This year, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) has partnered with HGTV to conduct a survey of the top bathroom trends for 2016. Participants were encouraged to vote on their favorite bathroom styles and features, and our Maryland bathroom remodeling experts are here to recap the winners for you!
Curbless Showers
Curbless (aka no-thershold) showers use gravity to let the water drain in a mess-free way. These showers are often paired with clear glass doors or can be made doorless if you have enough room. While looking trendy and stylish, a curbless shower is also a key element in the aging in place design. Just add a comfortable bench and you will be able to use this shower for years to come, even when you are older. Curbless showers can easily accommodate people using walkers, wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
Floating Vanities
Floating vanities, as you might have guessed from the name, don’t sit on the floor and instead are attached to the wall. This installation method helps create the illusion of floating, as well as the illusion of more space. The flooring is extended underneath the vanity, which can make your bathroom look even bigger. Depending on how much storage room you need, you could float a vanity a few inches or a foot off the floor. And by using the same color or material as the wall behind it, you can make your vanity look like it’s an extension of the wall. There are many things you can do with a floating vanity in terms of design and style!
Undermount Sinks
Undermount sinks are popular both in kitchens and bathrooms. Many people like the clean lines and elegant look of these sinks. But there is also a space-saving benefit, especially on a bathroom countertop where every inch counts. Cleaning a counter with an undermount sink is also much easier, because you don’t have those seams around the sink where dirt and bacteria tend to collect. Upgrading an existing vanity from overmount to undermount sink can be tricky and not always possible, so it’s often a better approach to go with the whole new vanity.
Shower Lighting
Long gone are the days when bathrooms only had one lighting fixture. Modern bathrooms combine several light sources to create the desired ambiance. Most people focus on illuminating the task area around the mirror and vanity, but let’s not forget that shower could use some light too, especially in a windowless bathroom. Lighting in the shower can be installed in the floor, walls or recessed in the ceiling. It is typically not there as much to help you see things, but rather to create the right mood and atmosphere.
Freestanding Bathtubs
Freestanding bathtubs are making a big comeback. If you enjoy soaking in a tub and have enough space in your bathroom, a freestanding tub is the way to go. It doesn’t have to be a vintage claw-foot bathtub—there are plenty of modern, slick designs that can fit any bathroom.
Thinking about implementing any of these trends in your own bathroom? Feel free to contact Bath Doctor for a free estimate! We help homeowners transform their bathrooms, working with you on every step of the way from design to remodeling.