THE K&BZINE @ ISH
ISH
presents 'The Bathroom Experience'
All the latest trends in bathroom design can be seen at ISH - held in
Frankfurt am Main from 6 to 10 March 2007. 'The Bathroom Experience',
which presents a host of designs revolving around bathing, is comparable
only with the big furniture fairs in terms of the quality of ideas for
interior design. We feature inovations from Duravit, Hansa, Hansgrohe,
Gustavsberg, Kludi, Brandoni, BWT, Grohe, Vitrabad, Hoesch, Keramag,
Mastella, Neoqi, Ottone Meloda, Pressalit, Regia, Sicis, Samo, Teuco,
THG, Villeroy & Boch.
(L) Luxury Spa bath from Duravit; (R) Illuminated
Shower head from Hansa
Nowadays,
many people no longer obtain sensory satisfaction in a club, cinema
or swimming pool but prefer to stay home - in their integrally designed
bathroom, their private spa.
The private-spa concept brings together the expertise of the sector,
lifestyle, design and future-oriented architecture. Developed by the
sanitation sector, this model of an ambitious bathroom is in line with
the integral design popularised by premium hotels worldwide, in which
superior aesthetic qualities, sensuousness and comfort come together
to create a new room concept combining wellness and privacy.
Hansgrohe's
stand
In the home, there is a genuine need for the luxury of staying at a spa or in a hotel bathroom screened from the outside world, which amalgamates dwelling and regeneration. Wellness in the bathroom is more than 'just' a whirlpool or a shower panel. Although wellness is closely linked in the mind of the consumer with water, sanitation products are more complex than conventional wellness products, such as teas, aroma therapy and package travel arrangements.
(L-R)
Murano Tap from Hansa; Guest Toilet from Gustavsberg; Swarovski bathroom
from Kludi
Modern consumers are open to new concepts and sophisticated installation technology. And this has given the sanitation sector a creative boost. However, the result has not only been new types of products but also an interdisciplinary approach to include the bedroom, of course, and other parts of the home.
(L)
Solar Heating/Photovoltaic Panels from Brandoni; (R) Drinking Water
Filters from BWT
Thus, the plumber is no longer the last person to be involved in the
bathroom design, who simply installs the various products required,
e.g., wash basin, toilet and bathtub. On the contrary, the plumber should
be consulted first as a bathroom planner. A good overall concept can
only be achieved if all the disciplines concerned, i.e., sanitation
fittings, architecture, electrical installation and interior architecture,
work hand in hand. Today, design concepts represent the real achievement
of the industry and service providers.
(L-R):
Grohe RainSky; Hansgrohe Rainfall; Vitrabad Steambath
In
a variety of situations, i.e., where shower screens rise out of the
floor like transparent walls and the rains falls straight out of the
ceiling, where the floor tiles merge with no apparent break into the
shower tray and where bathtubs are embedded in platforms and wood panelling,
the choice of material, colours and haptic aspects are of paramount
importance.
The elementary qualities of water and the way it tingles on the skin
are the actual highlight where water flows from minimalist fittings
in the wall or the fittings appear to grow out of the washbasin. In
private spas, the design of the individual object, i.e., rectangular,
curved, linear severity or organic softness, becomes part of the overall
idea.
(L)
Hoesch Air System Whirlpool; (R) Keramag Mineral Shelf
The
fact that the emphasis is no longer so emphatically on design reflects
the skill and the sophisticated design concepts of many sanitation manufacturers.
The collections give consumers more and more freedom of choice and,
together with matching furniture modules, enable them to make their
own designs. Even bathtub panels and shower screens made of glass come
in a huge range of individually matched colour variations. Some manufacturers
even offer complete modules as architectonic units that can be placed
anywhere in the room.
(L)
Mastella Glass Basins; (R) Neoqi Infrared Tub
Others market their bathroom only as an obligatory package of sanitation products, fittings, lighting, shower screens and floor and wall designs. That, however, is the exception. Generally, the trend is towards elements that can be combined as required, which consumers can select from collections that, although the elements do not look the same, still match. Mediocrity is passé in modern bathroom design.
(L)
Ottone Meloda AS Retro Mixer; (R) Unusual Toilet Seats from Pressalit
Lighting is increasingly being integrated into bathroom planning and the products themselves. Given that light and water complement each other perfectly but are difficult to merge in technical terms, this requires special expertise; something that makes a positive contribution to the image of the sector.
(L)
Iceglass Chalice Stands from Regia; (R) Sicis Platinum bath
The sphere has long since moved on from mirror illumination and sophisticated programmes with atmospheric and random patterns of colour and colour temperatures. Light therapy and water lighting - especially in the bathtub and in the area of the fittings - contribute to the experiential character of the bathroom.
(L)
Samo Shower Temple; (R) Teuco Minipool
(L)
THG Luminescent Bath Tub; (R) New method of trap attachment from Villeroy
& Boch
LED
technology has generated significant impulses for the development of
products for effective light and water installations. Integrated into
the rain shower, for example, they make the water droplets glimmer in
different colours. Just like in real life - only better. Here, rain
from the ceiling is a pleasure - not outdoors but indoors, warm and
all colours of the rainbow. It is even possible to create a fine mist
at the touch of a button - and make it disappear again equally quickly.
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