Bathrooms Receive The Soft Touch

West Australian’s appear to have weathered the global financial crisis well but it seems that bathrooms have taken the brunt of its emotional fallout.

High-end bathroom suppliers say the downturn put an end to the emerging trend in masculine fittings and bold, dark colours. It prompted, instead, a sharp retreat to delicate, feminine fittings and paler colours.

With opulent and in-your-face styles forgotten, the fashion now is more towards a subtle and subdued approach to fittings and colour.

Softer, more feminine, designs have been made possible through manufacturing innovations and the use of a material called Cristalplant, rather than porcelain, for baths and basins.

Another emerging trend is an increase in sculptural-looking baths, which, according to some, are more inviting than the standard baths.

People are investing more in their bathroom because they view it as a place to retreat and pamper themselves.

In line with this desire to indulge at home, Australians are allocating more space to their bathrooms. This is particularly the case for the parents’ bathrooms with overhead and wall-mounted showers and twin bowls so the occupants can have their own space when getting ready in the morning.