Towards 2015 – our guest blogger looks at key trends emerging
We asked our guest blogger Hamish Kofoed, Specification & Design Manager for Mico Design New Zealand, about what’s new in bathroom design and where he thinks the NZ bathroom space is headed as we look toward 2015.
To follow is the first of a number of key directions that Kofoed believes will play an important part in bathroom and kitchen design in the coming months…
The bathroom has become more important to people against a backdrop of busy schedules, multiple uses and changing technology. “The bathroom of today needs to be one’s sanctuary from the daily machinations of everyday life, as well as a place of inspiration and contemplation, all the while enabling a number of different functional requirements” says Kofoed.
Timber
Timber and timber veneer surface treatments are a dominant leading edge trend for 2015. Taking cues from stone palettes with interesting new ‘cool greige’ tones provides textural interest in both bathrooms & kitchens. “This trend featured strongly in the Kitchen space at Eurocucina this year and will be a strong direction for bathroom palettes as well” says Kofoed, “particularly as Kiwis love to use natural products in their design outlook”.
Growth of the Home Spa
We are also seeing the mainstreaming of the ‘home spa’, with an ever increasing proportion of customers demanding a more sensory experience from their product selection. Discerning consumers are gravitating towards luxury features such as two person bathing or showering with overhead rain cans, side water jets, massage jet functionality, steam showers and the like, as these former luxuries become more and more affordable for the design-conscious.
Wet Rooms
Further to this trend, says Kofoed, is the conversion of bathrooms to wet rooms. The wet room needs to be a strong consideration with bathrooms utilising more water in terms of both steam and water pooling. “While wall to wall tiling is definitely a more expensive and time consuming option, a full wet-room will increase the lifespan of the bathroom by an extra five years at least” says Kofoed.
The Living Wall
Another really interesting global design feature that Kiwis have taken up in a big way has been the advent of the Living Wall. “A living wall, when done right, can be a breath-taking addition to your bathroom, adding a vibrancy and life to your space which would be difficult to achieve in any other way” says Kofoed. “A living wall really adds a new twist to ‘Eco’ bathrooms. What’s more, the Woolly Pocket planters have a built-in moisture barrier to ensure that your wall fixings remain dry.”