Bathroom Trends 2016

Sanitary ware – with colour?

The idea of a coloured bath, toilet and sink can bring back memories of the avocado sanitary ware made popular back in the 70's. However, coloured suites & radiators that are now in trend sport a sleek and stylish image in anthracite greys and black. These days houses are owned for longer with owners reflecting their personal tastes in the rest of the house, so why should the bathroom be any different? Although white will continue to be the colour of choice for many homeowners. If the thought of changing the colour of your entire bathroom suite makes you feel nervous, or you just want to introduce a splash of colour, why not opt for a statement piece like a coloured radiator, basin or bath? Eclectic interiors are popular at the moment so there isn't a need for everything to match.

Colourful tiling

This year welcomes a new feel and look to tiles. Seeing colour in tiles is creating a buzz with muted pastel hues becoming popular, but think chic sophistication rather than sickly sweet. Deeply saturated colours will be increasingly seen, including porcelain, where they used to be exclusively for ceramics and mosaics. These distinctive shades can be used alone or can be mixed together to create an eclectic feel. Coloured grout can also be seen in bathrooms for the first time, which can create a subtly elegant feel. Coloured grout emphasises the shape of the tile and compliments the growing trend for colour. Handmade tiles are reflecting the return of craft and shows a significant change from the minimal feel in bathrooms that we have known in recent years. The handmade marks, imperfections and handcrafted feel are essential to this new trend, which overall contributes to a rustic style which adopts the look of raw materials, imperfections and all.

Geometrics and fragments

Geometric patterns aren't a new trend but it has been predicted that we will soon be seeing irregular geometric shapes coming through in tiles such as triangles and quadrilateral shapes, and we will see hexagons becoming elongated and offset. Another trend to keep an eye on are fragmented tile designs inspired by retro finishes and crazy paving. Just as open plan has been seen in living areas, bathrooms are soon becoming extensions of the bedroom which means that certain touches are being added to soften the feel of the bathroom. This can be achieved in many ways including hanging wallpaper or introducing an accent piece of furniture such as a chair. Adding in house plants not only lifts the space but works to improve air quality.

Remove the boundaries

The bathroom is becoming an extension of the bedroom, which is resulting in decorative touches being added to compliment the two spaces. Why not hang some wallpaper in your bathroom, or introduce a statement piece of furniture such as a decorative chair? Introducing some house plants not only lift the space but they have the added bonus of improving air quality. If you are feeling bolder there is the option to merge your bathroom and bedroom. This can be simple such as introducing a stylish, free standing bathtub into your bedroom. You could even borrow the style of boutique hotels and remove the between your bedroom and bathroom.

Scandinavian Style

Scandinavian design has a strong influence on British bathrooms in 2016 in the form of natural woods combined with neutral colours on a main canvas of white. The simplicity of Scandinavian designs is widely known for is practicality and functionality. Natural warmth in the bathroom is a welcome feature and with so many varieties of wood available today it is easy to find the right tones to compliment your bathroom fittings.

Luscious Luxury

Once seen almost exclusively in the homes of the rich, manufacturing developments have meant that the marble look suits the more modest budget in the forms of porcelain tiles that imitate the distinctive beauty found in marble. Porcelain tiles have the added bonus of being low maintenance and easy to install. There is very little distinction when in comparison with genuine marble and are guaranteed to introduce glamour into any bathroom. With technology advancing at a rapid rate we are now seeing the introduction of XXL tiles with some manufacturers making tiles up to a size of 3.2m x 1.6m. Large tiles creates an extravagant feel to your bathroom and gives the appearance of space especially in small bathrooms, with the added bonus of there being fewer grout lines to clean.