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Trend Report: Showers Embrace Nature and Open-Plan Living
Showers are moving into the open
Amara Holstein
November 8, 2019
Writer about all things to do with architecture, art, design, travel and books.
This story is from our Trade Program Trend Report email series.
Forget the bathtub-based shower with heavy curtains. Today’s shower stands on its own — light, bright and beautifully integrated with the rest of the bathroom. Windows open onto gardens, glass gleams throughout and palettes are neutral. It’s all about creating a place to wash away the stress of the world outside while maintaining a sleek look indoors that underscores function.
Opening up. Spa-like, spacious showers are popular these days. “The trend is to completely open up the shower — not to even have half walls or pony walls, just a sheet of glass. It’s about really making it feel part of the room,” says designer Jessica Koltun, whose eponymous firm is in Dallas. “It’s about a desire for transparency, dissolving boundaries, bringing in light and views,” says Takashi Yanai, a partner at Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Forget the bathtub-based shower with heavy curtains. Today’s shower stands on its own — light, bright and beautifully integrated with the rest of the bathroom. Windows open onto gardens, glass gleams throughout and palettes are neutral. It’s all about creating a place to wash away the stress of the world outside while maintaining a sleek look indoors that underscores function.
Opening up. Spa-like, spacious showers are popular these days. “The trend is to completely open up the shower — not to even have half walls or pony walls, just a sheet of glass. It’s about really making it feel part of the room,” says designer Jessica Koltun, whose eponymous firm is in Dallas. “It’s about a desire for transparency, dissolving boundaries, bringing in light and views,” says Takashi Yanai, a partner at Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Ways and means. How is this open look achieved? “Eliminating any level changes — such as the classic shower curb — and carrying the same floor tile throughout go a long way in unifying a space. The shower becomes less of a feature and is instead defined merely by function,” says Kristin Winn Weinrich, project lead for Four Brothers Design + Build in Washington, D.C. “You just need a sufficiently deep joist to do this.”
Weinrich’s Product Picks: Ivy Hill Tile Zeta Carrara Mosaic, Kohler Purist Rite-Temp Shower Trim Set, Toto Neorest Elongated 1-Piece Toilet
Weinrich’s Product Picks: Ivy Hill Tile Zeta Carrara Mosaic, Kohler Purist Rite-Temp Shower Trim Set, Toto Neorest Elongated 1-Piece Toilet
Natural appeal. “We’re thinking about bathrooms as environments that celebrate everyday rituals in a peaceful, restorative way,” Yanai says. “We’re always trying to create a connection to the landscape and nature whenever possible.”
Material choices. Tile is trending. “I love using large-format porcelain tile that looks like natural stone without the upkeep, with a 1/16 or 1/32-inch grout line for a seamless look. I put that on the walls, then natural stone in the shower pan,” Koltun says. “Also, I’m installing subway tile in different patterns and directions, such as herringbone or straight-stacked.” Weinrich also likes tile. “I go with patterned cement tile and terra cotta, both naturally matte and comfortable for bare feet,” she says.
Material choices. Tile is trending. “I love using large-format porcelain tile that looks like natural stone without the upkeep, with a 1/16 or 1/32-inch grout line for a seamless look. I put that on the walls, then natural stone in the shower pan,” Koltun says. “Also, I’m installing subway tile in different patterns and directions, such as herringbone or straight-stacked.” Weinrich also likes tile. “I go with patterned cement tile and terra cotta, both naturally matte and comfortable for bare feet,” she says.
Innovative features. “We love offering radiant heat under the shower floor tile to our clients,” Weinrich says. “It’s a small add, but it completely upgrades the shower experience.” Koltun has been doing long niches “that go the entire length of the wall with the same tile inside to keep that seamless, open look,” she says.
Spotlight on water supply. “We try to keep things simple and make the bathrooms more about the space and less about the gadgets,” Yanai says. The water supply itself thus becomes the main feature. “Rain heads coming from the ceiling, two shower heads, body sprays on the wall, handhelds — a combination of all these different water supplies is really popular. People aren’t happy with just a single shower head anymore,” Koltun says.
Spotlight on water supply. “We try to keep things simple and make the bathrooms more about the space and less about the gadgets,” Yanai says. The water supply itself thus becomes the main feature. “Rain heads coming from the ceiling, two shower heads, body sprays on the wall, handhelds — a combination of all these different water supplies is really popular. People aren’t happy with just a single shower head anymore,” Koltun says.
What matters most. “Our clients are being drawn back to a more classically rooted shower setup,” Weinrich says. “It’s really more about utility, ease of cleaning and universal design aspects. I think we’ll see more and more integrated shower benches and chic grab bar options going forward.” Yanai takes a slightly different approach. “Bathrooms are about cleansing and ablution and restoration. As professionals, we need to be mindful of environmental stewardship and avoiding excess.”
Koltun’s Product Picks: Capital Lighting Morgan 8-Light Chandelier, Stone Center Carrara White Hexagon Tile, Aquamoon Nonio Shower Rough-In
Koltun’s Product Picks: Capital Lighting Morgan 8-Light Chandelier, Stone Center Carrara White Hexagon Tile, Aquamoon Nonio Shower Rough-In
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