The bathroom remains the most-remodeled room in the house, and for good reason. It’s the fastest, least complex space to redecorate.
But perking up a bathroom — not to mention planning one in a house under construction — requires more choices than ever before, as illustrated by the overwhelming number of products crowding 1. 5 million square feet of exhibition space at the recent Kitchen / Bath Industry Show in Chicago. The show draws tens of thousands of U. S. and international interior designers, builders, dealers, remodelers, retailers and others in the industry, while manufacturers and suppliers work hard to impress them with new items, features, concepts and designs. At this and similar trade shows, competition is fierce among companies aiming products at upscale buyers, even with the current economic slowdown that’s creating more price-conscious consumers.
Still, “bigger is better” remains a major theme, with the size of the average house (and bathroom ) growing. So are the number and features of baths, showers and sinks, whose spalike amenities are glorified in ads, magazine and newspaper features and on cable channels like HGTV. If price is no object, the finished product can be dazzling.
At the industry show, for example, a spa-style bathroom designed by Traditional Home magazine features intimate his-andhers alcoves with individual vanities, toilets and bathing facilities.
For him: a Kohler steam shower with a DTV interface, water tiles, chromatherapy (the use of color to maintain balance and vitality ), media sound tiles, ambient lighting and 54-nozzle showerhead; it’s $ 9, 000.
For her, surfaces of a whirlpool tub / shower deck, walls, ceiling, vanity and dressingtable countertops and mirror frames are made of DuPont Corian.
The in-between area is theirs: A freestanding whirlpool / soaking tub by Kallista ($ 11, 660 including faucet and hand shower ) takes pride of place along with a “spa bar” (booze not included ) and such accessories as a black Murano glass chandelier. There remains enough free floor space to hold a party within the 560-square-foot room.
A trade show allows ogling of settings like this mega-bathroom as well as products designed to fill it — without attention to cost or personal taste. After all, one person’s remodeling budget could well be another’s annual income.
With that understood, here’s a sampler of some of the latest features and froufrou for bathroom tubs, showers and sinks, along with some impressive money-is-no-object items.
BATHTUBS Most people shower rather than bathe. Still, most people believe a bathtub is a necessity. Or maybe a whirlpool or soaking tub. Sizes, shapes and features seem to be multiplying like fruit flies in all the tub subcategories. Plain old tubs. Many aren’t so “plain old” anymore. They, like whirlpools and other styles, come in round, square and pear shapes as well as slipper, oval, key and triangle. Find them with or without armrests or grab-bars; with anti-microbial and mold-resistant surfaces; slip resistance; deeper and wider wells, and a variety of angles to lean back upon.
While conventional materials remain common, you can find tubs in glass, stone, concrete, copper, teak and solid surface. Whirlpool tubs. These come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and amenities. They often include a heater to keep recirculating water warm. Some models brag about technology or extra insulation that reduces noise. You’ll find an increasing number of “overflowing” models that can be filled to the brim, with excess water spilling into a built-in moat (cleaning the moat doesn’t sound too appetizing, however ).
Tubs come with chromatherapy, aromatherapy and audio features. Some allow you to change water pressure and focus during your bath. Others have removable head pillows (massage jets or waterfalls are often just below the pillow at neck height ). Still others have back-height jets. We like it when jets are flush with the tub’s surface. MTI developed an invisible audio system that delivers full-bodied sound throughout the tub (imagine the feel of bass notes ); Kohler has another version.
Air baths. Warmed air is injected into the bath through dozens of tiny air jets powered by a blower that can adjust massage intensity and location. You’re surrounded by effervescence instead of targeted jets of water. Air jets are cleaned through an automatic or manual purge function versus whirlpools that clean through flushing the system. Bath oils as well as salt can be used. Combining air and whirlpool in one tub is becoming more common.
Soaking tubs. An increasing number of tubs labeled as soakers are combined with whirlpools or air baths. Soaking tubs as well as some plain old tubs have added depth and width that make an up-to-the-neck soak possible. Those based on traditional Japanese soaking tubs have vertical sides and a seat. Only you can decide whether the right-angled wall and bottom provide a relaxing position.
Walk-in tubs: They’ve been aimed at elderly people or those with mobility problems. But marketing masters may soon add another spin: They’re luxury tubs for forward-thinking baby boomers reaching their 60 s. You enter through a gate and sit on a built-in bench; nothing to clamber over. They’re deep. They can come as whirlpools, air baths or soaking tubs, with or without hand-held showerheads. Downside: You must wait until the tub is drained before exiting — a heated air feature or easily accessible towel (preferably snuggly warm ) is recommended. Prices range from around $ 3, 300 to $ 10, 000.
