“Wellness” and “pampering” are the buzzwords of the day and the current approach to washing transforms the act of bathing from function to ritual. Likewise, the humble bathroom has transcended from the utilitarian water closet to something like a temple dedicated to body worship. Architects began to focus on the bathroom’s design, creating a space of beauty, style and atmosphere to relax the mind and delight the senses. Some distinctively Asian-style spas have impressed upon people that a bathroom need not be the humdrum white-tile construction; rather a luxurious spa like ambience could be created at home.

A popular trend is to feature different bathroom styles within one home, so that each bathroom has its own theme and colour, mood and identity. After all, the most delightful aspect of designing bathrooms is their versatility, relatively small size and number. There is definitely a move towards more creative and daring designs, fuelled in part by global travel. Two directions in contemporary Asian bathroom design are currently emerging: the tropical garden bathroom and the sophisticated urban bathrooms.

TROPICAL

Bathrooms following the tropical garden direction have taken inspiration from the many resorts and spas in south Asia that offer idyllic outdoor bathroom suites. These emphasise the connection to nature, and rely on natural, earthy materials for visual impact and ambience. Native materials could be incorporated innovatively. Some features are:

Coconut-shell counter tops would create an exotically textured surface that is rich in tone and soft to touch.

Black stone-top counters could be delicately lined with beautifully iridescent mother-of-pearl inlay.

A rustic wooden table could be transformed into a bathroom counter with the addition of a sandstone basin and copper faucet.

Black stone-finish tiles cold be lined with snow-white pebbles for flooring.

Art deco-style Terrazzo (marble or stone chips embedded in concrete or cement that is cast and then polished to a high sheen) could be used for flooring or walls and even vanity counter tops.

Large picture windows could open out to lush green outdoors.

URBAN

The urban-style bathrooms embody the Western approach to design. They are enclosed within the dwelling, sometimes with next to no windows or direct access to the outdoors. The common element in urban bathrooms is a sense of high-tech glamour and minimalist chic, often making use of the latest in European design fixtures combined with surfaces in stainless steel, glass, cement, resin and composite marble. Some tools to achieve this look...

Clear glass counter-tops with a glass bowl used as a sink could make the basin counter look sleeker than a thick marble chunk.

Stainless steel counter top in a brushed finish would define masculine clean lines.

Textured wall tiles in the dry area combined with smooth matte tiles for the cubicles could segregate the two areas with complementing contrast.

A bathroom well fitted with stainless steel fittings bearing crisp lines along with stark white ceramics spell global urban modernity.

Futuristic hanging lights in glass with steel suspended over a counter could add a massive visual impact.

Contemporary bathrooms are riding the crest of a new wave of creativity and inspiration, as homeowners become more discerning about design and lifestyle habits. Now a new status symbol of luxury living, the once seclude boxed-in water closet has come a long way.

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