Bathroom Trends

Water-Saving Solutions While the multi-spray shower is the ultimate in shower luxury, it is not the best choice if water conservation is your goal. "More and more, the new shower The Moen Nurture Showerhead. Photo courtesy of Moen, Inc. products have low-flow heads on them, so you’re still getting what feels like a lot of water at fewer gallons per minute,” Karas says. The Moen Nurture three-setting showerhead flows at 1.75 gallons per minute, which is less than the industry standard 2.5 gallons and with a 30 percent water savings. Its spiral-patterned spray face ensures full-body coverage. Delta relies on H20kinetic technology to make a low-flow showerhead feel like much more. H20kinetic, found on many of its showerheads, uses larger droplets of water, which retain heat longer, and a dense spray pattern for “drenching coverage.” The technology is found on its six-spray shower system, meaning you can get the spa shower while using less water. Toilet water conservation has come far from the days when homeowners were advised to put a brick in the reservoir to use less water with each flush. Dual flush, which has been used around the world for decades, is finally coming mainstream in the U.S. The Gerber Ultra Dual Flush gives users the options of two different kinds of flushes: the 1.1 gallon option is for light or liquid usage, and the 1.6 gallon flush is for solid waste. “When you consider that we’ve went from 3 gallons, which used to be the standard, to 1.6, that’s a good savings,” Karas says. Design Trends Sustainability and green building, which was once touted as a “new” design choice, has thoroughly infiltrated bathroom design. Dupont Zodiaq countertops, for example, are made from 25 percent recycled glass. The Wintergreen model features glass three-dimensionally suspended in light green quartz. For combining eco-friendly solutions with outstanding design, consider a vanity made from Kirei Board. This conversation piece is made from a wood substitute of reclaimed sorghum straw and no-added-formaldehyde adhesive. It’s available for cabinetry and countertops. Kirei also manufactures a line of tile made from reclaimed coconut shells as well as bamboo light fixtures. The Metaltec Three-Starfish Tile. Photo courtesy of Metaltec Innovations. Metallic design schemes are also popular with bath designers today. Metallic tiles add high-end shine to a bathroom, but they can be pricey. To get the effect without breaking the bank, add a few signature pieces into your tile work, Karas says. Metaltec Innovations offers 6 x 6 3D textured metal tiles featuring designs such as starfish and conch. If you have your own artistic vision, the company can turn your design into a custom tile. Newly popular metals have also found their way to the once-lowly bathroom sink. Linkasink’s Pantheon sink, made of bronze, is reminiscent of the geometric pattern found on the Pantheon in Rome. Other designs include botanical, wing and brocade. Using black and white as a color scheme is a popular trend in kitchens now being extended to the bath. The Kaldewei Luxxo Duo Oval bathtub is 75 inches long, 39 inches wide with a slick, shiny black surface. Dupont Zodiaq Terra Collection features “Licorice,” a black solid surface made from 25 percent recycled glass in a black quartz base, which is available in either a two- or three- centimeter thickness and it can be used for vanities, countertops or as a backsplash. Small-Space Design The Danze Cirtangular-Brulee 24-inch Vanity and Mirror. Photo courtesy of Danze, Inc. If you live in an older home, odds are you won’t have room for a 75-inch bathtub. But there are other ways you can make a statement in the bathroom. Danze now features a line of 24-inch compact vanities that comes with a matching cabinet and mirror. The Cirtangular collection takes the standard rectangular vanity and rounds out the edges, giving a softer look and adding more space in your bathroom. Many bathroom designs are determined by toilet placement, which can limit your options. But the Titan PRO Toilet by American Standard is the only unit that can be installed in a corner. Because homeowners are more budget-conscious when redesigning their baths these days, Karas says, he recommends working within the footprint of your current bathroom instead of knocking down walls or moving plumbing around. The money you save by keeping labor costs down can enable you to spend a little more money on the elements you’ll see and use every day.

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