Bathroom bling and trading up on tableware

While chatting about bathroom trends this week with style expert Arren Williams for my Hot Home Products column, he shared what he thinks are three tips for getting great style. “The biggest mistake is not buying a good faucet,” says Williams. “And you should. You’ll be handling it every day, and it’s a visual focal point. So make it a little jewel!" He also suggests running tile all the way to the ceiling for a cleaner look, and building in “storage niches” for bath products when doing a shower redo. While Williams like a sleekly spa-like feeling in bath design, he concedes that ornamental elements and colour are creeping in. The raised white bowl, set against blue tiles, from a new collection from Villeroy and Boch, shown above, is a good example.

Speaking of Villeroy & Boch, the renowned tableware company is sending Isabelle von Boch, who represents the eighth generation of family members involved in the business, to a Dinnerware Exchange event being held at their Cookstown location on May 22 and 23, at which attendees can "trade up" to Villeroy & Boch pieces. Folks whose tableware has seen better days can turn them it for upgrade, and get style tips from von Boch. Walk-ins are welcome, however appointments are highly recommended. For more information or to reserve a space, click here or call the Cookstown House of Villeroy & Boch at 705-458-0435.Customers who can’t get to the event can still take advantage of the promotion, which launches May 14. Personally, I was delighted to learn that the V & B has re-issued its Acapulco design, as I inherited a set of the sunny, seventies-style dinnerware from my mother, and need a few replacement pieces.