The Modern Bathroom - Trends and Ideas

 The modern bathroom, no doubt, is colorful. And we have enormous possibilities for choice between designs and materials - have a look at just two of my photos from the latest Salone del Mobile:

If I had to design a bathroom for myself today, I would use probably this corner bath tub:

OFURO1 by Antonio Lupi

In addition to its elegant lines it also seems to be the most comfortable and easy to use, in combination with the same INDIGO taps, towel warmer Rigo and these tiles:

But, on the other hand I like a lot the modern trend for more color and texture, which most often brings also coziness in any interior, including bathrooms:

 

source: pinterest

How do you like this brave use of different materials and colors? 

There is another modern trend for more use of travertine in interior designs:

This is the second bathroom in a house at the Black Sea coast I did

The main bathroom in this project, where we used travertine tiles on the walls 

source: pinterest

Can you see how natural light enhances the colorsand textures in this bathroom? I would be happy to use it every day :) It has another trend implemented, too - the one for rounded forms, which started a few years ago and now we see it everywhere.

"longevity decor is en vogue"

Finally we are coming back to the well-known from our parents and grand-parents approach - we have to think of how our furniture and home as a whole will serve us through the coming years. And this should not be considered a trend, as ELLE Decor published soon in an article about latest interior design trends - this is the logical way of designing for ourselves and for our children. 

 This is also the best approach to designing furniture as something which is to be used for long years. It is about quality materials and elegant functional design that will satisfy the needs of generations. Like wood and natural stone. I like using wood in my designs - it can easily be renovated and treated so that it can age beautifully:

Although I would rather say that "longevity design is en vogue", because decor is something which we can easily change and create a different mood without major renovations.

Beautiful new designs

 

source: Davis Furniture Industries

Do you notice what is their common element? Soft lines and elegant forms - THAT is one of the best modern trends in interior design. Well-deserved awards.

A trend from 2023 that will continue in 2024

For sure one of the several trends that we saw at Salone del Mobile this year that will continue to be topical in 2024 and further is PORTABLES - almost every lighting company in Milan showed their proposal for portable lighting, but most impressive was the collection presented by Tom Dixon.

‘The big highlight this year are the new portable lights, all inspired by existing Tom Dixon designs. We have four colours in the melt version and the baby bell (shown above). They are all IP44, so suitable for indoor and outdoor use. They are dimmable and we have worked really hard to ensure they are properly engineered, in the material and functionality. You can expect to get between 8 – 9 hours of battery life.’

Bell portable

Ambientec at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2023, ph. Francesco Merlini

Lady D by Karman, my photo

For more trends go to my post A Look at 2024 Interior Design Trends

Trend: Nature Everywhere

As my blog's name suggests, trends are an important theme of my posts. And one of the main trends in our contemporary way of living: the wellness industry reaching an all-time high with a continued growth of consumer interest in health and wellness. That is so logical - because we all want to live in a healthy world and be well. So, we must design and create the conditions under which this becomes possiblе.

And as we learn more and more today, we gradually return to the basic natural resources - in furniture design we understand that it is better to use wood and cork in a sustainable way, rather than trying to replace them with artificial materials everywhere. Another area where we observe a growing interest in nature - in fact, a return to ancient traditions - is medicine and healthcare. According to many reports the trend is that natural medicine and the science of nutrition will stand at the forefront of the healthcare. 

Arnica montana

We are focused on the design and innovation of medical technologies, products, service systems and human experiences to solve a variety of healthcare challenges. On the other side, shoppers in particular are growing more critical of ingredients in traditional over-the-counter products. And they are seeking out more herbal and botanical additives, with an increase in usage from 13% to 25%, according to a recent research. Conventional pain relief methods, for example, frequently involve pharmaceutical drugs or medical interventions. While they offer quick relief, they are sometimes accompanied by extreme side effects or the risk of dependence. 

In addition to ingredients found in nature, customers are also looking for transparency in ingredient lists and clean ingredients, analgesic that offers clean, safe, and effective relief for a variety of aches and pains. When it comes to pain relief, people are also looking for alternatives to ingestible medications, for topical over-the-counter pain relief products like, for example, arnica cream.  The active ingredients in Doctor Hoy’s Arnica Boost Recovery Cream are listed as topical and external analgesics by the Food and Drug Administration. The formulas used are water-based and contain no parabens or toxins.

