The growing biennial dedicated to bathrooms, the International Bathroom Exhibition 2022 will be showcasing lots of new ideas that bring water and energy saving together with relaxation and emotion from June 7 to June 12, 2022, at Fiera Milano, Rho, Pavilions 22-24.
A benchmark exhibition at the international level, the International Bathroom Exhibition is a growing and dynamic fair. Now into its eighth edition, it is the leading international event for those involved with bathroom furnishing; thanks to its ability to attract all the leading figures – from architects to major buying groups and individual retailers – as well as modern consumers. 172 exhibitors ranging over more than 17,000 m2 will be showcasing the very best of international production: from furniture and accessories to shower cubicles, porcelain sanitaryware, radiators, taps and fittings and bathtubs.
Bathroom furniture companies have been investing in research and innovation for years to come up with low-energy products in line with the most recent market demands for sustainability. This has caused them to focus on water saving and on using low impact, recyclable and circular materials that also guarantee high quality and durable products. Some taps and fittings allow for perfect regulation of hot and cold water or come equipped with flow adjusters that allow for up to a 50 per cent reduction in consumption.
Other systems make water consumption easier to manage, through continuous monitoring and an audible water wastage alarm, making the user more conscious of the need to husband this natural resource more carefully. There are also projects looking to the future as regards re-use: systems that will allow the heat produced by the water to be stored for heating the water for subsequent showers, without further energy consumption. Toilets are strictly rimless and designed to use very little water, with 4.5 litre or even 3 litre flushes.
Smart devices and digital mechanisms can now transform rooms with a simple touch, whatever the need. As regards design, the latest trend is for bathrooms as extensions and integrations to living rooms, boasting storage and furnishing systems in shapes and materials that would not look out of place in drawing rooms and bedrooms. Geometries are everywhere, especially when it comes to lines and curved and plastic shapes, married with a clean and spare design that brings out colours, materials and textures. Although Japandi, a blend of Japanese minimalism and Scandinavian style, is not entirely new, the quest for simplicity and balance is still very much to the fore and counterbalances the opposing neo–Art Deco trend.
Built-in systems with concealed drawers or open shelves, mirrors and accessories, harnessing bespoke and hi-tech solutions, and a wide choice of finishes, are increasingly in demand even in industrial production. Walk-in showers are becoming increasingly popular, with one no-profile panel, invisible supports and recessed shower trays flush with the floor. Radiators appear ever more sculptural in the space given over to wellness.
As regards materials, the protagonists will be polychrome marble and wood, which transfer heat and a spiritual sense of place, organicity and nature. While delicate shades are not entirely banned (the pink and green combo is on-trend) and white is always a classic, deep, solid colours will be the order of the day, along with bold pairings and contrasting combinations, albeit in a constant bid for harmony. Liquid colours, saturated greens and blues, evoking the intensity of ocean depths, will be innovative and offset the gold, brass and copper accents of the taps and fittings, whether brushed or not. There will be no lack of dark grey and coal-black, increasingly sought after not just for coverings and floorings, but also for sanitaryware.
Image credits: Andrea Mariani for Salone Del Mobile.Milano