Opinion
kbb Birmingham 2018 Show Special
How to… shape the bathroom of the future
The way consumers use their bathroom is changing at a more rapid rate than ever before. Alan Dodds, manager director of Roca UK, looks at how that’s affecting product development and the cutting-edge ideas and research that are shaping how bathrooms will look and work in the future
O
ver the years, the bathroom space has gone through a significant evolution.
began life over 100 years ago, the
bathroom has changed beyond recognition. When it first became part of the home, we required a purely functional space that just met our basic needs. Over time, we became more discerning and wanted to introduce design aesthetics, making the bathroom a far more stylish and relaxing space. This was quickly followed by a desire for integration and moulding products to suit the architecture of the room. Today, there are a number of factors affecting how we design a bathroom. As consumers, we are becoming more savvy about sustainability and water saving. There is far more understanding about the impact we are having on our environment and the measures we can take to reduce it. Space is an important consideration when it comes to designing a bathroom. The layout of homes is changing especially
in built-up areas
where houses in new developments are getting smaller and require unique solutions.
Expectations
While our bathrooms may be becoming smaller our expectations of them are becoming larger, we want the bathroom to be more than a functional space. We also want the bathroom to reflect our lifestyle, our tastes and offer us relaxation. And so, we expect functionality, privacy and design all from one, small space.
Let’s look at sustainability. Being able to reduce Certainly, since Roca
water and energy consumption is an important concept for consumers. In-roads have already been made here, with a growing number of bathrooms now having a dual-flush cistern. But with as much as one third of all household water still being flushed down the toilet, models that can help homeowners save even more water offer huge potential for retailers wanting to extend profit margins. For Roca, innovation has come in the form of recycling water used from the wash-basin to flush the WC in our iconic W+W model (pictured below left). Looking to the future, could we soon be in a position to offer shower systems that have the ability to reuse water and heat? For instance, the used shower water would be collected in the tray, instantly purified and returned back through the shower head to be reused during the same shower. In terms of room size, there are a variety of products on the market that will help optimise space and allow for difficult layouts. For example, WCs with an integrated cistern. In this type of toilet, the cistern and flush plate do not need to be built into a wall, allowing for greater flexibility when planning a bathroom layout – it gives you the possibility to place a (wall-hung) WC in tricky spots, such as on a low partition wall or underneath a window frame. It also allows for easier installation and maintenance.
Smart toilets
All areas of the home are rapidly changing due to the impact of technology, whether it’s lighting control or smart thermostats. The bathroom is no different, with mirrors housing wi-fi connections, integrated sockets in furniture and in-built TV options. The bathroom is a hub of smart technology and will continue to be so for generations of home buyers. One of the latest trends to hit the UK market is for smart toilets. They are easy to use and incorporate intuitive operation with functions being controlled
38 kbbreview kbb Birmingham Special Edition March 2018
remotely. Smart toilets can also be extremely easy to install. For example, the Roca In-Wash Inspira (pictured above) has hidden fixings and requires only one inlet and a conventional power supply. In-Wash also features an integrated control panel with wash, dry and stop functions, making it simple to use for homeowners. The water temperature, pressure, positing and dryer mode can all be set for individual users via the remote control. With its quick-release, soft-close seat and self-cleaning nozzle, this toilet is also easy to clean and hygienic.
Looking even further forward, the bathroom is going to be a space focused on service. This technology is not only functional but also has the potential to enhance our lives. For example, imagine if you could look in your bathroom mirror and it could read your face, understanding whether you are healthy or not. This may seem a far-off reality, but the technology is there – we are in a digital world and this wouldn’t be digitalisation for the sake of it, this could be of benefit to all of us.
As we’ve seen, bathroom design has come a long way over the past few years and this trend is set to continue. As we saw at ISH last year, there are some exciting product developments in the pipeline. For bathroom design and the industry itself, the future is bright.
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