Ask Veronica: What trends do you see in bathroom design?

To make the most of your bathroom, skip the neutrals.

“My favorite movement right now is color,” says Erin Sweeney, senior designer at Crescent Plumbing Supply Showroom. After more than a decade of designing in tones of gray, beige, and white, she says homeowners are rethinking their love affair with muted tones. The color green, she adds, is the most popular choice among home enthusiasts, with blues and pinks trailing not far behind. “Cool grays are gone,” says Christine Paul, a design consultant at Glen Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath “[The look] is much warmer now.”  

Photography by Grace Schnapp

Photography by Grace Schnapp

Swathing the walls in a favorite hue is one way to bring color into a space, but what about adding it to the faucet or bathtub? JACLO’s 14 color finishes, from red to plum, make it easy to do. And the “Lussari” model from Victoria + Albert can be custom designed using various colors, as seen in the image above, as well as on display at the Crescent showroom in University City. Beyond color, steam, aromatherapy, and chromatherapy are gaining in popularity, bringing heat, scent, and gently colored light, respectively, via the shower head. The goal for clients, Sweeney notes, is to “bring luxury back into the shower.” Kohler’s Invigoration series elevates the experience with devices for steam that are easy to install, available in a variety of finishes, and sold with inserts of essential oils that fill the shower with the desired aroma. Designer Caroline Kerckhoff of Stone Hall Cabinetry has seen steam showers really take off, but reminds clients that to achieve the “zen effect,” the shower walls must be completely enclosed using custom-made glass. 

Photography by Grace Schnapp

Photography by Grace Schnapp

High-end details, such as reeded, profiled, or sculpted edges, create a beautiful layered effect in the bathroom. The uptick in a desire for texture, says Kerckhoff, can be partly credited to the growing skills of stone fabricators and craftsmen. “They’ve gotten better and better so we’re seeing very intricate designs,” she says. But be mindful to not overdo it. If walls or the tub are already a focal point, experts suggest going with a natural wood for the vanity. “Rift-sawn, white oak is very popular,” says Paul. “A more cost-effective way to create the same effect is going with Alder wood, which can be stained lighter.”

Paul says clients are also inquiring about integrated sinks, which create a continuous look by matching the material of the sink with the countertop, as commonly seen when marble is specified for a space. This particular style, adds the designer, eliminates the need for an additional topical piece, as well as additional plumbing and wiring. 

With homeowners choosing to stay in their homes longer than planned, says Sweeney, the investment of an aesthetically and emotionally exciting experience in the bathroom is one that will last for years to come.