It’s a new year and a great time to do that renovation that you’ve been wanting to go. After kitchens, bathrooms are the top room of the home to spruce up. In many ways they offer more design choices than the rest of the home because of the size of the space and multiple
features. In addition, remodeling a bathroom is the perfect place to start since the space is smaller and may be less scary than a full home remodel. The main trends in bathroom design are leaning toward brass finishes, soaking tubs, and integrated lighting and many area experts say that non- skid tile and the return of the bathtub are on trend for 2020.
What functionality is most important in the bathroom you are remodeling? The discussion between tub and shower leans toward understanding the space and the function of the homeowner. Molly Cooper of Cooper & Co Interior Designs points out, “It depends on how you need your bathroom to work for you. If you have small children, you need a tub somewhere in the home. The master bath is generally for adults and a shower might work best, but if you enjoy a good soak in the tub, that is
the way to go.” Dawn Totty of Dawn Totty Interior Designs says freestanding tubs are becoming more popular. “Freestanding tubs with floor mounted tub fillers have become increasingly more popular in today’s bath- room design.” While freestanding tubs are gaining popularity, having a tub in the bath is a feature that seems to be returning in bathroom design.
Flooring is also a feature that stands out in a bath, and while there are many types of flooring to choose from, Totty says tile is still the number 1 choice. “We now have so many wonderful options such as geo prints, floral shaped tile as well as a wood grain look,” which offer and endless choice of options to create the desired look. Lindsay Sheets of Red Rock Tileworks agrees saying tile “is durable, water resistant, and beautiful,” and Camille Jacky of Milestone Nashville Design Center says, “porcelain tile is vitreous, which means it does not have pores through which mold, mildew and stands can attach” making it the top choices to withstand all kinds of wear and tear. Wood and cork are also a popular option as they add warmth to the space and, when sealed correctly, they are just as durable as tile.
When considering finishes, experts say energy efficiency and water usage are growing features homeowners are looking for. Cooper points out, “Make sure to find something that will help with saving water while giving a good pressure at the same time.” A newer trend is mismatched fixtures. Totty says, “Finishes do not need to match! Having up to two finishes allows for a less forced look and can be very pretty and soft on the eyes. Chrome faucets with warm brass light fixtures can create a more natural look.”
Like with most things, design often comes down to finding a balance between style and substance. Mary Soeder of PDI drives this point home. “When looking for fixtures for your bath, consider everyone using the space and how each person would use the space. Many clients come to us for the latest and greatest,” however that latest and greatest may not be the best use of the space for the people that actually use it. Soeder points out that integrated technology is become a trend that seems to work for a lot of people. “Technology is becoming more and more requested in the bathroom – digital showers, intelligent toilets, Alexa commanded mirrors and showers, and more! Regardless of the latest trend you want to make sure your new fixtures will work for you now and down the road so be honest about your needs.” Having a conversation with a design specialist can help alleviate fears and allow homeowners to ask questions specific to their home and use.
Michelle Chrest of LCT Team– Parks points out the best part of choosing fixtures, “bathroom fixtures are where you really get to show your creativity. For example, a good lighting design is important with a variety of cans, sconces and natural light (if possible). This puts the finish touch on a bathroom and there are great affordable options.” The overall goal is to design a space that both reflects the personality of the homeowner and functions for the daily life of the homeowner.
As far as color goes, adding a feature wall with color or special tile design adds personality and freshness to a space. While there are as many opinions on what the best color is as there are colors, experts agree that a neutral background with a shot of color or design adds warmth as well as personality, and powder rooms continue to be a place to stretch budget and design ideas. Lindsay Sheets of Red Rock Tileworks points out light and airy is the go to design for a bathroom, “Most of our customers go for whites, sea glass blues/greens, and greys. For powder rooms, go adventurous with jewel and deeper tones.” Camille Jacky adds, “Light, bright, and warm. Not too loud with a pop of color. Light grey/beige and a light orange” to being the design together. Esther Lovingood concurs saying, “white is clean and classic, but keeping it spotless can prove challenging. we’re seeing lots of warm, neutral tones accented by pops of color.” Bohnne Jones of Decorating Den Interiors rounds out the discussion by reminding homeowners to be clear about what they want based on how they use the space, “If you are decorating for yourself, the best color is one that you will love! If you are going to resell, then go with a neutral off-white or beige. If you don’t know what you want, choose a blush or coral tone, which is complementary to all skin tones.”
With an unending array of options and ideas to choose from, it’s clear that homeowners must continue to come back to what they really want for their space. Taking time to both research and get clear about what will best work for their space is key to designing a functional yet beautiful space. In other words, know what you want, understand your space and potential materials, and how space will be used, then allow your design choices to become clear – and don’t be afraid to let your freak flag pop on a feature wall.
—Starshield Lortie
There are a number of sources for bathroom design including
Beth Haley Design Nashville 615/ 228-3664
Bison Countertops Ashland City 615/ 792-8812
Cambria Nashville 952/944-1676
Cooper & Co Interior Designs Moss, TN 800/729-8558
Crossville Inc Crossville 931/ 484-1118
Dawn D Totty Interior Designs Jasper, TN 615/339-9919
Decorating Den Interiors Nashville 615/ 469-7334
Dixieland Rebath Birmingham, AL 205/617-3756
Elite Installation Hendersonville 615/ 264-9370
Ellen|Sherwood Design Brentwood 615/ 376-6122
Ferguson Nashville 615/ 385-3054
Ferguson Murfreesboro 615/ 890-5599
Ferguson Clarksville 931/ 647-0276
Ferguson Lebanon 615/ 444-2111
Focus Builders Nashville 615/ 517-5685
French’s Cabinet Gallery Franklin 615/ 371-8385
Genesis Glass Franklin 615/ 794-5515
Hastings Tile New York, NY 212/ 674-9700
Hermitage Nashville 615/ 843-3310
The Interior Collection Gallatin 615/ 969-7248
J. Hanes Interiors Nashville 615/429-0955
Jennifer Jones Design Inc. Nashville 615/ 354-8907
JL Design Nashville 615/ 321-1888
Jonathan Miller Architects Knoxville 615/ 602-2435
LCT Team – Parks Franklin 615/948-7737
Louisville Tile Nashville 615/ 248-8453
Marcelle Guilbeau Interior Design Nashville 615/ 574-8711
Markraft Cabinets Nashville 615/ 360- 2118
Milestone Nashville Design Center Nashville 615/712-9100
Modern Surfaces Raleigh, NC 919/ 348- 6679
Nashville Glass Nashville 615/ 254-8874
Newport Brass Santa Ana, CA 949/ 417-5207
PDI Nashville 615/ 490-8316
Premiere Properties Group Thompson Station 415/-999-0552
Prestige Marble & Granite Columbia 931/ 381-7294
ProCraft Cabinetry Nashville 615/ 528.-0399
Red Rock Tileworks Nashville 888/348- 8453
Southeastern Salvage Nashville 615/ 244-1001
Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium Chattanooga 423/385-1841
The Tileshop Nashville 629/333-7690
ThermaSol Dallas 800/ 776-0711
True North Designs Mt. Juliet 615/ 338-9950
Watermark Design New York, NY 718/ 257-2800