Bathroom architecture 2022 – new favourite products and surfaces

The glass panel made of toughened safety glass mounted with two profiles from the Katharina series by shower enclosure specialist Glassdouche has the imposing dimensions of 270 x 240 cm. This shower stands for maximum generosity in the bathroom.
Photo:glassdouche
Background: KEUCO
Nowhere are
products, infrastructure and interior design so closely interwoven with the
architecture as in the bathroom. Whether as a sculptural standalone
or subtly integrated – innovative shower trays, freestanding bathtubs, walk-in
showers, prewall systems and fittings all enter into a permanent connection
with the architecture.
That’s why
the makers of bathroom products don’t just cater to consumers’ tastes, they specifically
take the needs of architects and bathroom planners into account too by
providing them with a fan deck of options for creating modern bathrooms, and
occasionally there are even bathroom furniture systems with a built-in character
to enable a consistent interior design. Pop up my Bathroom offers a roundup
of the current product trends for the bathroom.
Where the bathroom interfaces with its users

With its new Velvet actuator plate, Tece wants to make a statement in both directions: ultra-soft to the touch, super-matt in appearance.
Photo: TECE
In the plans, the taps or flush plates only appear as a supposedly small
dash – but in terms of the overall impact of the interior design, they’re as
important as the shape of the door handle is for the entire house. Bathroom
products are inseparably linked with the overall effect of the architecture. They
communicate with their users regularly at both an aesthetic/visual and
functional/tactile level and are essential points of contact in the household –
all the more reason why bathroom planning calls for products that don’t just
meet the specific needs of their users in a functional sense but have a
formative influence on the bathroom’s interior design as well. What’s
needed are striking fittings with a strong character. Prominent designers have recently
come up with no fewer than three major developments for these bathroom
interfaces.

he Axor One collection is characterised by slender silhouettes, flat surfaces, soft edges and balanced proportions. The fittings in the collection are characterised by a gentle tapering towards their curved spouts.
Photo: Hansgrohe SE
Consisting
of elegant fittings for the washbasin, tub and shower, the Axor One collection is
characterised by a holistic design language with a slender silhouette, flat
surfaces, soft edges and balanced proportions. The iconic fittings (design: Barber
Osgerby) taper gently towards their curved spouts – a subtle detail that
underscores the exceptional quality of their design and manufacturing. The
extensive product range means it’s possible to create a consistent interior design
for the entire bathroom.
The One
thermostatic module, for instance, features large, clearly marked “Select”
buttons for switching between spray types quickly and directly in the shower or
bath, while the large handle permits intuitive, ultra-precise control of the
water temperature and volume. The matching overhead and hand showers feature
monolithic forms and an innovative arrangement of the Rain and PowderRain spray
types, reflected in the distinctive graphic language of the steel spray disc. The
showerpipe aims to provide the perfect all-in-one combination of overhead
shower, hand shower, wall bar and wall mounting.

Selected surfaces are intended to emphasise the striking features of Cyo from Dornbracht. A wide selection of handle inserts in various finishes and designs aim to provide a high degree of design freedom.
Photo: Dornbracht
Cyo is a
reinterpretation of the archetypal C-shaped spout from Dornbracht. It owes its
flamboyant contours and sculptural quality (design: Sieger Design) to the
striking basic shape of a circle, which defines the spout and handles and thus
characterises the design right down to the water jet, which follows the shape
of the spout. In fact, the entire range of products for the washbasin, bath and shower
is defined by this same basic shape. Combined with the matching
accessories, they create a harmonious overall look in every area of the
bathroom. The design concept features numerous unusual details, such as
bi-structural finishes that combine glossy and matt surfaces.
The bathroom is the area of the home where our skin is exposed the most. We walk
across the floor barefoot, stand under the shower, lie in the bathtub and touch
the fittings. That’s why finishes play a special role for designers, architects and
bathroom planners – perhaps because they are responsible for making both a tactile
and visual impression. That applies to flush plates too – and with its
new Velvet flush plate, sanitaryware systems supplier Tece is aiming to make a
statement that is both pleasant to the touch and easy on the eye. Supersoft
and ultramatt, it’s also extremely hardwearing thanks to Fenix NTM,
a material from Italian manufacturer Arpa Industriale. The elegant, functional design is
the work of the prominent designer Konstantin Grcic.
Products with wall and floor adhesion

With BetteAir, the world's first shower tile made of glazed titanium steel according to the manufacturer, Bette wants the shower tray to become part of the bathroom floor.
Photo: Bette
The level access shower exemplifies a new generation of bathroom
fixtures that are both an integral part of the bathroom and an element of the
architectural design. Many of the beautiful and outwardly simple
products now available to satisfy consumers’ increased requirements of their
bathrooms are actually the result of a great deal of development and production
expertise. Take shower trays, for instance: well into the 1970s, they could
tower up as much as 30 centimetres above the floor. With BetteAir, however, Bette has
taken the shower tray’s evolution to a new level, so to speak, and made its
glazed titanium steel solution part of the bathroom floor.
That also explains
why the Delbrück-based manufacturer calls BetteAir a “shower tile” – a name
inspired both by its minimalist design and the space-saving installation
technology. Bette’s developers have succeeded in reducing the rim height of the
titanium steel product to just 10 millimetres - about the same thickness as a
large-format tile. The pointed corners with a radius of just 5
millimetres also fit in perfectly with the tile grid. According to the manufacturer, the
drainage capacity of 0.6 l/s is sufficient even for opulent rainfall showers. Last but
not least, the glazed and enlarged drain cover (diameter: 200 millimetres) is
flat, with the result that there is no visible or perceptible difference as
compared to the surrounding floor surface.

