How do you envision the bathroom of the future?With Minority Report-style touchscreen computers in lieu of shower curtains?With robot maids squirting measures of shower gel into your open palm?Instead of a bath,a hoverbath?
Well,those could all happen,yes.But until then we will have to collectively put up with sleek chrome,unisex-friendly bathroom areas and lots of misted glass,according to interior design guru Susan Quirke.
Susan is the head honcho at architectural and design agency Quirke and McNamara,so knows her bathroom onions.And according to Ms Quirke,high-tech bathroom trends are on the way in.
"Glass walls in bathrooms,especially where there is no natural light,and bathrooms as both a male and female space[are both set to be trends],"she says."Men want the wet room area and also their own sink space and women want a luxury bath space."
And the expert thinks savvy lighting-and the odd TV screen-could feature in bathrooms this year.
"Better lighting,as well as TVs in the bathroom,underfloor heating and demisters are essential,"she says,"as well as sound systems,[to create]a place to chill out."
With bathrooms serving as both a practical,masculine place to shave and apply deodorant and a more feminine,rose-petals-in-the-bath area,it's important your design-and your lighting-can accommodate all members of the family.
For that reason,fixing a dimmer switch to your bathroom ceiling spotlights could be just the thing-offering bright illumination for the practical,day-to-day tasks,while providing more romantic low lighting when you need to splosh about in a bath.
And shower lights could be an option,too:flush lights that take up little room but illuminate your shower area,they are perfect for bathrooms with small windows and little natural light.
