Bold as brass - the latest bathroom trends from Britain's housebuilders

It’s been a long time coming but now, in 2016, some colour is about to be injected into British bathrooms. But before you panic, you can remove all thoughts of avocado suites from your mind – because the latest colour trends have a far more sophisticated palate.

“The emergence of new C.P. Hart finishes has reignited bathroom design, in particular the brassware category,” explains Carolyn Harrison, C.P. Hart contracts manager. “Manufacturers are experimenting with softer tones such as antique copper, bronze and rose gold, while at the other end of the spectrum we are seeing industrial-inspired brushed nickel and matt black.”

​Bob Evans, national developer sales manager for Keramag Design, agrees. “The big trend for top-end purchasers is for experimenting with new materials and colours, bringing more decorative elements into the bathroom to create their own individual look,” he says. “Consumers want their bathroom to harmonise better design-wise with the rest of their home, so we’ll see bolder designs for wall coverings, textured surfaces, more bronze, copper and gold touches for taps and basins, wider use of solid surfacing and more furniture in soft greys and woodgrains.”

Colour is a bathroom trend that is set to continue, and it seems like there are other trends to be expected this year – such as the introduction of unusual materials.

“Basins as statement pieces are a key trend in the bathroom as we go into 2016, particularly those that are crafted from unusual materials such as metal or stone,” says Richard Nicholls, sales director for Sanipex Group UK. “Echoing this trend for materials that differ from the norm, there is also a move away from chrome brassware, towards finishes such as brushed nickel and even black.”

Storage is, of course, one of the unsung heroes of the modern bathroom, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be attractive in its own right, and it doesn’t stop there. Shower trays, which must be level entry in 2016 by the way, are also available in a choice of colours – among other things.

“The on-trend shower boasts minimal materials and is often not completely enclosed to allow greater freedom of movement,” says Jayne Barnes, managing director of Aqata. “It uses frameless spans of straight or curved glass, high quality tiles and the floor is level. This is achieved by a tiled wetroom floor or one of the fast growing floor-level shower trays, which are designed to be fitted flush and come in wide range of sizes and colours to either co-ordinate or contrast with the surrounding floor finish.”

Michael Kimball-Smith of Novellini agrees. “The current trend for level access shower floors will continue as it has done throughout 2015, with either tiled wet floor solutions or recessed level access shower trays becoming the norm,” he says. “Fully tanked wet room floor solutions will become more flexible, allowing designers to be far more creative with their use of space and helping out installers by offering a far more easily fitted product.”

If you are going for a complete wet room however, then it is essential that it is completely waterproof.

“Complete wet floors and bespoke wet floors are selling well because of the scope they offer bathroom designers to create an individual bathroom design whatever the size and shape of the room,” explains James Clark, managing director of On The Level.

And what about the shower itself? Well one continuing trend this year is obviously expected to be the use of technology. After all, user-friendly, intelligent design can only make life easier for homeowners. Decorative elements, new colour palettes and unique designs can all contribute to a truly unique bathroom in your home.