With 2018 just around the corner, Ideal Standard International Designer Robin Levien gives his bathroom trends predictions for the next 12 months.
The trends we expect to see in 2018 reflect our increasingly busy lifestyles, and position the bathroom as a relaxing and calming space in which to get away from it all. However, the growing need for consumers to use their homes to showcase their personality means that trends that allow homeowners to create truly unique looks are also rising. Ideal standard believes that the bathrooms in British homes will mirror these ideas during the next 12 months.
Back to black
2018 will see a rise in popularity of darker designs in British bathrooms. Expect to see more homeowners opting for black flooring and dark grey walls. These brave design choices can actually make smaller bathrooms appear larger, provide a luxurious finish and allow white ceramics to ‘pop’ against them, highlighting the design of the bathroom furniture.
Make it matte
Tying in with the trend for darker shades, many homeowners will begin to opt for matte finishes on ceramics and bathroom storage. Gloss has reigned supreme for a long time but can appear too brash when paired with the simpler, more minimal looks which are rising in popularity. Matte effect finishes are a sleek and simple way to create a striking look without purchasing unnecessary accessories or adding fussy items to the room’s design scheme.
Just fine with edges
In line with this love of simplicity, consumers will look to create slimmed down finishes in their bathrooms. This trend will particularly encompass bathroom ceramics, which are set to have finer edges than ever before. Not only does this create a sharp, dynamic look; it also makes optimum use of the room space – a key consideration in increasingly small British bathrooms. These fine edges could be achieved on the rim of the basin, bath or even the WC.
Wall of glass
Minimalism looks set to increase in popularity and this applies to showers too. Fuss-free shower screens of plain glass allow walls and other décor details to take centre stage. Expect to see more consumers opting for seamless pieces of glass, with no join, folds or detail.
Out on the tiles
Luckily for those who enjoy more creative designs or quirkier finishes, 2018 won’t be entirely minimal in its appearance. Tiles will continue to grow in popularity, especially those which can be arranged in geometric designs on walls and floors alike. These glazed areas are also a great way to introduce colour and many consumers will use tiles to add millennial pink, soft greens and baby blue into their bathroom.
Put up the paper
Lovers of print will be glad to learn that wallpapers for bathrooms have come on leaps and bounds and are set to come into their own during 2018. Whereas in the past, the damp conditions of a bathroom could see wallpaper peel all too easily, new technologies mean that wallpaper with real staying power can be purchased. These wallpapers allow homeowners to introduce everything from geometric prints to florals and even trompe-l’oeil designs into the bathroom for a truly unique finish.
Turn the lights down
Our lives are becoming more and more busy, meaning the time spent having a long soak in the bath can be treated as a real luxury. To make this alone time even more relaxing, homeowners will begin to install adjustable lighting or even low voltage and LED lighting that can help to create this mood. This trend is one of the simplest to achieve, as adding a dimmer switch to an existing bathroom can make an enormous difference to how it feels to its users.
Bathing with beats
Whether it’s listening to relaxing tunes during a bubble bath or blasting some beats while taking a morning shower, many people enjoy music while they use their bathroom. The latest technology can make this even more enjoyable, as surround sound speakers can now be installed beneath baths to offer optimum quality when listening to musical favourites.
New metallics and bold colours
This trend is manifesting itself in hues of copper, rose gold and brass. The ‘patinated’ look sees an intentional antiqued aesthetic coming back into fashion. Bold colours have been coming gradually for some time, but on walls, accessories and towels. Brits are now getting braver and are demanding that colour appears on the outside of freestanding bath tubs and washbasins – a statement wall of the bathroom world.
