New Flush of Innovation
As design and technology advance, the smart bathrooms of tomorrow will work harder than ever to cater to the needs of the user, while exuding the look of effortless elegance. Prepare to be transported to a future that was unimaginable just a few years ago.
Imagine an innovative bathroom built to fulfil your every desire. As you step into this sumptuous space, it recognises who you are, your favourite scent wafts through the air conditioning, and the shower turns on at your preferred temperature and pressure using your ideal combination of jets. While you undress, you can ask your interactive mirror for the local traffic report, before your perfect music floods the room and the lights dim to the setting you find most soothing. After you’ve washed and your body has been gently blow-dried, you take a moment to read the data created by your floor, which has automatically weighed you, and by your toilet, which has analysed your waste.
It might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but you only have to look at the average unrenovated bathroom to see how far we have come in terms of both form and function in recent years. And with innovation at an all-time high, it seems the sky is the limit when it comes to just how smart, indulgent and aesthetically unrivalled the smart bathrooms of tomorrow could be. Some of the bathroom technology luxuries which are expected to become mainstream over the coming years include:
Hot and cold storage
While pulling on a snuggly thick dressing gown after bathing is one of life’s little pleasures, how much better would it be if that robe had been gently heated for you? Warming drawers are poised to move out of the kitchen and into the bathroom where they will heat linens and clothing, adding an extra level of comfort to the simple act of getting dressed. But it’s not all about the warm, fridges for medicines and beauty products that benefit from a cooler temperature are also expected to become more commonplace.
Auto ordering
It can be frustrating to reach for the shower gel and discover your partner has snagged the last drop, not to mention the fact you’ve run out of face cream. As the likes of voice-activated personal assistants rise in popularity, so are the options for online ordering, meaning your shower could soon be connected to a service that will automatically organise that fancy shampoo you can’t do without.
A health advisor in your mirror
A mirror that simply shows your reflection is increasingly dated. With smart mirrors that respond to voice commands, stream TV shows and advise on the sport results now available, tech gurus are seeing how far they can push what was once a fairly ornamental addition to a bathroom. Concerned about your eyesight? Your mirror could perform retinal scans and advise of issues. Wondering about that mole on your back? Check out your reflection while it’s analysed for you. And when you don’t need the mirror for its high tech myriad of functions, you can switch the whole thing into a piece of art showcasing your favourite image.
The call of nature gets technical in smart bathrooms
Japanese innovators have already transformed the once simple toilet into something with sensors and washing options, and with voice-activated flushing currently on the market, there seems no limit to where the WC can go. Capabilities tipped to become widespread include recognition software that automatically adjusts the toilet to your height, and waste analytics which advise of pregnancy or health issues.
Innovative bathrooms are saving the planet
We’re all increasingly aware of the need to conserve energy and water, but it can be tough when it comes at the expense of a gushing shower or a properly flushing toilet. Happily, innovations that solve that conundrum are available and expected to grow. Water recycling showers such as OrbSys, which avoids wastage by purifying then immediately reusing heated water, are likely to become a popular way of reducing both water use and energy consumption. Similarly, innovations which involve using wastewater to flush the toilet are tipped to be the way of the future.
Technical tapware
Currently the focus is on aesthetics in tapware, but behind the scenes these seemingly simple elements of the bathroom are being revamped and modernised. Faucets that turn on and off automatically when your presence is detected are making their way into private bathrooms, and LED lighting technology is becoming more widespread, advising temperature which can be adjusted remotely. Research is also ongoing to optimise experience while conserving power and water.
Complete Customisation
While there are more options than ever to choose from when it comes to fitting out your bathroom in 2019, there are still those who struggle to find a bath that truly envelops the body and a comfortable toilet seat shaped perfectly to their dimensions. That is unlikely to be a problem down the track as 3D printing arrives in bathrooms, allowing users to shape every fixture to their personal dimensions.