Hot New Trends in Bathroom Design

This past week we had the privilege of attending the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.  It was great to see the hot new trends in plumbing, tile and cabinetry.  We saw everything from 3D tiles from Ann Sacks, to amazing new quartz products from Cambria.

One trend that we noticed repeatedly was the addition of an LED light bar in bathroom vanities.  Aside from its cool appearance, this is also a functional element, acting like a night light for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom.  In the past, this would have been hard to do as traditional light sources can be large or get very hot, creating a fire hazard.  Now with the new LED lighting technology, the components are small and the diodes emit almost no heat, allowing the electrical components to be buried.  This eliminates that danger of being near water as well as they are able to remain completely separate.

Check out the cool ways they are incorporating lights into vanities below.

A Private Throne

I have spent the last couple weeks comparing ancient man to modern man and referencing my trip to see the remains of the ancient world.  I have spoken about how we use many of the same products and design principals today as our ancestors did in ancient times.  One place where this is not so true... the bathroom. While there were certainly private baths in the ancient world, many in the Roman empire (which incidentally was way ahead of other civilizations) used public bathrooms which usually required payed admission and were just that- public.  At Ephesus, I saw an area that had lines of squat toilets carved into a long stone bench with an ancient form of plumbing underneath- basically a big public port-o-potty!

We have come a long way since then, and even in the last few years.  Manufacturers are now making toilets at seat height to make it more comfortable to sit on, are paying attention to the shape of the seat and are using air and water pressure to ensure everything stays clean and fresh.  Due to the recent water conservation legislation put into effect, manufacturers are being challenged to create toilets with maximum flush impact using less and less water and energy.  One very cool piece of technology is the dual flush toilet.  These toilets first showed up in public restrooms a few years ago but have been streamlined and made more attractive and appealing to a residential clientele.  It has two flush settings based on what you are flushing, and uses less water and energy when less is required.

Although we have learned so much from our ancient counterparts, I am delighted this is one area where we continued to evolve and can't wait to see what the future holds.

Bath Design Product: Whist Glass Sink by Kohler

Kohler recently revealed its new Whist Glass Sink. Featuring serene colors and a concentric line pattern reminiscent of waves, this sink would be perfect not only for a spa-inspired bathroom, but in any bathroom where you want to add a touch of glamour and affordable luxury.

Aside from their aesthetic value, these sinks provide several wonderful features:

• Painted back color conceals personal items within the vanity
• Durable and easy to clean allowing for ease of care
• Works well with most faucet styles and standard sizing fits most vanities
• Available in 3 colorways; Dusk (a blue gray), Dew (a blue green) and Doe (a warm gray) or in an unpainted clear glass option
• Affordable luxury ranging from $231-$301

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Shown in the Doe and Dusk Colors

Kohler Thought Outside the Box with Toobi

At Deb Reinhart Interior Design Group we love giving you interior decorating tips & great products from the industry. A new twist in interior decorating is Kohler's Toobi faucet.  Who knew the inside of a pipe could be an opportunity to set a product apart from millions of other faucets?

Kohler’s Toobi new sleek contemporary faucet features lime green casing in the water portion of the faucet.

When you consider remodeling your bathroom, consider the INSIDE of your pluming!  The brightly colored interchangeable spout liners than can be easily swapped out to personalize your space.

This exciting product line includes options for:

• Lavatory Faucet
• Shower Head
• Tub Filler

Subtle, this small color spot is like a warm hello in the AM when waking up to start the day or a gentle good night to retire.

It is fun, it is unexpected, it proves the color theory can brighten any area-in any circumstances.

Kitchen and Bath Remodeling - Bigger Does not Have to be Better

This vanity which includes a sink, faucet and countertop is high style-very compact solution for the smallest of  bathrooms.  

In the rehabbing of our clients homes, we often utilize odd areas for powder rooms. Converting a small space under stair wells, carving out a bathroom from a closet, or creating a powder room from a former mud room is often challenging space planning for the fixtures. Once the plumbing issues are solved [waste stack and water] ,this vanity would make a design statement which is unique as it is functional. Parietal is a sink-faucet and towel rack in a mere 17" x 10"“ size.

Color pops each model red, blue,  lime, yellow, black and white.

Easy maintenance-high style and terrific impact for the compact remodeling of a small powder room, this item is a winner for decorating.