Multigenerational living and the future of bathroom design

Ash Chilver

Ash Chilver is the Sales Director at HiB, a leading bathroom product manufacturer. 

Over recent years, the bathroom has fast become the one place in the home where an individual can retreat to for complete relaxation and indulgence. This is even more important for homes with multiple generations under one roof, to ensure every family member has a place they can retreat to.

Multigenerational living has been quietly growing in popularity, as the dual pressures of an ageing population and ‘generation rent’ have driven elderly and younger people to move back into the family home.

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When considering such households and future-proofing, the bathroom is one of the most important spaces. Often seen as a sanctuary within the home, it must provide a relaxing environment for all residents, whilst simultaneously meeting the practical needs of each user, from the very young to the elderly.

So, when it comes to bathrooms, a perfect balance of style and practicality is imperative for the everyday consumer looking to create a bathroom that both feels and looks the part. And, whilst the contemporary aesthetic of the latest designs provides the homeowner with a sleek and elegant finish, it is perhaps the incorporation of the latest technological advancements that creates the extra ‘wow factor’.

Certain bathroom features will not only suit homesteads that require different functions, but also work as style statements in their own right. For example: low-level, easy to reach, shaver sockets and USB chargers in cabinets, easy to adjust shelves and push-to-open doors are not only bang on-trend, but also make life easier for elderly and very young members of the family.

As a centrepiece in their own right, mirrors and mirrored cabinets are often an instrumental component of a bathroom interior. After all, we use them almost every day to both reflect our appearance and to bounce light around the room to create the illusion of more space.

The introduction of LED lighting within and around mirrored surfaces continues to be a popular enhancement, particularly with vanity mirrors. The latest products on the market offer this in various forms, from thin decorative lines of LED to act as a frame, to ambient back lighting for a soft, halo effect. Growing in popularity is temperature or colour changing lighting, which allows any user in the household to change the whole ambience of the room to suit them – simply by changing the mirror light from cool, bright white to a soft, warm white or a totally different colour altogether.

Add an innovative sensor feature, which allows the mirror lights to be switched on and off by a simple hand movement, and you’ve got a welcome addition that helps to make any homeowner’s life that bit easier.

There can be no doubt that the overriding trend for bathrooms in 2020 is to provide the homeowner with practical luxury, helping them to transform their bathroom into a haven-like space with undeniable design appeal. In light of this, retailers should look for features which not only add to the look of a product, but provide ease of use for all members of the family.