Bathroom trends from both sides of the looking glass
What’s on tap for the loos of tomorrow? Well, depends on who you ask. Houzz recently released its “2014 Winter Bathroom Trends Study,” which surveyed a number of Houzz users (read: homeowners) on their bathroom remodeling plans this year. However, it looks as though the design pros may have something different to say. We asked Maria Stapperfenne, CKD CBD, who is manager of Tewksbury Kitchen & Baths in New Jersey and also 2014 president-elect of the National Kitchen & Bath Association, for her two cents on the disparity.
Exposed vs. Hidden Toilets
Are homeowners forgoing privacy for the master throne? Not quite, said Stapperfenne. “One of the tricky things with Houzz is that you have homeowners who may not realize all the different options for privacy that a pro designer can help them with. Most people want privacy for their toilet, but people tend to think the toilet can be one of two things — exposed or hidden in a closet — and that’s not the case.”
New Bathroom, No Tub
Roughly 43% of Houzz respondents said there was no bathtub in their future. “Our NKBA members are not reporting this trend at all,” countered Stapperfenne. “In fact, what we are getting is quite the opposite. We see a lower demand for jetted tubs, [whereas] the freestanding soaking tubs separate from showers are seeing increasing demand. This year I was a judge for the NKBA Design Competition, and all of the full baths happened to have freestanding tubs.”
Drivers of Bathroom Remodels
According to Houzz, adding light is one of the prevailing motivations for bathroom remodels in 2014. “We saw some of these trends,” said Stapperfenne. “In fact, curbless showers are part of the demand for safe and accessible spaces. We also saw an increased demand for heated floors and steamed showers. One thing we do see is NKBA members reporting increasing acceptance of water-saving fixtures because their performance has increased.”
Powder Room Preferences
When it comes to the powder room, Houzz consumers favored hardwood floors. However, even though NKBA didn’t break its data down by bathroom type, it showed an overwhelming preference for tile flooring. “That tile could look like anything, especially with some of the new tiles we see,” explained Stapperfenne. “Even if they want the look of the wood floor, they’re still doing it in tile. The one big objection used to be that it was hard and cold, but people like the resiliency, and when you heat it underneath, you negate that.”