Pop up my Bathroom showing Colour Selection at ISH 2019

During this year’s leading international trade show for the sanitary industry, the ISH in Frankfurt, things at the Pop up my Bathroom trend platform will be pretty colourful. The trend experts are postulating the end of colour abstinence in the lifestyle bathroom.

When it comes to colour, the industry is awakening from the deep sleep it appeared to fall into following the Bahama Beige and Moss Green trauma of the 1970s. After the postmodern 1980s, when glossy bathrooms in colours ranging from trendy to way-out were de rigueur, only the (non-) colour white was deemed acceptable as the essence of good taste. Over the last 20 years, cottage style, urban minimalism and snug wood effects have gradually injected a bit more pep into the bathroom again. And at the very latest with the advent of on-trend finishes in metallic colour variants, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the lifestyle cultivated in the rest of the interior is conquering the bathroom along with the desire for more cosiness.

A very special, distinct version of that lifestyle is emerging in the bathroom: black-and-white has no sooner established itself as a trend – and thus more than a default option for purists – than colour accents are starting to reappear. Here, the mix-and-match approach that is giving rise to brightly painted vintage pieces, boho rugs and cushions in the living room or accent-colour shelves in the kitchen often has lasting consequences: tiles, furniture and even bathtubs are now available in all sorts of colours – sometimes subtly tone-on-tone, sometimes in perky red, sometimes even in a vivid combination of different shades.

The choice of colours is as individual as the people who furnish their bathrooms. So as to present the multitude of options and the most stylish combinations, the trend experts of the Pop up my Bathroom communication campaign will be turning their special exhibition in the Europa room into a gallery. There won’t just be colours on the walls, there’ll be pictures too – pictures of bathroom objects that have been artistically defamiliarised, in a stylish setting and in every colour arrangement imaginable, no matter how unusual. The exhibition is definitely worth a visit – and not just for trade professionals and design aficionados.

In 2019, Pop up my Bathroom will be a gallery for Colour Selection

Colour Selection: during this year’s leading international trade show for the sanitary industry, the ISH in Frankfurt, things at the Pop up my Bathroom trend platform will be pretty colourful. (Photos, from left: Laufen, Dornbracht, burgbad, Duravit)

“We decided to choose colour in the bathroom as our theme because, after a long white phase, it is set to have a very strong and striking impact on bathroom design – not just because the bathroom is clearly taking some of its cues from lifestyle trends, but also because it’s all about personalisation, a cosy feel and emotionalisation,” says Jens J. Wischmann, managing director of the German Sanitary Industry Association (Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. [VDS]), which initiated the Pop up my Bathroom trend forum and has been organising it in collaboration with Messe Frankfurt for the last 10 years. “It goes without saying that surfaces have always been an important issue. But colour is increasingly being discussed independently of surfaces – and being used a lot more boldly, too. So in addition to the innovative products the industry is launching, it adds another design element. The bathroom is turning into a really exciting place.”

While large expanses of natural shades are sometimes used for the floor, more vibrant colours and patterns have mainly been restricted to the walls – a trend encouraged by waterproof wallpapers. In the vast majority of cases, the bathtub, washbasin and so on have remained white. But now manufacturers and bathroom users are gradually finding the courage to add colour to the core areas of the furnishings as well. More and more alternatives to ubiquitous white are finding their way into the bathroom. While Mediterranean countries traditionally have fewer reservations about using colour, these days even fans of Scandi chic can choose from alternatives in greige, pastel shades or muted colours, and all shades of grey are on trend right now.

Colour is in the air

  
Bathed in colour: vibrant signal colours in the yellow-orange-red spectrum are trending in the bathroom – sometimes even in a cool mix of shades. (Photo: Bette)

  
Frank A. Reinhardt, Pop up my Bathroom’s longstanding project head, is also convinced that colour is set to play a greater role in relation to sanitaryware. “When it comes to bathrooms, there’s definitely colour in the air,” says the design journalist and trend expert. “And it’s not just about accessories any more; we’ve been seeing holistic colour concepts for the bathroom for some time now.” Reinhardt sees progressive bathroom furniture makers as the industry’s pioneers in this respect. The technical innovations with regard to lacquer and customisable collections are smoothing the way for original and premium-quality solutions with every surface imaginable, with intriguing contrasts or subtle tone-on-tone arrangements that can be individually adapted to the respective interior design. “This is an area that gives bathroom planners a good opportunity to develop their colour expertise and deploy it accordingly,” he advises.
  

Pinpointing on-trend colours for the tub & co.

The increasing use of textiles provides an ideal vehicle for colour in the bathroom. But even in the case of products that are integrated with the building – like washbasins made of glass, mineral cast or ceramic, fittings, shower enclosures and bathtubs – the Pop up my Bathroom team sees a shifting trend towards colour. However, the manufacturers aren’t tying themselves down yet – they’re still gradually pinpointing which on-trend colours to adopt. All the same, fittings manufacturers are turning out to be particularly bold and, following their restraint during the strong white trend, are now proving all the more decisive: besides chrome and black, they’re offering not just different metallic shades but the occasional striking splash of colour as well.
  

  
Plants, a rug, a green wall, an armchair and a level-access shower: the modern bathroom is turning into a lifestyle space that’s a pleasure to spend time in. (Photo: Villeroy & Boch)
  

It seems as if both vibrant signal colours in the yellow-orange-red spectrum and a fresh, Nordic-looking blue palette are feasible for the bathroom. Green is also in a pole position and is trending in interior design right now – from delicate pastel tints and fresh shades all the way to dark, elegant hues. And warm, powdery pastels are always a safe choice for cosy bathroom ensembles. Anything between white and black is just as popular as ever: grey in all its many nuances has already conquered living rooms and kitchens in everything from industrial to cottage style and is a popular colour concept for the bathroom too. Black is making its debut as the dominant colour, and materials like marble and brass are being used to create colour accents.

Trend forum to discuss colour’s potential for the sector

Individually planned bathrooms with colour-coordinated combinations of products and materials are very much in demand. “Whichever colour concept a customer decides on, the industry will be in a position to accommodate all tastes. Ultimately, it’s all about enhancing the time spent in the bathroom, and in future we won’t just be offering wood colours any more: there will be an impressive palette of options for people to choose from,” says a confident Jens J. Wischmann.

During the ISH 2019, the current colour trends won’t just be on show in the extensive exhibition, they’ll also be the subject of various lectures in the accompanying Pop up my Bathroom trend forum.

Further information: www.pop-up-my-bathroom.com