Barrier-free bathrooms don’t exactly have a sexy image. However, it looks as if this image is about to undergo some fundamental changes soon. Because even today bathrooms that conform to the standardised definition of “barrier-free” have to look anywhere near as austere as they did just a few years ago.
New requirements and usage possibilities call for more space in bathrooms. Because variable floor plans and innovative sanitaryware can keep users independent in the bathroom for as long as possible.
How will our bathroom change in the next 20 years? What can and may we expect from our bathroom in the future? Villeroy & Boch, Grohe and Matthias Horx's Zukunftsinstitut, dealt with these questions. This resulted in four visions that are based on the current mega-trends "Individualisation", "Health" "Neo-ecology" and "Connectivity".
As in all fields of interior design, there are regional and cultural differences even with the bathroom trends. We will invite you on a journey around the globe to the bathrooms of the world.
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. Whether it is analogue or digital – the bathroom is increasingly becoming a nerve centre within our modern interiors.
We make ourselves comfortable in our homes instead of going out and we invite our friends instead of having dinner in a restaurant. This trend called homing has become a lifestyle. And this lifestyle is about to enter the last bastion of our homes: The bathroom. The bathroom is becoming a comfort zone.
The dynamic development of the bathroom is being shaped by several trends at once. In particular, the bathroom is where the “Homing” and “Wellness” megatrends meet, leading to fundamental changes in the function and appearance of this space. Our bathrooms are increasingly coming to resemble small-scale wellness temples – with all the equipment that involves.
New achievement in water design: With its revolutionary washbasin mixer Starck V Axor is introducing the vitality and emotionality of water in its purest form. In collaboration with Philippe Starck the brand’s first transparent mixer was brought to life, and it shows an intensive water experience with a fascinating vortex.
Time is luxury, and luxury is for enjoying. That applies also to the hours of intimacy and regeneration we spend in the bathroom. Which is why we are equipping it with wall units, seat cushions, warm materials and bathroom furnishings that show barely a trace of their proximity to water.
The demand for furniture finishes is high: In addition to the consumer's critical eye, when it comes to colour and design, finishes also need to withstand physical influences such as heat, moisture and other stress factors on a daily basis. Consequently, high quality is indispensable for guaranteeing resistance and durability. With Firnis, Alape now presents a new, high-gloss varnish finish which is about to meet these requirements.