Available in a myriad of styles and finishes, fixtures are essentially jewelry for a Houston bathroom. They set the style for the entire room and help create a harmonious design. The most recent trends indicate that even though what is old is new again, technology is continually changing the way homeowners interact with their most private spaces. Working with a Houston residential plumber to install new fixtures will bring fresh life to an old, worn-out bath, or complete the overall design in a remodel or new construction.
Coordinating the finishes and styles of all bathroom fixtures, including plumbing, lighting, and bathroom and cabinet hardware, will result in a cohesive look. If faucets are curved, hardware should have soft, rounded shapes. Alternatively, if edges are squared off and a linear design dominates, fixtures with sharp, clean lines would be more appropriate. Matching towel bars, towel rings, robe hooks, storage shelves, and grab bars should be placed conveniently wherever they are needed.
Choosing the wrong finish for fixtures could result in a fragmented look and throw an entire bathroom design into chaos. Polished finishes, while most subject to fingerprints and water spots, are still extremely popular. Mixed finishes typically combine two or more of these glossy finishes, usually polished chrome and brass.
Polished chrome, the most inexpensive finish option, is still the most popular single finish although other finishes combined are now outselling chrome. Chrome is simply the best alternative for a glossy sheen in ultra-sleek spa designs, Scandinavian, or other modern or minimalist designs.
Making a strong comeback after being banished from the finish gallery for quite a long time are polished brass, gold and yellow finishes due to their richness in color and ability to stand out. While always appropriate to match existing finishes when replacing a single fixture where authenticity and a vintage or period look such as Early American or Victorian was desired, gilded golds are coming full circle once again as an opulent accent.
Matte finishes will not show fingerprints or water spots nearly as easily as polished sheens, but they will be much more understated in their contribution to the overall design. A brushed nickel finish is extremely resilient — even outlasting stainless steel, which is known for its durability. Both silvery-toned, low-luster finishes are elegant and sophisticated and hold universal appeal for contemporary decors with muted or earthy tones. Brushed brass is also gaining traction as its polished counterpart regains popularity.
Oil-rubbed bronze, black, and wrought iron finishes are slightly more expensive options, and copper fixtures are downright high-end. These finishes, with their rich, dark tones, are best for more traditional, Old World Tuscan or Mediterranean décor schemes. Rustic and durable, these finishes are not likely to go out of style anytime soon with their classic charm and timeless appeal.
While choosing the correct finish is important, selecting fixtures that will be as functional as they are beautiful is just as critical. The shower is one place where technology is really making itself visible. While many people are still content with a standard, single shower head, others are interested in the entire spa experience during their daily cleansing routine, often because it is the one place where the stresses of daily life cannot encroach.
A fixed shower head with multiple spray patterns is the most inexpensive and popular shower upgrade. Featuring a number of different sprays ranging from massaging, pulsating jets to soft, rain-like flows with everything in between, selecting one of these budget-friendly options can enhance any morning bathing ritual.
The next rung on the shower fixture ladder is a hand-held shower head with adjustable streams. Due to the aging of the populace, adding the ability to easily reach any part of the body creates flexibility and convenience for older or disabled individuals who require universal design, undoubtedly one of the most prominent new bathroom design trends. Universal design ensures that aging individuals can safely and securely navigate their everyday routine while minimizing falls and other hazardous incidents that can be so detrimental to an older person’s health.
For more high-end installations, rain showers and waterfall tub faucets are still very popular, if not quite as stimulating as the newest shower towers featuring multiple heads with body sprays and other extravagances such as integrated music, LED lighting for bathroom chromatherapy, aromatherapy options, or all of these combined. Fully enclosed steam showers are a huge development in the luxury category. Hiring a professional plumber who works for a bonded and insured Houston plumbing company is the best way to ensure a trouble-free installation for any of these trend-setting fixtures.