#CatchOnCurates: Futuristic Bathroom Design with Teo Su Seam of LTW

From sanctuaries of absolution to a harried mom’s panic room, bathrooms have come a long way from their more perfunctory roles. We talked to Teo Su Seam, partner at LTW, an award-winning interior design studio, who recently unveiled their design for the Kohler Experience Centre in Singapore.

What’s the future of bathroom design?

If I told you bathrooms in the future will be one-part spa and one-part entertainment lounges, will you believe me? It’s not such a farfetched reality. Technology has allowed bathrooms to morph into temples of relaxation while providing users with connectivity and an interactive experience. Imagine a multi-screen display that lets you surf the web while having a bath. Future bathrooms will also allow for customization where you’ll be able to adjust the height of fixtures and customize the temperature of the room, mood music, the lighting, scents and more. You will not want to leave!

Cutting edge technology also means future-oriented materials and fixtures that deliver both high performance and exceptional design. We tried to express that in one of the rooms in the Kohler Experience Centre, where the aesthetic is modern and minimalist. Clean lines with polished concrete flooring, reflective surfaces and innovative LED lighting combine to create a futuristic backdrop to showcase Kohler’s most technologically driven products.

What about amenities?

Currently, the most popular amenities for the bathroom are in the arena of safety and comfort: comfort heights, shower seats, lighting in showers and no-threshold showers. Emerging amenities are smart toilets, smart toilet seats, music in the shower, and easy maintenance features. Because sustainability and the environment are increasingly important factors in design, water-saving toilets and faucets are becoming more mainstream.

Sensual bathtubs vs high-tech showers… both seem to be fighting for pride of place in a bathroom.

What’s your preference?

Definitely high-tech showers! I wish I have the luxury of time to soak in a bathtub but I don’t, too much time goes into waiting for the bathtub to be filled with water. I enjoy the pressure of water hitting my skin and the sensation of the steamy water calms me, it takes my mind of things after a long day. There are many types of setting in a shower head: Massage, rain, rain+massage and rain+spray and my favorite would be standing under the showerhead with the massage setting, with the jets of water hitting the right spots at the back which a bathtub will not be able to do.

What’s your dream bathroom?

This is a very personal space for me. I would like to walk in to a cozy, warm, open spaced bathroom with windows big enough to bring in natural light and ventilation. There needs to be music played whenever I take a shower, I’ll install an in-ceiling speakers which can be controlled through an app on the phone so that the music is amplified throughout the bathroom. There also needs to be ample vanity space to place the amenities, toiletries and towels neatly with every product within hand’s reach. If I am able to preset a bubble bath with the right temperature and amount of water through a remote or an app, that will truly be an experience that I look forward whenever I get home from work after a long day.If not a steam bathroom with comfortable lounges designed for me to lay restfully keeps me contended.

Virginia Ngai