A haven of sorts

Contemporary bathrooms are the last remaining bastion of unadulterated self indulgence, says Selina Denman

The most intimate of spaces, bathrooms have evolved dramatically over recent years. As attitudes towards bathing have continued to change, transforming the bathroom into the last remaining bastion of total privacy and stress-free self indulgence, trends in space utilisation and design of fittings and fixtures have responded accordingly.

“In contemporary architecture, bathrooms are often considered as living areas, rather than purely technical spaces. Changes in lifestyle lead to changes in the spaces people inhabit; different meanings are attached to the space and the elements within that space,” said Jeronimo Vernetti, brand manager of Boffi.

“The bathroom is no longer merely functional but has become an extension of the living space. Designers are seeking to extend lifestyle concepts harmoniously into all areas of a home or hotel room,” agreed Guy Wilson, head of the Gulf region for Geberit International.

Much has been made of the transformation of the bathroom into a private retreat. In any context, the bathroom is a site of ritual, a personal area where users reset, recharge and reaffirm their sense of self, said Martin Koch, chief communication officer at Kaldewei, one of Europe’s leading bath manufacturers.

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“In a fast-moving, stressful world, relaxation has become vitally important, and the bathroom has been transformed into a private, individual spa area. Nobody takes a bath for purely hygienic reasons – bathing is about escaping from a certain frame of mind. Because of the intimate form of the bath tub and the effects of the warm water, your work mode shuts down and you enter a deep REM phase,” he explained.

Kaldewei has conducted extensive research studies into all elements of the bathing process, Koch explained. A total of six studies have been carried out over the past six years, exploring topics such as the psychology of taking a bath, a shower or a whirlpool, or bathing for the elderly.

Appreciation of good design is not purely cerebral, Koch added – it is a more emotionally driven process. “There is a direct relationship between interior design and architecture and our emotions and physical moods. We know whether we feel good on entering a room, even before we have built up an intelligent opinion,” he maintained.

Mental cleansing

Dornbracht’s most recent product lines have paid tribute to this move towards extreme indulgence. Its Elemental Spa is the third so-called ritual bathroom line, and follows on from MEM, which is described as a ‘contemplative bathroom for spiritual regeneration’, and Tara Logic, ‘the active bathroom where the rituals focus on the body’.

Designed to be both archaic and original, The Elemental Spa places water as the focal point and has been designed with both physical and mental cleansing in mind. Water points are clear and cubic, while nozzles are crystal-like.

Taking a move towards the elaborate one step further, Villeroy & Boch has incorporated neo baroque design influences into its product lines, in the form of opulent decorative features and classical design elements.

The extravagantly styled Memento New Glory washbasin, for example, was inspired by the sumptuous splendour of times past. Meanwhile, the Memento New Glory Platinum incorporates a filigree flower décor in high-quality, real platinum.Extra touches of luxury can be added with the new Square tap fitting, made of genuine Strass Swarovski crystal.

The company has also launched the complementary New Glory ceramic tile range, which has been designed to lend itself equally to harmonious, classical baroque settings or to ultra-modern, minimalist, crossover styles.

This range of non-vitreous tiles comprises matt
basic tiles in white and cream and subtly textured full décor tiles in cream, dark red, white and grey. There is a matching mosaic décor in silver-white, as well as listelli and borders.

According to Koch, there is a definite trend towards co-ordinating colours within the bathroom, particularly when it comes to matching flooring to shower trays. “For shower trays there is a trend towards complementing the floor. It makes the room bigger and more comfortable,” he said.

The move is undeniably towards a more stylised and design-led space,  Wilson agreed. “Bathrooms have become more stylish, with design and aesthetic appeal driving product choice in conjunction with a move towards reliability and water conservation.”

Another key, and continuing, trend is the move towards concealment, which creates added pressure to make the parts that do show even more aesthetically pleasing, said Wilson.