4 curvy ceramic designs for a biophilic bathroom
Water in motion, flowers on the point of bloom and smoothing erosion bring organic lines to LAUFEN collections and creations.
Something is shifting in bathroom design. The curve, while previously presented in graphic, geometric and symmetrical shapes, is undergoing a radical transformation, emerging, as if from nature, in organic and fluid forms. Contemporary curves are softer, rounder and at times irregular, drawing inspiration from the contours and swirls inhabiting the natural world – gushing water, pebbles eroded by the sea, bulbous flowers, rocky coastlines.
Invoking the calming force of nature, these biophilic geometries innately capture human attention and pacify the nervous system. Organic and sinuous curves in the bathroom communicate with the psyche, provoking sensory comfort, a feeling of homecoming and profound wellbeing. An idyllic ambience for daily self-care and grooming rituals.
1. The VOLTA washbasin: enhancing connection with water
Internationally renowned Yves Behar’s love of water is a lifelong affair. It could be anticipated, therefore, that water would be the source of inspiration for his inaugural LAUFEN collaboration. Shaped like a vortex, the interior of the VOLTA washbasin lengthens the time it takes the water to leave the tap and exit via the drain, creating an opportunity for users to connect with the element and its vitality in movement.
VOLTA is crafted in wafer-thin ceramic material Saphirkeramik and fired in the e-kiln, the first electric tunnel kiln for sanitary ceramics. The washbasin is available in wall-hung, bowl and floorstanding models in white, white LCC, white matt and black matt.
2. ILBAGNOALESSI: forms emerging organically from nature
When first designing ILBAGNOALESSI over twenty years ago, celebrated designer Stefano Giovannoni was drawn to the image of white stones being lapped by water. This visual translated into smooth drop shapes in the wall-hung toilets, harmonious curves in the freestanding bathtub and the totemic architecture of the floorstanding washbasin, affectionately known as the Tam Tam.
The more recent update of the collection preserves the collection’s organic narrative while progressing its vocabulary. Fluid lines delicately evoke the form of a tuna fish in the washbasin, enabled by Saphirkeramik. All ceramics for the collection are available in white, white matt, black matt and caffè matt, and complementary furniture is available.
3. THE NEW CLASSIC: lines inspired by a flower about to bloom
The silhouette of a tulip on the verge of blossoming recurs throughout THE NEW CLASSIC, a collection bursting with the romance and poetry that characterise Marcel Wanders’ design DNA. Manifesting as a rim that gently curves outwards, the natural motif is most evident in the wall-hung toothbrush holders and toilet brush holders and more subtly in the form of the washbasins, toilets and freestanding bathtubs.
The refined walnut washbasin frame delicately inverts this pattern creating harmony in the system. Manufactured in Saphirkeramik, THE NEW CLASSIC is available in white and with the option for delicate reliefs in the washbasin surface.
4. The PALOMBA bathtub: the smoothing effect of eternally lapping water
Small tidal pools, eroded coves and beach pebbles were the inspiration for Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba’s PALOMBA bathtub. The point where organic encounters ergonomic, the tub draws sinuous lines that reflect the natural curvatures of waterscapes while maximising comfort and connection with nature while bathing. As smooth as pebbles lapped by the eternal movement of the sea, the bathtub is crafted from Sentec and available in white matt.