Believe it or not, bathrooms are one of the most exciting areas of interior design right now. It’s a room where you can incorporate cutting-edge trends in wellness, sustainability and even technology; from spa-inspired bathrooms with steam showers and saunas, to eco-conscious water-saving fixtures to smart mirrors and app-controlled showers.
If you’re looking at a bathroom renovation, let your imagination run wild, because there truly never has been more choice.
Nicholas Cunild, managing director of luxury bathroom brand Matki, says, “Our customers are looking for more personalisation and options for customisation, including bespoke sizes, finishes and glass options.”
When it comes to décor, colour trends this year range from ocean hues like sea foam green to the earthy neutrals of spa-inspired décor, to soothing pastel shades which are both beautiful and calming.
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Fixtures can contrast in edgy matte black or complement darker walls or wild wallpapers with vintage-look brass. Cunild says that chrome, nickel and brass are popular with Matki’s design-conscious customers.
Individuality and personality are really shaking up the idea of what a bathroom can be. Cora Murphy, a Cork-based contemporary landscape painter, recently showcased her renovation on RTÉ’s Great House Revival, and the pretty pink bathroom in her Victorian townhouse is a case in point. Its putty pink walls and bespoke shower tray and sink were specially made for her by Synk Concrete in Tipperary.
“The sink and tray were made from Connemara marble offcuts (from the Connemara quarry) mixed with concrete to make a terrazzo,” Murphy explains. “The elemental composition was important to me as I wanted to have natural elements from the Irish landscape in my home where possible.”
The result is unique and touches on some of the other trending themes in bathrooms this year – natural materials, low-profile shower trays and floating fixtures.
Eco-friendly
Sustainable materials like bamboo, reclaimed wood and natural stone not only look great but also help reduce the environmental footprint of your interior. Bathroom fixtures producers are looking at sustainable innovation too: low-flow toilets and water-saving shower heads conserve water and lower your bills without sacrificing performance.
Smart bathrooms
There’s nothing better than stepping out of the shower on to warm tiles, and underfloor heating is no longer confined to ground-floor rooms. Smartphone control means you can turn it on from your bed while you hit your snooze button in the morning.
Love a gadget? How about starting your day with a smart mirror, and checking out the news or a new album release while you brush your teeth? Artforma offer a range of shapes and sizes of LED-lit mirrors with a choice of operating systems iPadOS 15, tvOS or Android, with prices starting from €1,470.
Japanese bidet toilets tick both the wellness spa and the techie boxes when it comes to toilet trends. The Big Bathroom Shop has a range of sleek, contemporary wall-hung designs; the chic Milano Arca Black model (€2,074.99) features a black tempered glass panel and even has an integral light for night-time trips.
Space saving
Small bathrooms can pack a lot of punch with clever design. Floating vanities are increasingly popular; a strip of LED under-cabinet lighting can add a really slick touch that elevates your bathroom to boutique hotel status.
If you don’t want to opt for a full wetroom, open-concept showers comprising clear shower panels make the space feel larger than it is. Cunild advises, “The wetroom look can be achieved in smaller spaces. With careful space planning you can maximise the space and minimise clutter. Also, by choosing frameless or minimal-frame enclosures and low-profile trays in light colours, with light-coloured tiles and surfaces to give a sense of added space.”
Home spa
Steam showers, rainfall showers and deep soaking tubs can give a luxe feel to even the most ordinary bathroom, but if you have a little extra space you can really step things up a notch with an infrared sauna – Sunlighten’s range includes chromotherapy and sound therapy options.
Natural stone countertops like marble, granite, and quartzite not only give that luxe spa feel, but they’re durable and easy to maintain too – resistant to heat, moisture, and stains, making them ideal for bathroom use.
Irish suppliers Versatile have everything from full sauna-hammam systems to individual spa elements like affusion pipes (perfect for an invigorating cold-water blast) and water curve massage jets to massage your cares away. And if you want to treat yourself, the Rodolfo Dordoni-designed BodyLove modular system combines sauna, Turkish bath and shower.
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