Regardless of the mood, a bathroom design is at first inspiring. The mood it emanates, whether relaxing, refreshing or energising, is the symptom of that inspiration.
Great bathroom design starts with an idea – an inspiration. And with the introduction of cutting-edge technology, the emerging products enhance functionality and liveability far more than the average brain could fathom. Whoever thought of bathrooms that change colour based on mood. Low contrasting tiles allow light to reflect and flow in varying shades, from invigorating to relaxing.
The latest showerhead designs sport embedded LED lights that can be colour adjusted from bright for invigorating to softer hues for a more relaxing mood.
Smart home technology has revolutionised the bathing concept. Integrated TV screens in the bathroom mirror conveniently disappear when not in use (bye-bye heavy sets drilled into walls), heated flooring, chomatherapy in bathtubs, showerheads with half a dozen different jets all controlled with one button, and Kohler’s tankless Purist Hatbox that flushes electronically (and does wonders for bathroom aesthetics) – these are just the tip
of the iceberg. When it comes to advancements in technology, everything is possible if you dare to dream it.
Bathroom designs have come a long way from their simple purpose-built days. In the past, bathrooms have never really been in the limelight. The main focus of the interior and product design world has always been towards living spaces, their furnishings and accessories. However, this has changed drastically over the years and now, celebrity designers are proud to have a bath or a sink in their already impressive design portfolios. Ferarri designer Pininfarina slayed the whirlpool bath world with his genius design, the Morphosis Jacuzzi. Star designer and king of contemporary, Philippe Starck teamed up with Hansgrohe, and Axor Starck was born. This slender and functional range has an artistic touch and defines itself as ‘modern because it is uncompromisingly minimalistic’. Hansgrohe’s Axor continues to inspire us with this fusion of functionality and aesthetic genius. The brand has teamed up with design greats such as Antonio Citterio and many more, and the simple bathroom is no longer a functional space but a gallery for the soul where each object is a piece of art. The collective whole is relaxing, cleansing and inspiring for the mind and being.
Left to the last, as a mark of honour, is the greatest inspiration – mother nature. Inspired by the planet, bathrooms go green introducing eco-friendly technology and working towards reducing our carbon footprint. The Japanese phyto-purification system, for example, recycles the water you use – sounds unpleasant, but not for the planet. Conservation is key and all the leading brands are making technological breakthroughs and churning away products that use minimum resources. It’s time to give back.
