Water Expression

The bath is one place in the home that is intended as a private space, so it¡¯s no surprise that personalization of this space remains a
powerful trend. This is particularly evident in today¡¯s growing array of bath sink, lav and faucet choices, which span the gamut of styles to ensure there¡¯s something for everyone ¨C including plenty of options that allow consumers to create a truly unique bath.

But what¡¯s truly exciting about today¡¯s bath sinks and faucets is that they no longer just focus on function and fashion, but also on the play of water itself as a living and ever-changing design element that truly creates a sense of ¡°art¡± in the bath.

That translates into the entire bath environment, where designers are striving to create a luxurious feeling that provides a sense of fulfillment beyond just the basic aesthetics. ¡°[Bath design] is about the experience and bringing the senses into play. [As a result], the lav environment is being designed to set a mood, one of escape or indulgence, providing a good feeling and a sense of wanting to be within this atmosphere,¡± says Judd Lord, director of Industrial Design for Delta Faucet Co. in Indianapolis, IN.

Noah Taft, v.p./marketing and sales for California Faucets in Huntington Beach, CA, agrees: ¡°Designers and bath dealers are increasingly looking for ways to create their own unique visions,¡± he says, noting that the bath faucet is a wonderful place to realize this personalized vision (see related story, Page 87). But while the high end often demands a highly personalized look, some manufacturers are seeing a counter trend due to the ongoing social pressures to ¡°keep up with the Joneses.¡±

In fact, Jeffrey Valles, the Oak Brook, IL marketing manager, faucets, for Burbank, CA-based Phylrich International, an Elkay Co., feels that in some quarters, bath design today is actually lacking in individual style due to ¡°everyone trying to be everyone else. And,¡± he adds, ¡°if something gets hot, everyone copies it.¡± He further points out that, ¡°What¡¯s happened over the past few years is that style has gone out of the bath completely. People are spending more money and making less of a statement.¡±

While this has been a concern for some, most of the manufacturers and designers surveyed by Kitchen & Bath Design News believe good design will prevail, as increasing options for personalization encourage consumers to try to find their own unique look.

Lord believes that ¡°many [consumers] continue to define their perfect ¡®escapes¡¯ using various components from several trends. Eclecticism is really about the ability to personalize your space, and, to this end, you¡¯ll often times find modern spaces with more traditional types of finishes and objects, and vice versa.¡±

Sinks with Style

An interesting sink design is a great place to begin creating the ¡°bath as haven¡± environment, manufacturers note. ¡°Consumers want something one-of-a-kind, a distinct individual work of art with shapes and textures that appear nearly organic,¡± says Joe Thompson, owner of Bear Creek Glass, Inc. in Birmingham, AL At the same time, simplicity seems to be the current trend. ¡°Most consumers want simplicity ¨C clean geometric lines work well in both traditional and modern decors,¡± says Thompson.

Julie Wawirka, owner of Wawirka in Portland, OR agrees. ¡°What I love now are simple shapes with authentic surfaces.¡±

She adds: ¡°I really like the stillness that is created in the viewer by fundamental simple shapes ¨C circles, squares ¨C using minimalist means to convey a sense of serenity and peace.¡±