A hint of luxury: gold adds gleaming highlights

Gold is one of the most precious metals of all – and as a finish and colour, it’s currently a firm favourite for creating an interior design with a lavish, sumptuous touch.In the bathroom, gold and marble add up to a dream team that had long been written off but actually looks surprisingly modern.

Gold and fashion – up until now, the two have always seemed inconsistent.After all, gold is genuine, fashion is transient – in fact it often even imitates the genuine.In the interiors market, the position gold currently occupies as a colour is somewhere in between: after a long phase of white, chrome and stainless steel, gold’s authenticity and warm aesthetic have made it attractive for the trend-savvy product and interior design sectors again – with the result that gold is coming back into vogue in the high-end segment too, from classic concepts all the way to modern and sustainable design.Gold is becoming the common denominator in both fashionable and classic lifestyles.

In the bathroom too, gold has always been a symbol of luxury and prestige.Even in the days of ancient Rome, wealthy citizens scooped the water for their morning ablutions out of a gold-rimmed bowl.Then there’s brass – a related colour that’s also very much on trend right now, and a commonly used material in traditional bathrooms.There’s great demand for metal surfaces in general, of course, and in the bathroom it’s mainly met by fittings and accessories, which are now available with all sorts of metal finishes thanks to the new processes manufacturers are using.But while platinum and copper are also popular, gold is in a different league: where bathroom design is concerned, it’s becoming an absolute highlight.There are two approaches to using this on-trend colour and finish, depending on which effect you want to achieve: sumptuous luxury or simple beauty.

Opulent luxury: the prestige bathroom

Besides washbowl basins that are occasionally even coated with real gold leaf, wall coverings are also a good way of bringing the precious metal into play in the form ofspecial wallpapers or paints that create the velvety shimmer and subtly textured look of pure gold.Tiles are also available with the precious metal: as a rule, they imitate the effect of gold, and patterned tiles with real gold plating only come into question if the budget allows. But whether customers opt for a warm gleam, a cool glint or a sophisticated shimmer, gold tiles are ideal for making a grand or subtle statement and the perfect eye-catcher for white bathrooms. They come as a shimmering mosaic or with sumptuous patterns – in addition to floral motifs, fluid and geometric designs are also available.Pyramid-shaped tiles with a 3D effect can also be used to underscore the valuable look and feel.

Simple beauty: less is more

However, just like the real precious metal, gold surfaces make the greatest impact when they’re not overused.Gold is never the sole colour in the interior design concept; instead, it’s often used in conjunction with black or dark shades of green and blue.But combinations with light, natural colours, grey and – surprise: delicate pink!– also make for a successful bathroom design.Another perfect mix can be achieved by combining gold with predominantly white marble with subtle black veining.

When it comes to the sanitaryware, fittings and accessories with a corresponding finish are a great way to create a variation of the lifestyle bathroom with gold accents.Washbasins are also available in different shades of gold.Placing basins on pedestals to create a gallery-like character is a popular option right now.Even gold-effect furniture fronts will be on show at the ISH 2019.Furnishing items from other parts of the home with gold accents or brass frames and trims can also be used to underscore the bathroom’s upmarket ambience.Because there’s a demand for various shades of gold in all interior categories right now, a wide range of home textiles, armchairs, consoles, shelving and side tables is available to add the finishing touches to the lifestyle bathroom.Round mirrors with gold or brass frames are particularly popular at the moment, and there’s an abundance of accessories like gold-rimmed ceramic or porcelain containers, metal boxes, vases and bowls or vintage items such as gold picture frames or brass knobs for drawers.