This year's TIDA bathroom awards identify 5 popular features

1. Natural stone

Stone in various guises is often used as an accent feature, but looking through the TIDA bathroom and powder room entries for 2020 it looks like the use of natural stone has been taken to the next level. Two examples of quite different uses include the TIDA winning powder room design by Armstrong Interiors with its generous use of bluestone and a moody use of limestone tiles in the bathroom by Darren James Interiors featuring Portsea Grey Limestone Tiles.

And together with natural stone there is the look of stone. 

Another factor in the rise of the stone aesthetic is the increasingly popular option of large-format porcelain or engineered tiles with the appearance of natural veined marble. These not only save on budget, they also save on supply and installation times. This bathroom by Daniel Marshall Architects is a case in point.

2. Round baths

As an extension of the popularity of the freestanding tub, another popular bathroom element is the round tub. As well as creating a striking visual feature, having a round tub is ideal for a symmetrical bathroom design. For this winning Australian Architect-designed bathroom by Wolf Architects the circular tub is very much the centre of attention and provides a quiet divider between the his and her vanities on opposite sides of the room.

This winning Australian architect-designed master suite bathroom by Giorgio, takes its symmetry to even greater lengths, with identical entry arches at both ends of the room.

3. Double vanities

The last bathroom also reflects another to-look-out-for on-trend choice for 2020 designs – the double vanity. 

Besides offering an attractive feature, double sink vanities save on space and allow for shared plumbing facilities, again saving on installation times and keeping budget costs down. 

A classic bathroom by Kitchens by Design combines a space-saving double vanity with marble-look finishes on the benchtop, walls and floor.  

Here an entry by Urbane Projects offers a more contemporary take on the double vanity, with twin table top basins.

4. Natural wood

Connecting to nature generally seems to be a popular approach in today's bathroom designs as, along with natural stone, the use of wood is also prominent. 

Leading the charge is a beautiful ensuite by Sheppard & Rout Architects that achieves a feeling of warmth with the prominent use of Fijian Kauri timber wall battens. 

Then there's the look of wood. Along with tiles with the appearance of marble there are tiles that could well be mistaken for natural wood. A lack of upkeep and a uniform look are just two advantages. A master suite by AO Architecture uses these tiles to dramatic effect, the natural tones accentuated by contrasting matt black fixtures.

A master suite bathroom by Eterno Design combines several of our mentioned trends, boasting marble tiles, a prominent use of wood and a double vanity – the result being a relaxing bathing sanctuary. 

Armstrong Interiors's winning entry in the TIDA New Zealand Designer Bathroom Suites category also benefits from the rich allure of natural wood on the floor and ceiling, together with the use of moody blue stone tiles, matching designer Angelique Armstrong's powder room also featured in this story.

5. LED backlighting

Bathrooms today are increasingly about building drama and concealed or innovatively used LED lighting plays a key part in this. Particularly popular are back-lit vanity mirrors – and for good reasons. A back-lit mirror is aesthetically pleasing, provides for soft task lighting and can also be used as a restful night light. This Armstrong Interiors-designed classic bathroom suite – TIDA New Zealand Designer Bathroom of the Year – is a case in point.

In the Elliot Johnson-designed TIDA bathroom design, the round mirror's backlighting makes it look like the mirror is floating off the wall.

Story by: Trendsideas