Bathrooms with spa features have been trending for years. It's a given that homeowners want their homes to be a relaxing retreat, but the Virginian-Pilot takes a look at a few design ideas that can help elevate a bathroom beyond a spa. Do you agree with the Pilot's list of trendy bathroom elements?
Floating Vanities
Floating vanities instantly signal a modern sensibility. Typically, these vanities have clean, angular lines, but there is nothing to say that you couldn’t choose a more traditional style. One of the nicest contributions made by this style of vanity is the appearance of more openness and spaciousness.
Matte Black
For many years now, chrome and brushed nickel fixtures have been favored. But, in very recent years, homeowners have begun choosing brass and oiled bronze for a more “heritage” appeal. The newest trend that seems to have some staying power is matte black.
Not only is matte black a striking choice for fixtures, but for shower walls. If you’ve ever watched the wildly popular HGTV program “Fixer Upper,” you have seen how Chip and Joanna Gaines popularized windows with matte black metal mullions, usually with large panes of glass between. That look is now available for shower walls.
Graphic Floor Tile
Bathrooms tend to be monochromatic to keep the vibe calming and the feeling open. If you’ve watched another popular HGTV program, “Flip or Flop,” you'll see that Tarek and Christina have popularized a monochromatic bathroom, but with a pop of bold graphic pattern on the floor. By choosing tile in that same neutral palette, the bathroom still has a cohesive, relaxing feel, but with a little more sizzle. This monochromatic graphic approach is also suitable for an accent wall, including, say, the back wall of a glass shower.
Wood
With all of their stone, tile, porcelain, metal and mirrored surfaces, bathrooms can possess a look that is both cold and hard. By injecting some wood into the space, you will soften the appearance with an organic richness. Wood tones are beautifully complementary to today’s preference for white and gray bathroom palettes because the warmth of the wood plays off the cool undertones of the gray.
