Kitchen & Bath Design News

MAR 2015

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32 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | March 2015 VANITIES TRANSFORMED One relatively new trend several de- signers mentioned is a transformation in vanities, with foating vanities and taller heights being more requested as well as furniture-look styles, orga- nizational accessories, lots of drawers and mirrored doors. "People don't want to bend over," says Eversoll. "We're doing vanities as tall as 36", even for relatively short clients." The furniture look, which has been extremely popular in kitchens in re- cent years, is now making its way into the bathroom. "The bathroom hasn't always been an area where people would look for furniture-style cabine- try," says Jill Frey, of Jill Frey Kitchen Design, in Charleston, SC. "But people view their master suite as a sanctuary, an area where they go to unwind at the end of a busy day, or to start a new one." "We are doing a lot of furniture- style vanities, even for standard-size baths," adds Weiss. "People want a bit of 'wow' and they can infuse some of their personality into the space with furniture-style vanities, which are no longer cost prohibitive." As a complement to these vanities, many designers are adding amenities such as outlets and organized storage. "We're doing a lot of outlets in drawers for hair dryers and other electric items for people who want to keep them plugged in but don't want them on the counter," says Firebaugh. "We're also adding outlets to medicine cabinets for toothbrushes and skin- care brushes." Specialized linen and towel storage is trending for Frey's clients. "I'm also seeing pull-out shelving and a lot of drawers," she says. Both Firebaugh and Molly Wilson of Design Savvy, in Martinez, CA, have be- gun adding mirror, including antiqued mirror, to cabinet doors. "It's nice to create a unique design style," says Wilson. "A lot of it is done with patterns and designs put into the tile, for example subway tile set in a herringbone pattern that changes the overall look. You can use something that is on trend, yet give it a unique feel. Another example is taking painted cabi - nets and adding mirrors for a bit of fair." Trending accessories associated with vanities include vessel sinks, which are popular with many design- ers, including Weiss. "They aren't only high end anymore," she says. Rectangular sink shapes are also outpacing those that are round or oval. "It matches the tile," says Shields. "It's rare anymore that I do round or oval sinks." Perrin more frequently accents his vanities with chrome fxtures, which he estimates account for about 40% of all fxtures. "It sparkles and shines, and its price is a bit less than other fnishes," he says. "Our clients also like the classic look. Some homes we work on date back to 1910 and 1920, and these homeowners want something that feels original, yet is modern." LARGE, WALK-IN SHOWERS Large showers are also still "in." An increasingly larger number of them will be walk-ins with a zero thresh- old entrance and linear drain, giving greater fexibility to use those larger tiles everyone wants as well as mak- ing them a great choice for clients looking to age in place. "We do curbless showers even in small baths," says Perrin, who adds that some also won't have doors. "If the area outside the shower gets wet, the water just rolls back toward the drain. Younger clients are even showing interest in them because they see how nice they are for their parents." Today's showers also have as much glass as possible. "Frameless glass opens up the whole bath, making it feel much larger," says Wilson. "It also shows of the tile design, highlighting its beauty, carrying it through the bath and tying it in with the foor and the countertop." Trending amenities often added to the shower include 'shower pipes' for Eversoll's clients, which give her the ability to include a rain showerhead and a hand shower. "It's more deco- rative," she says. "It's also easier to retroft because you don't need valves and diverters." Shields often adds very large niches for storing shampoo, etc. "We match the lines of how the tile is set," she explains. "It's on the same grid, rather than being arbitrary. It's unin- terrupted and clean, complementing the tile's rectangular format." For Frey, steam is becoming a more popular request. Gray, gray, gray. Molly Wilson's clients are all trending toward gray, accented with Calcutta and Carrara marble that carries the gray theme throughout the bath. "Ten years ago, colors were in the taupe family with tumbled marbles. That look has become passé and people have moved on." Mirrored doors add a bit of sparkle and bling while giving on-trend painted cabinetry a unique look. Wilson also often includes freestanding tubs, chandeliers and frameless glass in the shower, which opens up the bath and shows of the tile design in the shower. Aesthetically, Jill Frey's clients are looking for furniture-style details that provide a way to refect their personality. Sconces, framed mirrors, steam showers and towel warmers are also trending. "Master baths are certainly getting more luxurious. My clients are not afraid to spend and make an investment in their baths." Photo: Indivar Sivanathan Photography Photo: Photography by William Quarles Spring Bath Remodeling Report

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