Design that allows for aging-in-place is more popular than ever. When we design baths to be more accessible, we look for opportunities to include a full bath on the first floor of a home, offer wider halls and doorways and specify non-slip flooring, shower seats and grab bars for the tub, water closet area and shower. We often present our clients looking to remain in their home for the extended future with an option of a large walk-in shower without a threshold. For many bath remodels, a larger shower area can be achieved if the tub is eliminated. Double vanities are among the most requested feature when we are designing a new bath along with storage capabilities, stone or engineered stone (quartz) vanity tops and private water closet compartments.
Creating a spa-like retreat in a home is another dominate trend. System tubs that offer hydro therapy, aroma therapy and light therapy appear on a number of our clients wish lists. We can convert a bath into a wet room by offering steam and different therapies that promote wellness and a healthy lifestyle.
Freestanding tubs that serve both functional and aesthetic purposes continue to trend high. Many of our clients come to the bath showroom wanting to incorporate bolder colors in their fixture finishes such as bronze and black. For whole home remodels, our clients are attracted to consistency of imagery among baths that feature similar products and approaches in powder rooms and secondary baths that are used for the master suite.
In baths where space is a premium, we will suggest installing vanity mirrors that reach to the ceiling, specifying pendant lighting instead of the commonly used light bars, recommending wall-mounted vanities and toilets with lighting underneath and using the same tile on walls as the floor. All of these design elements help to make a bath, whether it is the master, powder room or secondary bath appear larger.