Reimagining the Bathroom

by Nicola Friel

15th November 2024

At VitrA, we’re enormously inspired by the 2024 Don’t Move Improve! theme of ‘Reimagine the Home’. Bathroom spaces are pivotal to the home, and having a sustainable bathroom that works for everyone – whatever their need or stage of life – can significantly contribute to the futureproofing of a home.

Bathrooms for All 

To create a bathroom that’s designed to last, it’s important to ensure the space is usable for people of varying ages and abilities. Allowing space between fixtures, for example between the shower and toilet, will make the bathroom more comfortable to move around for everyone – including young children, caregivers, and people who use mobility aids. In a small bathroom with tight space constraints, consider opting for compact fittings such as short-projection basins and vanity units, which will free up space for ease of circulation. As families evolve, looking ahead to who might be using the bathroom in the future will help inform choices such as whether to install features like grab bars and lower-level shelves, flushes and handles.

 

Sustainable Choices 

With more than 60% (on average) of a person’s water consumption taking place in the bathroom, it’s important to keep water conservation front of mind when creating a more sustainable bathroom. One way to limit water usage is to install water aerators, a small attachment that sits on the end of a tap adding streams of air into the water flow. This allows less water to be used in the same amount of time while still maintaining the pressure, and is fitted as standard in most VitrA taps and basin mixers. When updating a bathroom, consider installing a thermostatic shower which mixes hot and cold water and recognises changes to the water pressure, creating a reduction in both water and energy consumption. Finally, keep an eye out for products like our Recycled Wash Basin that have been sustainably produced. 

 

Adapting Over Time 

As bathroom technology evolves, we hope to support people in making gradual improvements to their homes over time. We’re committed to developing our range of smart bathroom solutions, which integrate technology into the bathroom to improve user convenience, water and energy efficiency, and hygiene. We’re proud of  products such as the V-Care Smart Toilet which is designed to provide enhanced levels of hygiene, freshness and comfort to the user. And it goes without saying that when an opportunity arises to update or refresh a home bathroom, we recommend investing in hardware and unseen elements (such as cisterns) of the best possible quality, as they will have a much longer life.

 

Bathrooms with Character 

Beyond functionality, it is important to enhance the user experience through colour and material choices. When designing spaces to last, we often opt for white walls and minimalist features, however this can easily feel clinical or sterile. The bathroom offers a multitude of opportunities to add personality, whether using colourful sanitaryware, such as the narrow ArchiPlan washbasin in our signature ‘Terra Rossa’ finish, patterned tiles, or unexpected yet timeless materials such as cork or fluted glass. 

For more information, please visit vitra.co.uk.