With increased spending capacities, luxury bathrooms gain prominence In India, the bathroom has traditionally been considered a space for simple everyday tasks. It has been deemed a utilitarian room that doesn’t require too much thought or investment. However, this slightly antediluvian way of perceiving the bathroom has slowly but surely been undergoing a paradigm shift. As disposable incomes and spending capacities spiral in the nation, lifestyle aspirations of the consumers in India have also been experiencing an evolutionary process. The bathroom has been elevated from its status as an area where daily ablutions are carried out to a space that reflects the personal style of the homeowners. It is becoming a definitive epitome of luxury, sophistication, rejuvenation and well-being in a home. The discerning but tasteful Indian consumers are pulling all stops to metamorphose the bathrooms in their homes. They desire all the luxuries that they experience in a spa or in the bathroom of a 5-star hotel right inside their own abode. With the rise in their capability and willingness to spend, Indian consumers are shelling out what they see as a justified amount for integrated bathrooms, WCs with minimalistic contours, wellness toilets for personal hygiene, intuitive sanitary ware fixtures that come with advance technological specifications like remote controls, touch screens etc. One-piece integrated toilets in bright colours that save space and also imbue the room with a sparkling freshness are all the rage for urban Indian homes where space is often restrained. Textured finishes and harmonious designs are a hallmark of the top sanitary ware companies and Indian buyers are ready to pay the premium at which these products come because of their superlative appeal. The well-travelled and well-heeled Indian is conversant with the benefits that innovation in bathroom concepts is capable of providing. For instance, revolutionary ideas like wall-hung toilets that have an integrated tank within the unit are being lapped up with great alacrity. Consumers of today can appreciate the superiority of style and technology that such versatile products embody. There is also a steady rise in the desire for state-of-the-art technology in bathrooms. For example, multi-functional remote controls in WCs enable one to customize experience to the extent of adjusting the temperature of the toilet seat. Be it remote-controlled toilets or ergonomic bathtubs with touch-screen panels, intuitive technology is always welcome for the pampering and indulgent experience it offers.
Unique geometrical forms, horizontal outlets and radical shapes are also finding ready acceptance in Indian homes. Consumers are rapidly opting for square-shaped WCs that are forceful, compact and rational with a pure geometrical and distinct design. Thanks to the simplicity of the lines, such WCs can easily coexist with the different stylistic registers that are required of contemporary interior decorating. Similarly, compact vitreous china wall-hung, rimless WCs optimise any bathroom space and are therefore much in vogue in the domestic market. With their modern and stylish contours, they make for an intelligent choice for converting a bath into a spa without compromising on the availability of space. Today, foremost bathroom solutions providers are keeping pace with every new demand and need of their patrons. To address the specific requirements of physically-challenged users and senior citizens, most leading brands have come up with concepts that deliver a highly comfortable experience to users with special needs. The solutions include innovative apertures that make the hygiene of the handicapped easier since there is enough room to introduce the hand to clean after every use. Such fixtures are not only ideal for the home but are also being increasingly adopted in public places like hospitals, hotels, high-end malls etc. Beautiful faucets that spell sophistication and elegance are also witnessing heavy investments across the country. Simple and contemporary aesthetics in faucets are de rigeur at the moment as they help in lending a subtle, stylish appeal to the showering space. There is also a tremendous thrust on faucets that provide maximum functionality with minimal consumption of water. This helps patrons save money and resources both and therefore form an essential aspect of their decision-making when purchasing fittings and fixtures for their bathrooms. Sustainability is playing a more pivotal role in decision-making today than ever before as consumers become more environmentally and socially conscious. High levels of smoothness, comfort and precision in getting the desired water flow and temperature are other key aspects that usually affect consumer decisions in this regard. The Indian consumers today look for a sophisticated blend of price, style, sustainability and quality when investing in their dream bathrooms. While they are ready to spend on what they deem as worthy of their homes, they seek choices that spell luxury and superlative functional utility. They are ready to go the whole hog when it comes to orchestrating supreme showering spaces that exude elegance but they will do so with careful precision and scrutiny. Therefore, avant-garde innovations in technology and design are the by-word of the day for the sanitary ware solutions market in the country. It is an undeniable truth that disposable incomes and the willingness to spend on luxury bathrooms are on the rise in the Indian market like never before. However, this increased purchase propensity is going to be leveraged only if the product offerings are par excellence and nothing like the ordinary.
Vijay Asrani, Marketing Head, Roca The views expressed in this article are author´s own
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