Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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Product Trend Report By Elizabeth Richards Showers are trending toward cleaner, more streamlined designs with fewer bells and whistles, while water-saving features and custom looks remain hot. S implicity is in when it comes to showers and tubs, with a move toward fewer body sprays and optional features, clean lines and a roomier feel through creative design. Products that are easy to install and maintain, tub-to-shower conversions and freestanding tubs are on the rise, say manufacturers recently surveyed by Kitchen & Bath Design News. "There is defnitely a trend toward a feel of 'less is more.' A dedicated showerhead, either wall or ceiling mounted, is the preferred function," says Lou Rohl, CEO/managing partner of ROHL, based in Irvine, CA. Another common feature, he says, is a diverter to a handspray, either wall mounted or on a slide bar, particularly in a master bath. Body sprays and rain bars are losing status, he adds. "The shift to a dual function showerhead/handshower from three or more function options has become prevalent in recent years," he adds. "I always have requests to make the bathroom look and feel like a spa," says Travis Rotelli, senior interior designer at Kohler Co. in Kohler, WI. "That typically leads to a clean, simple design that isn't too busy. People want to wake up in the morning and come home after a long day of work and be put at ease when taking a shower or preparing for the day." Products that ofer a good value, and are easy to install and maintain are also popular, say manufacturers. "Customers, especially through the recession, were looking for less expensive, less painful ways to remodel the bathroom," says Dean Hartley, sales director for Design Imaging, LLC in Orem, UT, which manufactures Sentrel, a composite material that uses digital imagery to replicate the look of natural granite, marble and travertine in the shower, tub and wet wall areas – without the higher maintenance of natural stone. SHOWER SHIFT Many manufacturers say they are seeing a move away from tub/shower combinations and toward either a shower only or, if space allows, a shower with separate freestanding tub. Dave Wilson, director of marketing at Bathwraps by Liners Direct in Roselle, IL, says the frm's business has shifted from bathtubs and liners to aging-in-place products in the past fve years. "People have really turned away from tubs and liners because most people do not spend time taking baths," he says. Stacy Zar, director of marketing and new product development for Aquatic in Anaheim, CA, agrees that time constraints are a factor when people are deciding to replace a tub/shower combination with a shower only. "They're saying 'I just want to get in and get out and get on with my day,'" she says. Hartley explains, "The idea of a bathtub is not what it used to be." These days, he says, people are looking for a larger shower that is easy to clean and easy to step in and out of. In the master bath, says Rohl, a separate shower and freestanding tub are Jason International is expanding its collection of freestanding baths with the addition of six new one-piece, seamless models. With sizes from 5-1/2' and 6' in length and available in oval and rectangular shapes, the seamless freestanding models come with a choice of Soaking, MicroSilk or AirMasseur hydrotherapies. Circle No. 157 on Product Card Kallista's new Vir Stil Shower Column adapts to its environment by integrating the valve into the shower column versus behind the wall, eliminating the need for renovations. The integrated handshower bracket eliminates the need for an additional wall bracket for a clean silhouette. The raindome features airinduction technology for air-infused droplets Circle No. 155 on Product Card The fully customizable, smart Luxury Shower System (LSS) from Watermark Designs ofers a personalized shower experience with a full-color digital touch screen, fush-mounted screen with thin 1/8" frame, thermostatic valve that controls up to three shower outlets and four programmable preset shower scenarios. The LSS helps conserve water and energy, and also tracks water usage through a Green Statistics function. Circle No. 156 on Product Card 50 | Kitchen & Bath Design News September 2013 Bathwraps by Liners Direct has released a barrier-free replacement shower pan, SR-BF32C-AW. The center drain replacement pan measures 32"x60" and allows barrier-free access for customers without the need for a 12" ramp extending into the bathroom. The pan features a solid, three-wall fange and includes a rubber threshold. Available colors include: Alabaster White, Platinum Grey, Quarry Topaz and Sandshell Beige colors. Circle No. 158 on Product Card This customized, two-person shower system from Newport Brass features a variety of products in an Oil Rubbed Bronze fnish. Special features include wall-mounted slidebar handshowers, three styles of adjustable body sprays, a rainfall showerhead and shower trim sets from the Victoria Collection. Circle No. 159 on Product Card The cast iron 42"x42" Panorama Shower Pan from Strom Plumbing by Sign of the Crab sits on ball and claw legs. The unit is combined with an exposed Thermostatic Shower Unit and handheld shower for a vintage look with modern technology. Circle No. 160 on Product Card