NKBA | KBIS asked the principals of Vancouver-based Knight Varga Interiors about the top trends in primary bath and powder room design — including their preferred materials and what clients request most often.
By Donna Heiderstadt
Trish Knight and Nicole Varga have their fingers on the pulse of luxury residential design. The principals of Vancouver-based Knight Varga Interiors believe that “leading a happy and healthy life begins at home,” and their design philosophy blends sophistication and livability in a collaborative process that is personalized to their clients’ needs and lifestyle. Business partners since 2019, they both work with each client from concept to completion, ensuring a hands-on approach that intentionally keeps their firm small and highly focused.
After winning first place in two bath categories — Primary Bath and Powder Room — at the 2024 NKBA | KBIS Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards in Las Vegas in February, the principals answered NKBA | KBIS’ five questions about smart technology, storage and timelessness in luxury bath and kitchen design — and what constitutes overall good design.
NKBA | KBIS: What are the most significant trends you’re seeing in primary bath design, and how will these trends influence the space’s design in the years ahead?
Trish Knight & Nicole Varga: The primary bath is no longer thought of as just a functional room. It has become a sanctuary that is as important as any other living space in the home. Technology is being integrated in the form of smart toilets and digital shower systems that can be controlled from a phone — so placing power next to the toilet for a future smart toilet has become a standard on all our projects.
Integrating a spa experience into our client’s primary baths is equally important. This includes soaker tubs and large showers with multiple options like rain showers, handhelds, body sprays, steam and aromatherapy. Lastly, large format tiles have become a go-to on all our projects for ease of cleaning and luxury style. When a client’s budget allows, we like to clad all the walls in the bath with materials such as Dekton, quartz or porcelain. These three trends work together to create a timeless, luxurious experience for our clients in their homes.
NKBA | KBIS: How is main-floor powder room design evolving in the 2020s? What are the top things homeowners are looking for in a powder room?
Trish Knight & Nicole Varga: Designing a powder room is the perfect opportunity to express personality and have fun. We love to add multiple wall details — such as stone, wood and wallpaper — as well as design unique sinks and get creative with the lighting. This is a space every guest will see when clients entertain, so making it memorable and luxurious is the number-one request.
The powder room is also often used daily by all family members, so durability and function are equally important. Other top powder room requests that we’re seeing are wall mounted toilets, integrated counters and sinks and wall-mounted faucets. The space’s location also needs to be discreet and allow for privacy. If possible, concealing the toilet from view when the door is open is preferable.
NKBA | KBIS: What are the three most significant requests from your clients when you discuss kitchen and bath design during a new build or renovation?
Trish Knight & Nicole Varga: Regardless of design aesthetic or budget, each of our projects begins with three basic assumptions that must be met: maximizing natural light for year-round enjoyment of the space; selecting durable, well-made materials from manufacturers with strong sustainability stories without compromising design; and planning for longevity since we look at each project as a long-term plan and choose materials, finishes and appliances accordingly.
Our top kitchen requests are for chef kitchens and/or butler pantries. If space allows, clients love to have a separate area within the kitchen for meal prep, open storage and the ability to clean up. Clients also ask us to integrate the kitchen design into the rest of the home with finishes as elevated as the adjacent living and dining spaces, which is especially important in open-concept homes. Lastly, lots of appliances! With people entertaining more at home and placing a larger focus on healthy living, we find ourselves adding flexible appliances — like steam ovens, ice makers, beverage fridges and cooling drawers that can be set to multiple temperatures — in addition to large ranges, full fridges and freezers and multiple dishwashers.
In the bath, clients are requesting a separate room for the toilet, a shower large enough for two with individual showers set to each person’s preferences and separate storage when the bath is shared.
NKBA | KBIS: What is more challenging? Refurbishing a smaller space to fit all or most of a client’s needs or making a large, open plan space feel warm and inviting? Why?
Trish Knight & Nicole Varga: We enjoy working on both small and large spaces, and each has its challenges. In a small space, fitting in the “wish list” is a fun puzzle that forces us to think outside the box to come up with creative solutions. With large open concept spaces, warmth is created by layering textures and materials and ensuring there are cozy intimate spaces for every member of the family. This is definitely our specialty!
NKBA | KBIS: What constitutes good design? How do you most effectively blend your personal design aesthetic with the overall architecture or existing interior design in a client’s home?
Trish Knight & Nicole Varga: Good design is about creating spaces that are not just visually stunning but also functional and comfortable for everyday living. Achieving this balance requires a thoughtful approach that seamlessly integrates luxurious elements with practicality and common sense. In the open concept homes we’re known for, we balance materials, tones and textures while emphasizing timeless over trendy and always considering the environmental impact of the products selected.
Blending our personal design aesthetic with the overall architecture and design of a client’s home always begins with getting to know the client and their goals and familiarizing ourselves with the site or existing space, including landscape and views, as well as natural light opportunities. From there, we look for common ground between the client’s preferences, their home’s architecture and our design aesthetic. The goal is to create a cohesive, personalized vision exclusively for each client.
