Insider Insight with our Head of Design

Q&A

With a keen eye for design and emerging trends, we sat down with our Head of Design, Louise Ashdown, to talk Insider Insights for bathroom design.

What design trends are coming through for ensuite bathrooms? Is there anything the team are noticing which is more popular than before?

Any finish other than chrome is the way forward at the moment, brassware in metallics and brushed finishes are very popular, be it solid brass – both polished and brass – and lot’s of Gunmetal. Colour in ceramics has been creeping back in in the last couple of years and we’ve had lot’s of greys/ taupes but now colour is becoming stronger and more powerful, we are seeing lot’s of pink in ceramics (See our Nouveau basin) as well as classic heritage colours like Dark Green (See our Primo lux in Aloe), and 1950’s sugar puff pallets of pastels (See Iva from Kast new collection).

Plus some strong ombre shades see Bisque’s radiator and Kohler’s new innovative Ombre finish in Components. The introduction of Washlet WCs is becoming more widely available now and affordable for many bathrooms, for example Toto have newly launched their RX & SX washlets.

The ever popular Industrial look is still very strong with crittal effect screens now available in many RAL colours and anodic finishes too, no longer just limited to black. See Border collections new finish.

WestOneBathrooms Kast Concrete Basins – Oska – Wheat – 4×5

What is your top tip to achieving a successful bathroom in bedroom design?

Synergy and making the space flow harmoniously. It is important to create privacy where needed ie for a WC area etc. A bathroom in bedroom is always a luxurious statement, but it needs to work as well for the users!

WestOneBathrooms 1BANK BN SHOWER MAIN 005 2

Is it too risky to go for coloured sanitaryware and baths? or are they here to last?

Lots of colour is about as well are lots of neutrals and powder tones which are actually very classic tones and easy to live with.

As with everything though think carefully before investing, if you love the colour go for it!

What’s your top design tip/approach to small bathrooms in awkward spaces such as underneath roofs?

Make the most of the floor space, both visually and maximising the space you have, giving the illusion of extra space. Use wall mounted WCs and basins, freestanding baths will also open up the view of the floor space. If you have an eaves, place a bath under the eaves as you have to bend to get in anyway. It enables you to create walls at 90 degree angles to the sloping roof which can provide wall height for basins or mirrors. Not everything has to be stuck around the edge of the room!

What’s the most important element in a bathroom design to get right for long term investment-is it the storage? Or the wall/floor covering in wet environment?

Space. Generally in the UK bathrooms are quite small and compact unless a bedroom has been converted to a bathroom, so really space is the most important factor to consider. Optimum size for a shower and bath etc but also balance the ‘activity’ space required outside the shower and bath are equally as important as the size of shower etc itself. That said, storage is a major element and balancing this with the colour and textures used within the bathroom.

Louise is based in our Tunbridge Wells, 79 Calverley Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2UY or call her on 01892 548 111.