Most romantic tub: The WaterDance Soaking Art by Jetta comes in translucent shades of azure blue, violet and mint green. What sets it off is a choice of bases handcrafted by metalsmiths, then signed and numbered. Ponderosa features pine boughs and cones, and Wine Country has flowing vines and bunches of grapes. It retails at $ 8, 125.
Tub we wish we’d seen: The fully loaded Jentle Pet by MTI is a self-cleaning whirlpool spa for dogs with five whirlpool jets, air-volume control, a handheld showerhead, storage, nonslip floor and cleaning system. It comes in big-dog and littledog sizes. It’s $ 1, 199; with all the perks $ 2, 599. Gripes: Too many tubs are difficult and unsafe to enter and exit, even for the young and agile. Framing around dropin baths is often more than 12 inches wide so that stepping over the edge to get in or out can be dangerous unless you’re a basketball player. If steps are installed, a supporting grab-bar or railing should be too. Sunken tubs also need sure-footed bathers.
SHOWERS Showers come in all sorts of shapes with a variety of amenities. Upscale shower features can include steam capabilities plus a series of showerheads. Highest-ranking are those installed in the ceiling, augmented by body sprays or jets mounted on walls plus a hand-held showerhead. Panels combining jets, sprays and showerheads come in many forms; some are easy retrofits for already-existing showers.
Benches: They’re an increasingly popular inclusion, adding all-around convenience. If anyone with mobility problems will be using the shower, be sure the controls and a hand-held showerhead are within easy reach when sitting. People of any age can slip; grab-bars help prevent a serious fall, and look more stylish every year.
Most striking shower module: Jacuzzi calls its new Omega Morphosis a shower sauna / spa. It features a cascading showerhead (akin to a waterfall ), rainfall ceiling tile, hand-held showerhead, four adjustable body sprays, steam generator, aromatherapy outlet, teak panel that curves into a seat, glass sides and ceiling, black or white stone panels and floor, plus recessed lighting. Available in early 2009, the price is upward of $ 27, 000.
Knockout glass shower pulls: Cardinal Shower Enclosures introduced cast art-glass doors and enclosures, mostly used in residential showers and retail displays. They’re fabricated of 3 / 8-inch-thick glass in stock or customized patterns. Now they’ve added spectacular Venetian glass pulls. Stock designs are 18 inches long and 8 inches to 15 inches wide; a leaping dolphin and other patterns are $ 350, including hardware; more elaborate ones are $ 525.
SINKS Bowls sitting atop a bathroom vanity remain the rage. They also can be mounted with rims flush with the countertop, as long as there’s an open space below revealing their exteriors. Before buying those that sit up on top, consider the bowl’s shape and how difficult it will be to clean and sanitize the space between the counter and its bottom; the smaller the angle between the two, the easier it will be for gunk to get stuck. You’ll also need to coordinate faucets so that water won’t splatter or swoop out of the bowl. That said, you’ll find gorgeous offerings in stone, glass, metals, enamel, concrete and bamboo. Among our favorites: Stone bowls: Stone Forest’s specialty is granite hand carved to its own designs, some of which are traditional Japanese forms. Also find sinks in onyx, basalt, travertine, marble and sandstone. The sleek, rectangular Verona Vessel is $ 825; the Natural Vessel Sink $ 830. Tubs available too.
Concrete: Sonoma Cast Stone makes bathroom sinks (plus kitchen sinks, countertops, tiles, bathtubs and fireplaces ) from concrete, but you’d never equate them with your sidewalk. They’ve developed NuCrete, a formula for true stain-free concrete as well as a metal-plating process.
Metals: Thompson Traders, a family business, produces handmade vessels in copper, bronze, nickel and pewter, some with finishes using mirror mosaic, mother-of-pearl, enamel and silver and gold leaf. They cost from $ 225 to $ 1, 160. Also available are coordinating vanities, kitchen sinks, bathtubs, countertops and accents.
Glass: New formulations make glass scratch- and stainresistant as well as strong. The Pullman Pedestal and sink from Vitraform is made from a laminated glass with translucent finish that glows subtly in 12 colors. It starts at $ 2, 500. Look over the Alina Vessel Sinks by JSG Oceana Decorative Glass. This series is free-formed from molten glass and signed by the artist. They are $ 516 and up, depending on color. Other styles from Oceana range from $ 120 to $ 600. Also find kitchen sinks, tiles and other products. Coming next week:
Who wants to grow the perfect tomato ? Horticulturist Janet Carson can show you how.
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