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Designer���s Notebook Contrasting layers of thin and thick, bent or warped and pulled or stretched formats create dramatic landscapes for light to play with across qoors, walls or other important surfaces. An interesting design trend is that 30- to 40-yearold households seem comfortable with man-made materials that are inspired by nature���s elegance ��� far more so than their older counterparts. They appreciate the beauty of pattern, texture and variety created by digitized designs. They also do not feel bound to keep the products they select for a long time: If it is portable, they know they can sell it on eBay if they grow tired of it. If it is a permanent installation and a new innovation catches their eye, they expect to be able to simply resurface over the old. Combining this younger consumers��� acceptance of man-made materials with immense changes in how ceramic materials are pnished Photos: Courtesy of David Wilkes Builders, Austin, TX; www.davidwilkesbuilders.com. Photo: Paul Bardagjy. ��� These vessel sinks are carefully matched to appropriate faucets. Note the frameless recessed lights in the ceiling: an elegant installation that requires excellence in the craftsmanship of the drywall installation. ��� A heated towel bar just outside an open shower is elegantly styled and ergonomically correct with a comfortable bench within the enclosure. Note the simple pane of glass. ��� Shown is a closeup view of the custom bathtub pller created for this Asian-inspired room. o���ers us a palette of a���ordable and durable ceramic products that are excellent alternatives to natural stone. Additionally, oversized ���everything��� seems to be popular ��� even in small bathrooms! Large light pxtures with fabric shades, large monolithic tall cabinet doors, large patterned wall coverings and large-format (yet thin) ceramic tiles are all hot right now. Such surfacing innovation requires the design professional to redepne the term ���authentic��� ��� it is no longer a concept or term reserved only for natural materials; authentic can refer to an exceptional man-made product. New laminates and better substrates mean that our cabinet faces may be something other than a pne natural veneer. 28 | Kitchen & Bath Design News February 2013 Learn about new reconstituted or textured wood grain laminate panels for cabinet fronts. Realize that wallpaper (it is not paper any longer, in many cases!) can be a viable wall surface in a bathroom. Larger patterns, more color, more texture ��� perhaps a glint of glimmer or metallic accents ��� are popular in many surfaces appropriate for spalike master bathrooms. SAFETY & COMFORT Another hot trend is that safety and comfort are no longer unglamorous concepts. The best products are becoming safer to use, intuitive to man- age, easy to clean and more attractive to look at. Indeed, technology that enhances the comfort, safety and cleanliness of the space is highly valued by today���s ���risk-adverse��� consumers. There are ventilation systems on the market that o���er humidity-sensing operational advantages, and ventilation systems that are part of a light pxture or can be part of a whole-house ventilation system. Also available are ventilation systems that have a motion sensor with a delayed timer that activates the fan when a person enters the bathroom, and automatically shuts off the fan 20 minutes after the occupant has left. The built-in humidity sensor overrides the delayed timer until humidity returns to preset levels. For example, the BroanNuTone EnergyStar-qualiped humidity sensing recessed fan/light is a recessed light with a quiet, concealed fan in a SensAire technology, which is a humidity sensor that automatically turns on when moisture is detected. There are also more options for shower curbs, benches and doors. One great idea that has found its way to the U.S. is the shower screen in place of a sliding or swinging door. There continues to be a steady stream of artful and practical problem-solving bathroom products and materials, and designers must keep a lookout for new and different ideas that make sense. A good way to embark on such a ���what���s new��� investigation is to set aside a specipc time period weekly to visit the Web sites of manufacturers represented by the prm, as well as a bit of time to search generic product categories. Perhaps it���s an outlet that also has a USB port���LED lights with a warm, candlelike glow���a shower door that disappears into the wall, or shower controls accessible from both inside and outside the shower. By staying abreast of the latest bath innovations, you will have more design options for creating functional bathrooms that provide an equally wonderful bathing experience. Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS is a well-known author, designer, speaker and marketing specialist. A member of the NKBA Hall of Fame, Cheever gained prominence in the industry early on as the author of two design education textbooks. She manages an award-winning design prm, Ellen Cheever & Associates, and has been part of the management team of several major cabinet companies.