Believe it or not, we spend a significant amount of time in our bathrooms every year between showering, grooming, and “escaping” or relaxing. According to this 2019 study, the average person will spend 416 days of their life in the bathroom. More specifically, men will spend 373 days, or 23 minutes per day; and women will spend 456 days, or 29 minutes per day.

With this much time in the bathroom, more and more homeowners are expecting their bathrooms to work harder—playing an important role in their lives. These 2020 bathroom design trends highlight the key features that homeowners are selecting in West Lafayette to improve their everyday bathroom experiences.

Convert Your Tub to a Shower

Particularly common among Lafayette homeowners is the need to ditch their tub for a large more functional walk-in shower. While it’s not advised to replace every tub in your home with a shower, the master bathroom is one place where you can make an exception.

If you are a person with mobility issues, claustrophobia, or just like the convenience of a large open walk-in shower, a barrier-free (or curbless) shower is an ideal solution. These showers are designed to sit flush with the floor and generally don’t have any doors.

Curbless showers are the epitome of luxury and perfect for homeowners who are aging-in-place but desired by anyone regardless of age or ability. Once you've showered in a barrier-free shower, you'll never want to go back.

Incorporate Universal Design Features

Depending upon your need or area of comfort, incorporating universal design features into your bathroom may prolong the stay in your home. West Lafayette homeowners are seamlessly incorporating products that make their bathroom functional, safe and beautiful for many years to come. Some of these product features include, non-slip floors, bidets, extra lighting, functional grab bars, handheld showerheads, and enlarged doorways, just to name a few.

Attach a Handheld Showerhead

Consider a handheld showerhead to get the most from your showering experience. These units attach to your shower wall via a long hose and can be easily removed to direct the spray of water right where you want it.

Because it has an extended reach, handheld showerheads are great for overall convenience and accessibility needs. They make it easier to rinse hard to reach areas, bath pets, shave, and even clean the shower.

Add Additional Storage

Common among Lafayette homeowners is a need for more storage, particularly in the bathroom. If your bathroom is stacked to the gills with bathroom supplies or cluttered with toiletries, you may want to join Riverside Construction clients who have redesigned their bathrooms to improve usability and boost their home value.

Several ways to increase storage space in your bathroom include under-sink cabinets, carving out a niche with open shelving or floating shelves, repurposing space to create a linen closet, recessed medicine cabinets, and other effective tricks of the trade.

Choose a Comfort Height Toilet

One of West Lafayette’s latest bathroom design trends includes comfort height toilets. The height of a traditional toilet is 15-inches from floor to seat. A comfort height toilet is 17- to 19-inches from floor to seat. A higher toilet makes it easier to sit down, get up, and overcome physical issues such as weak legs and bad knees, etc.

Opt for a Comfort Height Vanity

Just like comfort height toilets, taller vanities (also known as comfort height bathroom vanities) are also trending in West Lafayette—and rightfully so. Most bathroom vanities ten years or older have a height of 31- to 33-inches; whereas, the new comfort height bathroom vanities are 36-inches. These new comfort height vanities are the same height as a kitchen base cabinet and are the new standard size for bathroom vanities. They help improve posture, reduce the need to stoop and bend and minimize back strain.

‍NOTE: The comfort height bathroom vanities are best for master bathrooms because they are better suited for adults (they are a little too high for most children to reach). If you have kids who use a hall bathroom, you might consider keeping to the old traditional vanity height of 31-33 inches.

Customize Your Shower Walls

Kohler now offers an innovative shower wall system focused on easing the task of creating the perfect showering space. A Choreograph shower wall and accessory collection offer Lafayette homeowners both a well-organized and beautiful showering space. It features in-wall storage, moveable shelves, integral hooks, baskets, and a slanted bottom ledge to use when shaving or having to balance yourself in the shower. Check out this unique design trend hitting West Lafayette.

Use Surfaces That Are Easier to Clean

Let's face it, cleaning the shower isn’t easy. But, choosing the right surface can make it easier. Popular among Lafayette homeowners are solid surface showers, which are easier to clean, especially if you have hard water.

Here are the three most popular solid surface shower panels that we see among our clients:

‍● Fiberglass Showers

‍● Cultured Marble Panels

‍● Choreograph Shower

‍Tiled showers are also popular. They are a little more time-consuming to clean (particularly the grout lines), but they come in a variety of options that are beautiful, durable, moisture resistant, easy to clean, and also provide a safe non-slip surface.

What's Next?

If you would like more information about current bathroom design trends or are interested in exploring bathroom remodeling options for your home, take a look at our Bathroom Remodeling Portfolio to help get you started. Also, attend one of our upcoming complimentary Home Remodeling Luncheon Seminars. Or, receive the latest design trends and home remodeling tips by signing up to receive our Monthly Newsletter.

‍When you are ready to talk with one of our designers about beginning your new bathroom remodel, please schedule a conversation about your home remodeling needs or call us at 765.838.1644.