BATHROOMS - Interior Design Trends 2013-2014

Bathrooms, along with kitchens, are rooms I’m most often called upon to update. If you’re thinking about updating or adding a bathroom, while fantasizing about the enjoyment factor, think too, in terms of its investment value. Redecorating a bathroom will add value to your home so when you sell, you’ll enjoy a return on your investment along with potential for a profit. The amount of profit depends on the quality of materials and amount of wear and tear. That being said, a bathroom should be finished with high quality components and be well planned.

What are the important bathroom trends to incorporate in order to create an elegant, high end bathroom?

Colors – Think of powder rooms as large jewel boxes. They can be any color. I like to dress them up by adding sparkle and a bit of whimsy, sometimes using unusual sconces, wallpaper (remember the ceiling – the 5^th wall), an ornate faucet set, artwork, elaborate (but elegant) accessories, and perhaps a chandelier.

For bathrooms used daily, select colors that flatter skin tones. Pastels in peach, pink, beige, warm whites, sea foam (a blue/green), work beautifully with any décor style. Tile* is preferable to paint. If the room is well ventilated, vinyl wallpaper is a beautiful as well as a durable choice. My favorite wall treatments are architectural applications that have depth and movement. Try sculptural porcelain tiling (see top photo).

Vanities – Continue the use of color onto your vanities. Use unique wood tone stains, keeping the natural grain: light and dark maples, oaks, walnut, stained toast, gray, bleached, for example.

Explore some of the new vanity surfaces like quartz that offers some exquisite designs and colorations.

Fixtures – Double sinks! If you’ve never had them, you don’t know what you’re missing. They’re

 

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worth the sacrifice of space. Keep toilets, sinks, bidets neutral: white, bisque, maybe light gray.  Dark colors show water spots and are a full time job to keep clean.

Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Bronze (not Brass) faucets and handle sets with beautiful sleek lines that integrate the other bathroom elements are trending – avoid statement pieces that quickly become dated.

Water saving features, double flush toilets, comfort height seats, and other eco-friendly options that don’t affect performance are gaining in popularity.

Lighting – Like their fixture cousins above, lighting should tie-in with other bathroom elements. Keep them simple but ample. They should go with your faucet selection. I’m partial to vertical frosted tube lights that flank recessed medicine cabinets for ease in applying makeup or shaving. Add to that an overhead fixture and some recessed lighting for excellent total illumination. By giving each element its own switch, you have a range of lighting options.

Floors – Radiant heat (under floor heating) is a luxury that is also practical. It is an efficient way to heat small spaces and reduce humidity. It may not be as popular in Florida as it is in NY, but everyone can appreciate comfy floors that are warm and dry on a cool morning. Marble floors remain the material of choice, but porcelain is a less expensive alternative to marble.

Showers – Install a separate shower enclosure with frameless glass. If there’s not enough 

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space, explore the option of a p-shaped shower/bath. A swing-out door is more highly valued than sliding doors if you have room.

Style – Sleek contemporary styles and natural materials remain strong, though modern and transitional styles are dominant alternatives.

Furniture – Smart storage solutions hide clutter and maximize space. Vanities, laundry baskets, recessed medicine cabinets, and sleek case goods are ideal to create space in more compact bathrooms and can be used as stylish features in larger rooms.

A Venetian Glass Mirror is an

excellent foil.

The good thing about these trends is that they’re not going out of style any time soon. They work in bathrooms of all sizes, adapt to work with any design style, and add to quality of life – sound investments.

*A Note on Tile: Ask the tile salesman or your interior designer about absorption rate. The greater exposure to water, the lower the absorption rate should be.