Another interesting trend - many people that are looking for safe ways to manage their pain, trying to take care of themselves, or rely on caregivers, at home, for as long as they can. Easily accessible and safe topical over-the-counter pain relief products enable consumers to lead active and pain-free lives. 

Everyone is talking about sustainable, equitable, healthy, and resilient design - of products and services directed to our everyday needs, including furniture and furnishings, cloths, food, healthcare... 

"DESIGN WITH NATURE" exhibition  at Salone del Mobile

I have posted a lot about cork in interior design - one of my favorite materials. Wood has been an all time favorite for furniture, only now we look for wood coming from sustainably managed forests. Bamboo's application areas are wide, including clothes and textiles.

Biophilic design is probably one of today's most likes trends in interior design - for the same reason: we want to live with nature everywhere around us. А beautiful example is this bathroom design:

Marca Corona

Considering even only these few mentioned areas of our lives, we should say that actually, Nature is not a trend at all, but a necessity and a true need of the human being.

Have a look at another trend from 2023 that will continue in 2024.

Fashion ... and Home -- Knitted, Knotted, Weaved

Several years ago I wrote There is a lot in common between fashion and interior design: you dress your home in a similar way - with the same preferences for colour, materials, style. But now I have learned that it is not always true - many people who invariably take care to be fashionably dressed do not care about their homes design, which is sad...

Still, it IS true that fashion and interior design do have a lot in common and trends in fashion inspire product designers who create for interiors. I was convinced again of this connection this April during Milan Design Week. Get some inspiration from my photos from Milan:

And today I continue to notice more and more great hand craft elements in all new ads for summer fashion:

Reserved

Anthropologie

MINI MILA POUCH - Natural/ Embroidered Flowers
SÉZANE  

Fashion and interior design is one of my popular themes. You can read about this trend in my other blog - Designcommentator..

 

IMM Cologne - a Glimpse

 Some interesting new designs and inspiring ideas at this year's edition of IMM Cologne:

Metoda

I like the coziness of this bed headboard design:

Sustainability:

chairs made from hemp and resin

A lot of inspiration for kids rooms:

More about trends will come soon :)

Inspiration from EUROLUCE

 Enjoy some of my photos (so, please, do not copy) from Euroluce - lighting is not only function, as you can see, but sometimes it can  have even additional function: 

Barovier & Toso

Tom Dixon

Double function - a great idea for partition!

Lasvit - a dynamic lighting glass installation called Cloud 

Just a few, but a more detailed information about trends and interesting new products at Euroluce and Milan Design Week 2923 as a whole are available on request.

Trends from Salone

Some of my favorite products from Salone del Mobile 2023 - and the trends they illustrate:

Inspired by Renaissance - LaVenus lounge chair for Ginori design by Luca Nichetto

Both classic and modern:

 Loop chair Norm Architects

Mickey armchair by India Mahdavi for Gebrüder Thonet

Gessi

More will follow soon.

The Importance of Commercial Lighting Design

Lighting is a vital component to our everyday lives and for businesses it is also very important for creating attractive spaces with modern clean lighting landscapes that are easily controlled. At the same time lighting has to be safe and we, as designers, are responsible for that while also working toward sustainability goals and follow all the new technologies and trends. What are they?

- The move towards LED lighting. LED lights today are the top choice for many architects and developers for a number of reasons - they are able to deliver superior lightning quality and also companies can take advantage of the energy savings. But applying lighting controls can generate typical energy savings of 35 to 45 percent in commercial and institutional buildings. These controls are part of the integral building automation systems (BAS) used to improve the efficiency of the building through the reduction of energy, operating and maintenance costs. Featuring daylight and occupancy sensors, this new lighting control solution for commercial lighting can also easily detect when lit rooms are vacant, and respond by shutting off the lights to conserve energy.

- The ability for complete control over lighting experiences. And that is another common goal of the BAS - to improve the user experience, for example by controlling lighting scenes.

- Wireless systems are gaining ground. It is easy to retrofit existing facilities and homes with wireless technology.

photo - Houzz

And something very important:
 - Lighting that can improve health and wellbeing. Research has suggested a link between the body’s natural circadian rhythm and stress reduction. For hospitals, for example, an advanced lighting solution like circadian lighting and lighting control can help patients in their healing process. It creates a more soothing environment for everyone and is adaptable and easy to use and manage for staff. 

There is another interesting trend in lighting, especially for commercial spaces - it has additional functions. 

Check the following link for all the latest trends in interior design.