showroom

Designer may be using bold colors in the bath and kitchen space in 2023.

Every day design conscious showroom owners, managers and salespeople are bombarded with new trends in the market. They hear about the hot color palette, what stop-and-stare fabrics are covering, the latest furniture designs and what overall style is going to define today’s style. The high design furnitures, fabric, paint and accessory worlds captivate their customers by constantly releasing product. And then, there is our industry.

The decorative pluming industry likes to take a long look around. We like to learn what is going to stick versus what is hot today and gone tomorrow. Then when a decorative plumbing manufacturer’s design team are doubly sure, they will start to craft a new design. Designing a new series involves countless hours of engineering to ensure each product functions flawlessly, is in complete compliance with all of the plumbing and environmental codes and looks great. Doing it right takes talent, time and a lot of money. Yes, the decorative plumbing industry is a slow follower, but walk into any elegant home and people always notice the plumbing fixtures first. Well designed decorative plumbing products stand front and center in every room they inhabit.

Knowing this, let’s discuss the overall design styles that are gaining steam in our post-pandemic, residential interior design world, and that just might be influencing designers who are drawing the new decorative plumbing products for 2023.

Before COVID entered the picture, many forms of minimalism were the popular style and the look held strong well into 2021. We still see this in the plumbing world with consistent sales of single hole faucets with slick, reflective finishes like polished nickel and chrome. But now, the pandemic experience has affected how we look at and live in our homes. People are craving spaces that are comfortable and calming in look and feel. “Clients are asking for warmth, comfort and airiness—this seems to be a common thread amongst current and past projects,” says Erick Garcia of the Los Angeles-based design firm Maison Trouvaille.

This style change is creating a quiet and toasty color palette of warm tones such as rich brown and gold tones accented with nature inspired rose, terra cotta, coral and soft greens. This style movement looks to be strong enough to push the standard white plumbing fixtures our of bathrooms and kitchens.

Be prepared for designers and clients to ask for earth-tone colored sinks, toilets and, yes, free standing bathtubs. White will remain number one, but two through ten will be a mix of whatever color your clients feel will best deliver the comforting mood they are trying to create. They will then likely finish the room with brass tor bronze toned faucets. Ahhh, the 1970’s have returned.

On the flip side of moving in the opposite direction away from minimalism, get ready for bright color explosions. Living with white, white design often creates a desire for rooms adorned with loud, bold colors. “As much as I appreciate an all-white or a neutral color scheme, there’s something about going bolder and brighter that really resonates with me,” notes Daniela Araya with Apartment Therapy.

To create these color vibrant spaces, designers will likely add splashes of loud colors via the floor, walls sinks, toilets, tubs or the faucets. Also note the color does not and probably will not be the same for all the applications. You will see rooms with multiple colors as the designer is trying to create a room that is alive with color. My guess is that faucet and fixture finishes will be all over the place. From deeply reflective polished nickel to blacks with primary colored faucets. The color mix on each job, in each room will likely be unique; driven by the wild dreams in the minds of the client and designer. Hang on tight here, these spaces are memorable for their look and the hard work to get all the colors, finishes and textures to work together.

The addition of wallpaper to bathroom design adds another range of colors.

Do you have wallpaper in your bathrooms?

“Adding wallpaper is a low effort, high impact way to spruce up your bathroom. Whether you choose a graphic wallpaper accent, a subtle pattern to add texture, or cover every wall with a bold and colorful motif, bathroom wallpaper is the perfect finishing touch to instantly transform what can be a boring and utilitarian space,” says Kristin Hohenadel from The Spruce.

The addition wallpaper to a bathroom design adds another range of colors and coloring and can also add story. A powder or guest bathroom, when designed best, is meant to make a stamens and occasionally tell a story.  In bathrooms like these, the showrooms sales persons will no only have to select the best complimentary colors and finishes, they will also have to find the complimentary product styling. Even in the 21st century, people with money want what they want and that could be a simple colonial styled look to leaping lords dancing with swans.  There is no limit to the stories people love to share and how they would like them depicted in their homes.  Homes that they have been locked in, alone for for more than three years. And now they will begin to entertain. Entertain with food, drink and to showoff their amazing homes.

Bold colored freestanding tubs are taking the stage in showrooms and luxury bathrooms.

With all this going on, what is a showroom to do?

With all this swimming in your mind, agree or disagree, I suggest sharing this article with your showroom team and arrange a fun, free willing discussion on what styles and stories they are witnessing with their clients. Below is a suggested agenda:

1) Discuss their thoughts on the article and insights learned in the showroom.

2) As a team agree on what styles are gaining popularity.

3) Create a plan to enlighten your target market how you are supporting these emerging design styles.

a. Suggestions: Emails, blog entries, client’s applicable jobs, showroom Vignettes and themed open houses.

Even if these trends are not emerging within your target market, style marketing is always a great way to show your market leadership. Talking about how the 1970’s look is gaining steam in Los Angeles and New York shows your clients that you not only know your plumbing, you are watching for what is now trending and how it will affect the decorative plumbing market. No matter how talented and hard-working a designer, they cannot know it all. You have their back. When their client returns from New York and wants to see a look that they saw and loved, they know your showroom team has it ready to present. Your brand makes your design clients better. That is what leading showrooms do.

Be brave, open minded and have fun.

About the Author

Jeffrey Valles is a Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association Lifetime Fellow.

 Lead photo courtesy of sl-f / iStock / Getty Images Plus. Center photo courtesy of sl-f / iStock / Getty Images Plus. Bottom photo courtesy of Brankospejs / iStock / Getty Images Plus.