ROOM TO SHARE
When space and budget permit, large capacity showers, twin bathtubs and twin washstands are increasingly in demand as the bathroom again becomes a shared space. Even in the smallest of nooks, the bathroom no longer serves merely hygiene needs, but has evolved to an environment devoted to wellness and health, and togetherness.
“The bathroom is treated as a heart of the home, a place to stay and relax or a place to have a quick shower and feel at ease with our surroundings,” says London-based interior designer Matteo Bianchi. “Wood is generously used in place of gloss units and on walls, along with resins, wallpaper and even rugs and soft fabrics.”
Because of the sweeping changes altering the bathroom topography designers and architects have begun to think outside the bathroom box in terms of the furnishings employed. Now one can find book cases, often built in to tubs or vanities, music systems and seating elements in the bath as well as the living room. Furthermore, the distinction between design for the bathroom and “normal” furniture design have become virtually imperceptible. Examples abound and one need look no further for confirmation than to the latest wall units being created for the bathroom space. For example, Italian bathroom outfitter Altamarea’s 360 Gradi/Loft collection of bath furnishings includes modular wall units, with or without doors, that can be hung in infinite arrangements, a trend we have been following the concept wall trend in the living room as well.
“There are places where life congregates: a crossroads during rush hour, a pub during a World Cup, the kitchen during parties. But by now it is time to embrace another hub of everyday life which, whilst it might not always be grand, is no less central and communication-friendly: the bathroom,” states the lifestyle report from IMM Cologne, hosted every January.
“Cuddling is taking place not only on the sofa but also in the bathroom … Or simply on the sofa in the bathroom. And if the bathroom is equipped not only with a sauna but also a fireplace, then the dream of a luxury bathroom is complete. And what could be more appropriate than to fulfill the desire for more cosiness and create space for seating, fitness equipment and all to allow more freedom of movement?”
With its elevated status in the home, the bath is garnering the same design attention as the more public rooms. Hence trends that affect the kitchen, living room and bedroom, also influence the bathroom. Major tendencies, such as a desire for personalization, a mix and match look, lighter styled furnishings atop legs, have made their way into the bathroom.