Kitchen & Bath Design News

MAY 2014

Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.

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24 | Kitchen & Bath Design News May 2014 for guests. "At the Keating, we think of every- thing as an experience," shares Vivas. Homeowners want their master baths to have that same "experience" efect, so that they feel like they're on vacation when they use them. Fixtures such as rain showers and separate hand-sets, mood lighting and jetted tubs with chromatherapy – as the Keating and other boutique hotels ofer – contribute to that efect. The challenge today, for both hos- pitality and residential designers, is to blend the excitement with energy and water savings. The air-injected showerheads and dimmable LEDs con- tribute to the spa experience without hogging resources. Low maintenance and durability are also crucial in the hospitality sector, and increasingly in mainstream resi- dential projects. This has led to the growth of wood- and stone-look por- celain tiles that have become mainstays in both sectors. Stylish resin compo- nents will likely overtake wood and granite vanities, too. DESIGN TRANSLATIONS Those designers who work in both hospitality and residential sectors are seeing (and facilitating) these trend crossovers frst. This is especially true of those who work at the high end of the market and across national borders. Laura Bielicki, B.I.D., LEED AP, senior designer at Godwin Austen Johnson in Dubai, is one of those professionals. "Many of our clients have stayed at some of the world's top hotels and expect nothing less in their homes. We often hear them referring to the Armani hotels, as well as various global destinations, for inspiration," she notes. The trends she has seen cross over from hospitality to high-end residen- tial include digital entertainment and chromatherapy, as well as bathrooms open to bedrooms. As far as fnishes, Bielicki shares, "Nickel, stainless, matte black/white, brass and bronze fnishes have been popular across hospitality and residential sectors, with the occa- sional gold-plated project." NEXT TRENDS Some of the recent innovations Bielicki has spotted for both hotel and resi- dential projects include Laufen's slim porcelain fxtures, Brizo's touchless faucets, Mr. Steam's digital shower- ing, Gessi's clean-lined fixture and faucet shapes and Roca's tankless wall-hung toilets. "Antimicrobial ceramic tiles have be- come very popular for many markets," the designer adds. These tiles were on display at both Cevisama in Spain and Cersaie in Italy for large-scale projects, and will likely flter down into the U.S. residential sector, as well. "Wellness toilets (which make sounds, wash the user, light up and seem to entertain users), have not taken full grasp of the market here (or throughout North America). However, our Asian counterparts cannot stop talking about them. We are interested to see if they make a big step into the [Gulf States/Mideast] market and if it will only be in the residential, or also the hospitality sector," she shares. "High quality and functionality will always guarantee a return on invest- ment," adds hotel manager Vivas. That, too, can be said for residential, as well as hospitality, projects. While research- ing the latest innovations and trends for your clients, source those that will deliver lasting performance. That is the ultimate nod to sustainability. Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS is an indepen- dent designer in San Diego, the author of New Kitchen Ideas That Work (Taunton Press), and a blogger, design journalist, seminar developer and in- dustry consultant. Trend Spotting Circle No. 17 on Product Card 5 Chromatherapy tubs are popular boutique hotel amenities that also resonate on the residential front. 6 Luxe hotel showers ofer rain and hand-held showerheads that are well suited for the residential master bath. Photos: Keating Hotel KBD_22-25_TrendSpot.indd 24 4/15/14 1:36 PM

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