BATHROOM: LUXURY REDEFINED

Rising aspirations of consumers for having intelligent systems is not just limited to living room or bedrooms, but there has been a shift in preference for bathrooms as well. From being a purely functional space, consumers today want a euphoric experience. Construction Times speaks to different players to understand the new trends in this space.

Traditionally, bathroom has had the reputation for being one of the most neglected or least stylish rooms of the entire house. Bathroom is often considered as being strictly utilitarian. Over the years, however, Indian bathrooms have undergone a significant change owing to the shift in consumer preferences towards having a luxury experience even in their baths.

Experts believe that since bathroom is the first place we visit in the morning or start our day from, it has to be vibrant yet comforting. Right from lights to walls to floorings to the sanitaryware, all has to be in sync and aesthetically pleasing.

"Today, we want our bathrooms to be smart, luxurious & a place for one to retreat and find time for oneself. With the increasing demand to stay at home due to the pandemic, bathrooms have become a peaceful haven to relax in. From fluted finishes to forest green, the latest bathroom trends are all about applying simple updates to achieve a timeless look," architect Anurag Pashine of Salankar Pashine & Associates said.

Keeping the changing preferences in mind and the demand from home buyers, developers are also partnering with top brands, across the bath segments offering a luxury experience even in affordable homes.

"We have seen the consumer preferences changing when it comes to bathrooms. They want to know about the products as well as the brands. At Sugee we ensure that we give our customers best in class amenities of leading brands. Our strategy is clear, if I would want to have a luxury experience in my house, we will have to give the same to our customers who invest their hard earned money to buy their dream home," Nishant Deshmukh, Managing Director, Sugee Group said.

Fittings & Fixtures

One of the top priorities of consumers in this Covid era is hygiene, which will likely drive the adoption of touchless products, easy-to-clean surfaces and antimicrobial fixtures.

"Till about late 2005, bathrooms, a space that takes up a small area of the total house or home space was also getting only a small part of the renovation budget. But in the last 5 years the focus of consumers has changed, from a functional basic space, bathrooms now are a place to relax and rejuvenate. In today's fast changing day to day lifestyle, with unlimited stress factors and with increasing pressures, mental and physical, whether it be a hectic day at work or a strenuous workout, at the end of it, everyone wants to come back, unwind and fresh up in the most convenient and relaxing way. So Bathroom concepts evolved as per the changing needs and requirements of consumers. Bathroom products are not only functional but a balance of aesthetics, functionally and innovation that takes the bathroom to another level," Rajeev Mittal, General Manager Johnson Bathrooms Division - Product Management & Sourcing said.

Speaking about the demand from consumers, he said that as most people are travelling and they experience this luxury in some different places like hotels or SPA's, they would like to have the same experience in their own bathrooms. "And it's the brand that offers these products that are also sustainable and affordable will come out as the winner," Mittal said.

Echoing similar views, Bobby Joseph, Leader, Lixil Water Technology, India and Subcontinent said there are two emerging trends in terms of consumer demand, one is 'responsible luxury' and the other 'hygiene'. "While the demand for hygiene products has dramatically increased during the pandemic, our brand, American Standard, has been setting the standards of health and safety through dependable bathroom solutions for over 140 years.  Few emerging bathroom technologies that are in demand today are advanced, stain-free and have anti-bacterial coating technologies applied on ceramic products. Toilets with new flushing platforms featuring unique rimless bowls for easy cleaning, hands-free faucets, cleansing technologies embedded in SPALETs, filtration technologies embedded in bathroom products and so much more. When we combine technology with user-centric innovation, we can curate products that are not just convenient and aesthetic but sustainable in the long term," he said.

Joseph further noted that maintaining a far sighted approach when innovating new products will allow the company to create products for the future.

"The demand for responsibly luxurious and hygiene products is not going to go down in the near future as we continue working towards a sustainable future that will allow several generations to reap the benefits of what we create today. We offer a variety of products that are technologically advanced and make for functional as well as luxurious bathroom solutions through its brands GROHE and American Standard," he added.

The company offers products with advanced technology, such as innovative shower toilets that improve comfort and health and is also innovating digital solutions including first-of-its-kind water sensors that help prevent water leaks, Joseph added.

According to Shaunak Patel, Director, Asian Granito India, the concept of a bathroom has evolved from its primitive utility to becoming a lifestyle solution in recent years. "Today, bathrooms are increasingly being equipped with a range of solutions, including bathware range and high-tech shower systems to enhance its appearance and comfort level of people," he said.

Lights

Lights are an essential design element even in bathroom as they can both improve your bathroom's efficiency and enhance its design. According to experts, bathroom lighting has the capacity to influence a person's day. Solution providers today are integrating systems to control the lights.

Some examples of integrated systems are

-      Lighting integrated with occupancy sensing:

-      Lighting in the bathroom is controllable from zero level to full bright.

-      Lighting controllable from a smart device or from Alexa and Google Home.

Sameer Saxena, Director – Strategy Marketing, Legrand India said, "Bathroom segment is witnessing a huge changing trend in lighting space. The lighting solution is smarter, eco-friendly, and convenient. We at Legrand offer various intelligent solutions that make bathrooms smarter and people can spend time for themselves by adding an intelligent lighting sensor. Owing to the current Covid scenario, the sensor plays a major role in maintaining hygiene for people, which has enabled a touch-free environment by adhering to Covid19 guidelines."

Alok Hada, Director, Anusha Technovision also expressed that as the country is still trying to survive the pandemic, the preference has changed drastically and customers now demand for limited contact or touchless/ contactless control. Banks of switches and unappealing switchboards are replaced by sleek and smart keypads that make lighting regulation convenient for the users.

"With a variety of lighting options, today, you are just one Google search away from choosing the right light for your setting. What is interesting is that with just one right choice, you can add automated solutions to your home including the bathroom. Looking back at the last year and even now, when most of us are spending the majority of our day in the house, all thanks to the global pandemic, the normal has become mundane.

This is where smart homes/ bathroom comes into play; when we install smart integration, everything gets upgraded including the bathroom. The key is to make technology user friendly and convenient," he said.

According to Pashine, creating a lighting scheme that evokes glamour and elegance to the bathroom interiors is the key. "Statement lighting or mirror lights further enhances the luxury aspect of the bathroom. Lighting in the corners or over the mirror leaves the room looking spacious and inviting while serving aesthetic purposes," he said.

Walls & Flooring

A superbly crafted bathroom floor and walls is also essential to create a luxury statement.

"In today's times, what the consumer expects is good processing that makes the product last longer, provides longevity, makes it finesse and a lot of variety. At A-Class, we aim to deliver all these to our clients by exporting the best from different countries. We incorporate cost-effectiveness and the aspirational needs using the vacuum technology and machinery from Italy, which ensures minimum wastage and better recovery," Rajesh Bhandari, Director, A-Class Marbles said.

He further added that one of the best things that the company offers to its customer is that the product is always long lasting, and there are many possibilities for innovations that can be done within the products with the help of the latest technologies.

Architect Pallavi Pashine of Salankar Pashine & Associates said a crisp, clean and natural look of the marble invokes a visual interest while keeping the interiors luxurious, minimal and ageless. "One can make an accent wall with marble tiles over the sink, by the shower or simply use it on the floor. Apart from marble, chrome, copper and steel are other popular choices. Metallic look aid in fabricating a visual impact and the change the mood from practical to indulgent," she added.

As Pashine concludes, people are becoming more comfortable with going bold in the bathrooms with various patterns and colours. The inclusion of murals and vintage fusion are being introduced to bring out spa-like sanctuaries.

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