Lie back, relax and enter the pamper zone
The latest trends for your pamper zone are inspired by designs from the most beautiful bathroom hotels in the world - so lie back, relax and realise...
If there ever was ever a month that calls for pampering with fluffy towels and indulging in a spalike bathing experience at home it’s January. A never-ending series of dark dismal days is definitely motivation to revamp our bathrooms into a much-needed sanctuary.
And just like the overall interior theme for 2016, this year’s bathroom trends are calm with clean lines, uncluttered surfaces and embracing natural materials.
Taking inspiration from the most beautiful hotel bathrooms, the latest looks are all about contemporary seamless units and layering luxurious textures. Think tranquil grey and decadent white marble or cool concrete finishes teamed with warming dark wood and contrasting mixed metal or even matt black accessories.
Fired Earth’s – with showrooms at Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin – latest bathroom additions includes the Osaka and Kyoto baths which have simple, elegant design that conjures images of the most peaceful of Japanese interiors. Alternatively its new Italian-inspired cabinetry collections embrace the trend for wall mounted fixtures.
The range – which includes tall cabinets, single and double basin units – has plenty of storage behind its sleek cabinets, yet is designed to look weightless and floating, and even the smallest of bathrooms will appear larger because the floor area is clear. Their new Palazzo and Hartington decorative cream wall or floor tiles with delicate geometric patterns are the perfect mix of art deco meets urban chic for this look.
Oversized showerheads and slick minimalist chrome taps are the ultimate addition to a five star residence and Bathshack.com is a great source for designer looking fixtures without the hefty price tag. There you will find a decent selection, from wall-mounted creations to sculptural centrepieces just like the seamless Eliseo Ricci shower blade.
ACCESSORIES
For an easy update, new accessories are the pocket-friendly option. Zara Home have just unveiled a new Hotel collection for Spring/ Summer 2016 that features elegant white and marble washroom accessories, while Bloomingville. com have plenty of gold, brass and copper soap dishes, toilet brushes and towel holders.
And you will be surprised how a few potted plants will breath new life into your tired space. Hanging glass and metallic geo-faceted pots and planters are the look du jour.
TECHNOLOGY
Our bathrooms may be the only place to really pause and unwind, free from email alerts and social media updates but that doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from technological innovations.
Global trends see a move for an even more tranquil retreat with the development of less noisy, minimalist and more efficient fixture and fittings. For instance the bathroom experts Grohe’s (Grohe. com) Rapil Sl wall-hung toilet has a concealed cistern that promises a whisper-quiet flush while Vent-Axia (vent-axia.com), who manufacture bathroom fans, have a silent model they claim is the quietest on the market.
If noisy shower pumps interrupt your morning peace then check out the Grundfos low voltage model at MPSwater.ie that claims to be the quietest pump available in Ireland. It uses anti-vibration feet that ensures a low-operating noise yet still boosts water pressure.
And for those who seek a dis-
creet shower free from unsightly powerpacks, the Aspirante wireless model is for you, available from TritonShowers.ie. Being a wireless digital shower, only a sleek riser rail and handset and the beautiful polished chrome control panel are on show.
With our new water charges, any design that will help reduce our water bill is welcomed and there are plenty of new smart designs on the market. Triton Showers offers a range of electric and mixer eco showers that are designed to limit water consumption.
But hats off to bathroom specialist ROCA (roca.com) for its award-winning sustainable eco-friendly ‘W+W’ (washbasin and watercloset) system which reuses waste water from the washsending-- basin by it to the toilet cistern after a filtering process. Genius.