Bathrooms are not merely functional spaces. Of course, they have an incredibly important purpose to serve, but when a design moves beyond the basic requirements, what are the other desirable aesthetics and experiences to fall out?

For hotel bathrooms, in particular, it’s all about creating an environment of respite. But just how is design elevating the wellness experience in bathrooms?

Finding luxury in any sized space

Space is a luxury, particularly in a hotel. But if it’s relaxation and luxury you’re going for, there needs to be space for all the required amenities. Gessi’s Architectural Wellness blends lighting with a waterfall style showerhead that weaves its way around the room. 

Gessi’s Architectural Wellness rain showers with integrated lighting.

Integration

For Geberit, an exhibition titled ROOMS designed by Sergio Brioschi at Palazzo Kiton explores how bathrooms might integrate with technology in the future. Through graphic repetition, the space is divided up and showcases the bathroom rather than hiding it away.

Design has elevated the everyday into something special. Much like we’ve seen the integration of kitchens into living spaces at the EuroCucina, integrated bathroom hotels may just be the next area for designers to explore.

Surfaces

Materiality is a mainstay of the designer’s toolkit. And the new surfaces seen at EuroBagno are pushing materiality further.

Terrazzo, which has been popular on the specification list for some time now, is of course not going anywhere, anytime soon, but it is also starting to grow up a little. Neolith‘s Retrostone is an example of this, where the big-grain effect seen in Terrazzo is toned down through the perfected technique of Venetian stonemasons.

Retrostone is a softer update to Terrazzo-style finishes, despite the fact it uses an old technique.

Meanwhile, Corian is breaking new ground with innovations in surfaces, including a ‘foodgrammar’ plate by MOOW.

Tiles are also a key component in the designer’s material palette and the EuroBagno has plenty to showcase in this department. Not strictly a new release as it came out in 2017, is Formfantasma’s Cromatica large-scale sheet tiles for Florim, which have an option an for ombre effect. 

The ombre effect on Formafantasma’s tiles for Florim.

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