Material effect: well-being and personality in the bathroom

Various approaches may be considered when deciding to give the bathroom a textured, material look. Depending on requirements, homeowners may opt for a complete renovation project or simply decide to replace individual items such as the washbasin, the vanity top or even just a tap. Following ever more sophisticated research into materials, the only real limit today is the scale of the intervention. So the first step is to choose a material effect for the bathroom in the knowledge that the finished result will be truly unique and will display a high level of craftsmanship.

Marble and stone
These solid yet sophisticated finishes create an intimate connection with the oldest natural environment known to mankind, namely the earth’s crust. Stone and marble surfaces are now available in a wide range of different solutions, and thanks to contemporary manufacturing processes and experimentation are capable of giving the bathroom a unique character that reflects the homeowner’s personal taste. The neutral colours, pale and dark tones and multicoloured patterns recreate the astonishing surfaces revealed when cutting natural stone. But in addition to these aesthetic qualities, the heterogeneity of the natural stone look also brings practical benefits. The varied colours and veining make the surfaces much less susceptible to soiling and give the sanitary fixtures an almost statuesque quality that allows them to blend in with any interior design style.

Wood
A single wood or wood-effect surface is all it takes to transform the bathroom atmosphere and to create an immediate connection with unspoilt nature. The end result is not just a beautiful new designer bathroom but a space brimming with positive energy, the ideal place for regeneration and relaxation. These surfaces typically take the form of spacious and convenient vanity tops with all the visual and tactile appeal of wood grain. As for style, pale coloured woods adapt more readily to minimalist, contemporary interiors typical of Nordic tastes, while dark finishes are suited to more classical furnishings such as English-style bathrooms or country atmospheres.

Metals
Alongside the more “earthy”, natural materials such as stone and wood, metallic surfaces are available in an enormous range of versions and bring a touch of uniqueness to the interiors where they are used. With finishes created using latest-generation production technologies, metal-effect washbasins are equally suited to sophisticated and elegant spaces and to industrial-style bathrooms. This desire for exclusivity is fulfilled most effectively by metallic coloured collections based on pure gold and silver, as true luxury is something that should be experienced rather than merely flaunted.

The goal of comfort
The material-effect finishes available in today’s market respond to three specific needs that have been clearly expressed by consumers in recent years:
– the need for greater continuity between the various rooms in the home. In the same way that storage units and islands are used to integrate the kitchen with the living room, bathroom elements are making their way into the bedroom so as to create a harmonious connection between the two spaces;
– the need to see and touch natural elements even in indoor spaces. The increasing focus on biophilic design demonstrates the importance of direct contact with nature for human well-being, even in the built environment;
– the need for spaces that fully express the homeowner’s personality.

July 2023