Leading bathroom trends

Thanks to the desire to create a sanctuary at home, the bathroom has become a retreat, a private oasis to help restore mental and physical wellbeing. With this comes a move away from clinical style.

THE MATERIAL: WOOD

Look to the beauty of natural timber for warmth and a spa-like.

Thanks to the desire to create a sanctuary at home, the bathroom has become a retreat, a private oasis to help restore mental and physical wellbeing. With this comes a move away from clinical style. Wood is now the material of choice for its natural beauty and warmth; it conjures the quiet luxury of a spa. There are many ways to introduce timber to your scheme, from a simple small stool to a timber-fronted vanity. Wooden baths are reminiscent of Japanese soaking tubs, while the warm, dry air of a naturally scented wood sauna offers the ultimate indulgence. Cladding walls in wooden batons brings the spa-like beauty of timber to a bathroom and helps to reduce echo. Wooden baths, make a beautiful focal point; they are typically made from timbers with a high oil content for water resistance. Wood accessories can be simple but effective, especially combined with other natural materials, such as an oak shelf with plants in stone pots. For flooring, try wood- effect tiles - the latest options are highly realistic.

THE DETAIL: TEXTURE

Tactile finishes please the senses and introduce visual style to a room.

For many years, bathrooms have been all about ultra-practical smooth surfaces in ceramics, brassware, and tiles. But increasingly the design has focused less on pure functionality and more on functionality mixed with comfort and style - and the tactile quality of bathroom fittings has moved to the fore. The beauty of a textured finish is not just aesthetic, but also sensual: how does a tap or vanity feel to touch? In many ways, the bathroom is where we are at our most vulnerable, so surfaces that feel pleasing can enhance the cocooning effect. Introducing a textured finish is one way to add a quiet sense of individuality and offers scope for creativity: you might opt for a brushed or matt finish for the brassware contrasted with a gloss basin, highlight the jewel-like quality of an elegant tap by selecting a textured handle, or choose a fluted finish for a vanity unit and echo it in a glass shower door. Fluted and ribbed finishes feel good to touch, add interest and soften the straight lines of a vanity unit. Ribbed or fluted glass provides privacy in a shower enclosure while allowing light to shine through, and disguises limescale, too. On ceramic and solid surface baths and basins, gloss finishes help to bounce light around the room, while matt can offer a softer look. Textured floor tiles are less slippery – an important practical consideration. You may prefer to create a consistent look with matching textures across the room, mix and match for a layered look and relaxed feel, or select a stand-out piece, such as a freestanding bath in an unusual finish, as a stylish focal point.

THE SHAPE: CURVES

It's all about rounded forms, which are space enhancing and soften any design.

Curved shapes can transform a bathroom, adding softness to a space notorious for its hard surfaces. Too many strict lines and sharp angles are not conducive to relaxing, nor are they likely to be as easy to live with as contours that can improve the room's sense of flow. Reminiscent of organic forms - a smooth pebble, the bloom of a flower or a full moon - the latest fittings are designed to bring a sense of nature into the bathroom. For maximum impact, the best way to introduce rounded shapes is to use them for the two key focal points - the basin vanity area and the bath. If that's not an option, then curved accessories, from wall lights to mirrors, can soften the scheme. Think beyond the fittings to the architecture, too. Arches above doors and wall recesses and curved walls wrapping around showering spaces are increasingly popular, not least because seamless surfaces, unbroken by angles and lines, boost the sense of space. To accentuate the curve of a washbowl, wall-hung basin or basin vanity unit, consider an eye-catching colour, pattern or texture. This is an organic style that lends itself to a looser feel. Try mixing finishes to create a warmer, more relaxed space than one where everything must strictly match. Round baths are typically 1,400-1,800mm in diameter, so suit larger rooms. A back-to-wall rounded design, oval option or rectangular bath with softly curved edges may be better for a compact room. Use a seamless water-resistant material, such as polished plaster, microcement or resin surface, to highlight the smooth shape of a contoured wall, ceiling or arch. Mosaic tiles come on mesh sheets, allowing them to be moulded around a recessed shelf with an arched top in a shower or wrapped around a curved wall for a striking result.

LEADING TRENDS THE FOCUS: SHOWERING

The spotlight is on maximising the therapeutic benefits of water.

The move towards showers that offer a personalised experience provides an even greater opportunity to develop your bathroom as a sensual retreat. As manufacturers have invested in shower technology, they are giving us more potential to enjoy the benefits of hydrotherapy at home. You could choose a sport - style directional shower head designed to deliver an invigorating experience and help relieve muscle pain, or a plate-style head with water that falls like soft rain to drench the skin and relax the mind. Waterfall and laminar (hose) streams, strong massage jets and splash-free ultra-fine sprays can all be used to enhance your enjoyment of water. An increasing number of shower heads offer more than one type of spray, so that you can switch between options according to the way you and your partner or family members like to shower. For optimum performance, choose a shower compatible with your system: generally, the higher the water pressure, the better the shower performance. Most people like to fit a hand shower as well as an overhead option, to be able shower without wetting your hair, or to fit a hand shower on an adjustable riser to offer both. Buy from a quality manufacturer to achieve an even spray across the head. Luxury shower panels can measure 1,000-1,200mm in length, and need high water pressure to operate effectively.