High-tech bathroom trends for 2018
Technology is trending in home design and decor this year, and some of the most dramatic, futuristic and fun tech trends are showing up in the bathroom. From glass doors and windows changing from clear to opaque with the touch of a button to toilets transforming the whole experience of going to the loo, it's all about high-tech tricking out your oasis.
Here are four tech trends that will take your bathroom into hyperspace.
1. Privacy glass
Glass blocks are opaque but let in some filtered light; blinds or shades get in the way. The answer? Privacy glass. It is an ultra-futuristic special adhesive film that's cut to fit your existing glass doors and windows. Tap an app on your smartphone and transform your glass from opaque to transparent instantly. (Alien technology? We can neither confirm nor deny that.) It gives you privacy when you need it and lets the sun shine in when you don't, and eliminates the need for shades or blinds, giving your bathroom a sleek, clean look.
2. High-tech toilets
This is not your father's WC. Toilets today offer technologically advanced features like sensor-operated seats and lids, night lights, deodorizers, self-cleaning technologies and heated seats. A toilet with aToto washlet electronic bidet seat is a coup de loo that leaves you cleaner and more refreshed than you've ever felt after a bathroom break. Operated by remote control, it's completely handsfree and offers comfortable, warm, aerated water to cleanse, warm air dryer and heated seat. No need for toilet paper. The Aquia IV High-Efficiency Toilet Dual Flush and Washlet S550e combine seamlessly (no visible cords or hoses). This elegant design features hightech innovations to make your life cleaner, healthier, less complicated and more beautiful - auto-open/ close seat and lid, electrolyzed water to keep your toilet bowl hygienic without harsh chemicals (better for the environment and your pocketbook), and inbowl deodorizer. The new Dynamax Tornado DualFlush Technology cleans the entire bowl and rim with 360 degrees of cyclonic rinsing action. Its Cefiontect glazed surface is smooth down to the nano level, preventing matter from adhering to its surfaces. Visit www.totousa.com to learn more.
3. High-tech warmers
While a warm bathroom floor isn't new, some manufacturers are taking it up a notch by making it digital. These systems feature a mat that's installed under your tile. It's Wi-Fi enabled and connected to a digital thermostat that you control from your smartphone. Make your towels toasty, too, with a towel warmer. Pop your towel into what looks like an ordinary bathroom cabinet, but it's really a hidden, stainless steel warming drawer, and your towels will be toasty by the time you're finished with your shower.
4. Digital steam spa
You don't need a major remodel to get a steam shower. There are kits for that! They're digitally operated steam generators that even include aromatherapy features (think eucalyptus steam when you're stuffy with a cold). The bathroom is the place where you start and end your days, your oasis for renewal. With these new high-tech products, you can design your perfect retreat.