The lux of lifeSumptuous bathrooms are moving out of boutique hotels and into the home, as consumers crave deluxe designer schemes, Alistair Rance suggests.
Along with the growth of multiple bathing facilities in British homes, a need has developed for the main bathroom to evolve its role. While a cloakroom or ensuite can cater for daily ablutions, a large master bathroom is now a pampering palace, designed for relaxation. Luxurious bathroom projects, in individually designed hotels, have awoken customers to the possibilities of creating similar-styled schemes in their own homes. Managing director of Vitra UK, Erol Donmez agrees, saying:"At the end of their stay, guests leaving hotels have traditionally taken expensive toiletries, hotel towels and comfy bathrobes away with them. But it is now a case of taking away inspiration rather than shampoo bottle and an urge to replicate hotel standards in their own home. Hoteliers have even begun to leave pamphlets in bathrooms with stockists and manufacturers' details. So customers can recreate the look of five-star luxury in their own homes."
Making great improvements
Having been established in the "improve, don't move" marketplace, the demand for luxury bathrooms is firmly on the rise. Lucy Humphries, bathroom category director of PJH points out: "Homeowners are recognising how important the luxury bathroom is for adding value to the home and therefore encouraging a later house sale or to simply enhance the home environment and provide a room for relaxation."
But now even the top-end housebuilders have begun to take note for their new dwellings. Dan Reeves, marketing executive of Shires, adds:"The refurbishment market really took this on, but now with high-end developments needing to provide value for their premiums, luxury bathrooms are ever on the increase. We are seeing the trend for high specification products in more traditionally mid-range projects as the housing market stutters. Developers need to sell property and in a buyer's market, this means upping the specification to maintain the price."
Supported by wealth
And it appears that this trend is unlikely to waver, as the proportion of the UK population that can afford designer bathrooms although currently small, continues to grow. Dan Reeves says:"It is difficult to put a value on the market, though research would suggest it equates to anything from 5-I5 percent of the overall market."
Brian Grey, marketing manager of Ideal Standard International,Joseph Ideal Standard
Ad Luxurious bathrooms in individually designed hotels have awoken consumers to the posibility of creating similar schemes."
takes it one step further, when he comments: "The market for luxury bathrooms is increasing at a rapid rate, and will continue to do so. Factors including greater availability of credit, more disposable income, developments in technology and design and busier lifestyles have all attributed to the UK's increasing desire for superior, luxurious and convenient products."
And Antonio Garrido, managing director of Imperial Bathrooms, concurs, saying the growing older population will support the growth:"Although only a small percentage of the current population has the money to spend on real luxury this segment continues to grow annually as the age and wealth of the population grows. For the first time ever there are now more people in the UK over 50 than there are under 18. People are living longer, demanding more and more powerful brands demanding higher elements of design and allocate more of their money to an improved bathing experience. It is true to say that when one looks at the 'average shopping basket', the value of brassware, accessories, baths, showers etc are rising steeply in the main.This recognises the `value' of some or all of the following: 'design', 'luxury', 'branding', 'quality' etc."
Two into one
With this drive towards desirable designer bathrooms, that require a lot of space to create the look, how will this continue to affect house design? Industry experts suggest that the design of the bathroom may soon follow the lead of the kitchen in prestigious properties. Often the wall is removed between the separate kitchen and dining rooms to form one large, living space.And for the master bathroom, it is suggested that the boundary between the bedroom area and the relaxation/pampering facility will continue to be blurred. Antonio Garrido continues: "Creating a seamless and themed transition between the bedroom and the bathroom is regarded as very desirable these days. Most 'home interest' magazines concentrate on drawing both spaces together in a harmonious way."
Dare to share
Already, European bathroom manufacturers have concentrated on blending the bathroom into the bedroom, with careful choice of furniture to mirror that in other areas of the home. But are the reticent Brits prepared to share whilst bare? Garrido concludes:"In contrast to some of the warmer countries on the continent, the British have always been a rather 'reserved' race with bathrooms historically being an area of high privacy.This is no longer the case. European influences in both lifestyle and design have allowed us to experience a much more open approach to bathing and sleeping, and the merging of the two rooms is almost inevitable. Consumers have recognised that the time they give to both of these areas of the house needs to be reflected in the design-input and theme considerations." |  |
