many homeowners have been undertaking a vast amount of home improvement too, with the bathroom being one of the main areas of investment. In fact, research by insurance company confused.com found that Brits spent £34,000 renovating their homes, on average, during lockdown, with 94% of them choosing to upgrade their bathroom.
The world looks a little different once again as we traverse 2022, but the investment in our homes looks set to continue and there are several stand-out trends that are coming through in terms of bathroom design.
Hygiene first
As we continue to live with the pandemic in 2022, the heightened awareness of good hygiene means that ease of cleaning and anti-bacterial surfaces have really come to the fore. Touchless flushing on WCS like RAK-Sensation, for instance, encourages users to flush in a hygienic way, while the absence of awkward levers or buttons to press makes the bathroom that little bit more accessible to all too, something that is important in multi-generational households or when consumers are hoping to future-proof their current space.
In terms of ease of cleaning, rimless WCs are a dream, while anti-bacterial coatings raise the stakes even further in terms of hygiene in the bathroom, acting as an invisible barrier to harmful germs and bacteria. Special glazes, such as RAK-Sanit, applied during manufacture see these off, with no need for lots of chemicals and copious amounts of cleaning products. A regular wipe down with a soft damp cloth is all that is required, likely to be music to the ears of busy families.
Bathroom style trends
From a style viewpoint too, for a long time, the focus for sanitaryware in the bathroom has been starkly white, but things are changing, with soft pastels and muted shades increasingly being seen on sanitaryware. Less clinical than an all-white bathroom, these pops of colour can be scaled up or down to meet individual tastes. Colour doesn’t need to mean bold and bright and in this instance the trend takes a far subtler approach, with nature-inspired tones, such as those found in the RAK-Feeling collection, adding character while creating a relaxed and tranquil vibe.
Shower power
Creating a spa-like feel in the domestic bathroom has become increasingly important to consumers, particularly in the en-suite bathroom which often has a grown-up vibe. This is made possible with the inclusion of a contemporary, walk-in, wet-room style shower area.
Shower trays with a very low profile create a feeling of space in the bathroom as the floor area is opened out and access much easier. For baths, think painted exteriors, freestanding tubs offset from other fixtures to make a statement and baths with slim rims.
Compact bathroom solutions
Not every bathroom will be blessed with a huge amount of space, but small doesn’t have to mean boring in any sense of the word, with sanitaryware and furniture designed specifically for small spaces being key here – reduced projection, slim profiles and plenty of storage are in order. All of these qualities can be found with RAK-Petit, a collection from RAK Ceramics that is designed specifically with small bathrooms in mind.
For bathroom surfaces, porcelain and ceramic tiles have never been so popular and their practical advantages alone make them so. Hardwearing and easy to clean, porcelain and ceramics tiles can be chosen to emulate the natural beauty of materials like marble, raising the stakes in terms of luxury in the modern bathroom too. Large format tiles or mega slabs minimise grout lines and create a seamless finish over large areas such as bathroom walls too.
All of these trends together help create a luxurious and practical bathroom that consumers will feel quite at home in.
Contact:
RAK Ceramics UK
01730 237850