The Mena shower enclosure from Kermi is available in a completely reduced, made-to-measure version with wall fittings or as a standard model with a wall profile for more visual support.
Photo: Kermi
The idea of
integration with the existing fabric of the building is the guiding principle
behind many modern shower enclosures too. In the case of the Mena shower
enclosure from Kermi, for instance, the premium metal fittings of the enclosure
are shown off to maximum effect by the totally frame-free design option. But the
shower also looks extremely transparent with the understated wall profile as
well. All the enclosures come with convenient swing doors that open in both
directions and are fitted with a rising hinge mechanism for unobstructed level
access.
A freestanding bath is the ultimate status symbol for a modern bathroom. Its
sculptural shape symbolises the spaciousness of the architecture and is often
the focal point of a zoning concept. And with the trend towards more colour
in the bathroom that’s been gaining ground since the ISH 2019, freestanding
tubs are available in a growing choice of colours too. In particular, a bicolour tub is a must-have
for today’s modern bathroom. Especially in the case of freestanding models,
a design featuring two different shades makes a stunning eye-catcher. And with
its Classic Duo Oval series, Kaldewei doubles up on this dual approach: the
oval basic shape, two identical backrests and the centrally positioned drain
ensure an enjoyable and comfortable bathing experience for two. The
innovative panelling underscores the quality of the design and permits a
freestanding position.
More (storage) space, more individuality

The new Lin20 collection from burgbad offers washbasins and cabinets in minimalist design with reduced depths that are suitable for everyday use - shown here in the material mix of Merino oak decor and matt basalt grey.
Photo: burgbad
When space
is in short supply and every centimetre matters, standard sizes often reveal
their limitations. Especially in an urban bathroom, there’s a
growing need to make the most of the space – and with individually adaptable
furniture systems, even the furthest corner of the room can be used. What’s
needed are furniture systems with added value. As a standalone piece, burgbad’s Lin20 vanity unit looks like a monolithic statement: straightforward,
self-contained, pragmatically simple. The width and height of the compact
furniture make the most of whatever space is available. The reduced-depth
cabinet and vanity options from the Lin20 collection, which are available in
floor-standing or wall-mounted versions, are particularly suitable for making
maximum use of small bathrooms and creating a consistent overall look that will turn even a
long, narrow bathroom into a highlight. The goal is a bathroom that doesn’t
just create order but looks neat and tidy too.
Developed in collaboration with
nexus product design, the collection radiates a classic, modern feel and
permits customisable colour combinations. But it’s the groupings of different
elements that best demonstrate what’s so special about Lin20: as a modularly
structured range, Lin20 reinvents bathroom furnishings by adopting the
principle of efficient and ergonomic storage space maximisation familiar from
kitchen design. Thanks to a classic grid system, the vanity
units and add-on cabinets can be used to create apparently seamless
combinations and form long rows of floor-standing units with a character
similar to that of a built-in kitchen. This impression is reinforced by the
emphatically horizontal lines of the handleless furniture, which match up when
the modules are combined and thus create a visual analogy with kitchen design
as well.

The new 4balance system programme from Sanipa aims to bring natural balance into the bathroom. The design of the furniture and the washbasins is reduced to basic geometric shapes consisting of oval, circle and cuboid.
Photo: Sanipa
The bathroom is turning into a lifestyle space that can easily be given
an update with the increasingly individual colour options and/or decorative
furnishings available on today’s market. In the case of the new 4balance
system from Sanipa, a sense of calm and balance defines the character of the
range: the design of the furniture and vanities is reduced to basic geometric
shapes – oval, circle, rectangle – that bring a relaxed, homely feel to the
bathroom. The oval vanity, rectangular storage furniture and round shapes featured
in the mirrors can be used and played with to create a wide variety of
different combinations. The centrepiece of the collection is the vanity
unit, consisting of a cabinet and basin whose consistently oval shapes add up
to a single harmonious unit: the simple fronts – available with or without
handles – underscore the serene, timeless look of the collection. The
80-centimetre-wide cabinet provides plenty of practical storage space for
everyday bathroom items in the form of two fully extending pullouts with
interiors in a modern anthracite shade. Thanks to their integrated
slip-resistant surface, everything stays neatly and safely in place. And if more
room is required, the vanity cabinet can be flanked with the add-on cabinets
from the same series, which make economic use of the space thanks to their
reduced depth.