Understanding bathroom design with Lonneke de Waard
29 October 2024
Lonneke de Waard, Senior designer at Studio Piet Boon, shares her perspective on the design process and inspiration behind the studio’s bathroom designs. For Lonneke, a modern bathroom is a fusion of functionality, comfort, and custom details.
Bathrooms as an extension of the home
According to Lonneke, bathrooms in modern homes are the place where grand gestures and fine details converge. “Bathrooms today can be more streamlined and monolithic, with aesthetics and functionality taking center stage,” she explains. She emphasizes the importance of natural materials such as stone, wood, and refined metal finishes for faucets and fittings. These materials not only lend a sense of luxury to the bathroom but also create a spa-like experience, even in smaller spaces. The Piet Boon by COCOON collection, featuring bathroom and kitchen faucets, baths, drawer units, and sinks, is a perfect example. The use of stone, wood, and solid surface materials creates a timeless and serene atmosphere.
Color and material choices: timeless appeal
In her designs, Lonneke strives for harmony between colors and materials that complement each other seamlessly. “It’s important to maximize any budget by balancing simpler materials with luxurious statements,” she says. This allows you to create a bathroom with allure without compromising on a sense of luxury. An example of this is the Piet Boon bathroom accessories by Formani; toothbrush holders and soap dispensers made from high-quality stainless steel and Corian®. These accessories provide a refined appearance.
Functionality and aesthetics go hand in hand
While aesthetics play a prominent role for Lonneke, functionality remains an essential aspect of her designs. She explains how carefully planned storage spaces and niches ensure that everyday items are kept out of sight, giving the bathroom a clean and stylish look. This balance between form and function makes her designs unique.
Sustainability in bathroom design
Sustainability is a significant factor in Lonneke’s work. “I like working with materials like natural stone and oak. The high quality of these materials ensures they last for decades,” she says. Although there can be debate about the sustainability of these natural materials, Lonneke emphasizes that a timeless design, crafted with attention to detail and quality, can last many years—which, for her, is the essence of sustainability. This aligns seamlessly with the philosophy of Salvatori, an Italian design brand specializing in natural stone. These products, from flooring and walls to baths and accessories, add a luxurious, timeless quality to any bathroom.
“I like working with materials like natural stone and oak. The high quality of these materials ensures they last for decades.”
The Bathroom of the future: more personality, less uniformity
Lonneke envisions a future where personal expression and endless possibilities in materials are central to bathroom design. Where bathrooms once were uniform, with simple white tiles and standard faucets, there is now a shift toward bespoke spaces fully aligned with the style of the resident and the home. The modular setup of products from the Piet Boon by COCOON collection, for example, offers people the flexibility to tailor their bathroom to their own taste and needs.
Favorite materials and vision for the future
She aims to design bathrooms that are timeless and complement the rest of the interior. For her, the challenge lies in creating spaces that remain relevant and beautiful even twenty years from now, without being influenced by trends.
Through her design approach, Lonneke de Waard proves that luxury, functionality, and sustainability can go hand in hand, and that every bathroom can become a place where comfort and beauty come together.
