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“Bathrooms are considered the “Good Morning” are of a home where you begin the day in the same style as you would in a four start hotel. Coffee can be ready for you as soon as you wake up, only steps from your bed. Then step into a spa-like shower for an invigorating start to the day, says Elite Homes’ Rocky Pusateri. And there’s no better way to end a crazy day than to indulge yourself in hydrotherapy, chromatherapy and aromatherapy, all in a space that magically seems worlds away from what’s on the other side of the door.
It’s easy to be dazzled by the hundreds of tile, cabinetry, hardware, and lighting options that coalesce into making a luxury bathroom or home spa a work of art. Don’t worry about pangs of environmental guilt over enticing multi faceted shower systems and bathtubs that seduce the senses because many are surprisingly water efficient.
For those who want to immerse themselves in the home spa experience but don’t want to miss their favorite TV programs, they may find irresistible the suggestion of Tom Lutz, AKBD, owner and designer of Just 4 You Custom Kitchens and Baths, who suggests installing a plasma television on the wall behind a mirror or molded into a whirlpool tub. Don’t forget the floatable remote control.
“What’s over the top? It’s hard to say because what an individual or a family wants in a bathroom depends on their particular lifestyle and the ambience that makes them most comfortable. An arched or embellished ceiling and distinctive cabinetry may be very important to one person while someone else would love to integrate a fireplace into the bathroom design. But, interestingly, as the desire for design details increases, the actual size of bathroom is decreasing,” says Stan Humphrey Construction.
Not surprisingly, a home-spa or a dream bathroom isn’t inexpensive, but Rick Miller, president of Miller’s Fancy Bath says that when people build a new house, or opt to renovate their present home in lieu of moving to another house, they’re willing to spend the money on quality products. “The labor is the same, whether you install a $700 or a $350 faucet,” he says.
He stresses that space planning is imperative for good bathroom design, explaining that the ideal bathroom has a shower that’s separate from the other areas of the room, a compartmentalized toilet, often referred to as a water closet, and some type of tub.
Bring the outside in to add light and to benefit from nature’s inherent beauty. Lisa Knight, owner of Lisa Lynn Design services, tries to plan windows of a home-spa so that they overlook a garden or other scenery. “I like to minimalize window treatments in a bathroom. If I have to use them, I prefer a stained glass overlay or a sheer and flowering fabric. Another idea is to install a shade made of a natural fiber such as bamboo,” says Knight. She also thinks it is important to use as many “earthy” elements (natural stone being an idea choice) as possible. “Vary the sizes and shapes of tiles for more interest and character, and consider mixing in glass tiles because they’re wonderfully reflective and have such a spa feel,” she says. What are some of the other essentials for a bathroom you won’t want to leave? “There are so many, but my favorites are lights with dimmers, heated floors, steam heating in the shower, and several different showerheads and body sprays”, she adds with the obvious enthusiasm of someone who appreciates a bathroom that doesn’t skimp on features that pamper.
Knight isn’t alone when she extols the virtues of heated floors. Once considered a feature of mostly high end homes, heated floors are being turned on under feet in bathrooms that didn’t cost a kin’s ransom. Getting up in the morning can be hard enough, so why start with cold feed? Just as with a programmable coffeemaker, the thermostat for the floor can be set to turn on and off according to your schedule. Even if you didn’t install a heated floor when the bathroom was designed, Rick Miller says adding one to an existing space requires only running an electric line from the panel box to the bathroom.
Most interior designers point to one or two rooms that stand out in their mind when they recall past projects. For Kelli Milligan, owner of Renaissance Interiors, one of those spaces was a master suite which expressed an Asian influence. Peachy beiges, soft cinnamon and sage contributed to a feeling of tranquility. Because the client loves art, Milligan incorporated five different shades into a tile design that began in the bathing area located behind French doors.
When it comes to bathroom tile, you may let your imagination run wild, from the floor to ceiling. Rocky Pusateri uses tile to detail and character, sometimes as rope moldings or chair rail moldings. Both Pusateri and Rick Miller point to the growing interest in larger tiles, 16” X 16”, or even 24” x 24”, and the tendency to mix the sizes of the tile for even greater visual appeal. For a spa ambience, Lisa Knight prefers tiles in earth tone hues, and especially gravitates towards tans, browns and creams, adding that a monochromatic tile palette can evoke a distinctive spa-like atmosphere.
“I like to use wallpaper in a bathroom because it allows you to bring in wonderful color and depth,” says Milligan. You won’t find drywall behind the wallpaper in any bathroom she designs. “Wallpaper adheres better to either concrete or greenboard, both of which reduce mold and mildew,” she notes.
Cabinetry is one of the most important elements in a bathroom, both for function and appearance. Rick Miller observes a trend toward simple cabinetry with a slab door and little or no molding or trim. “There are some stunning new choices, from a high gloss acrylic to amazing wood grains, making bathroom design very exciting,” he says. Although contemporary cabinetry is making a strong showing in the Louisville area, Tom Lutz believes that fairly elaborate and sumptuous pieces are still a desired feature of many upscale bathrooms. In addition to the style of cabinetry, the wood itself is a major consideration. “If the wood is going to be painted, use a birch or poplar. When you want to show the character of the wood, choose one of the exotic veneers such as rosewood, wenge, quartered figured anigre, or sapele pommele,” says Lutz.
“For awhile, using furniture in the bathroom was the big thing. Although it was a great look, the pieces often didn’t provide enough storage. To combine storage needs with a furniture look, I may start with an actual bathroom cabinet and add feet or a bowed or other decorative front,” says designer Lisa Knight.
Over the past few years, bathrooms have undergone a variety of aesthetic changes, some subtle, some more obvious. Perhaps one of the most striking alterations is the decreased presence of plate glass, “Previously, it was very common to use a beveled plate glass around the vanity. But now that his and her vanities are so prevalent, we like to use hanging mirrors in metal, wrought iron or wood that will match the fixtures. Placing wall sconces on either side of the free standing mirrors or installing lighting above the mirrors and recessed lighting in the ceiling provides a more decorative touch and eliminates the shadow effect that women hate when applying makeup,” says Stan Humphrey.
A common problem found in bathrooms is a lack of light, making the room less functional and less attractive. Most builders and designers recommend a combination of lighting techniques, including general and task lighting.
Light fixtures are adding their own color to bathrooms as lighting manufactures introduce color to many styles of lighting. But Tracy Koziol, design manager for Thomas Lighting, says colored lights shouldn’t be used indiscriminately. “Color is usually meant to provide interest and ambient lighting. Limit the color to one area, perhaps scones, so that the color creates a contrast to its surroundings,” she explains. “I would place the color so that it doesn’t affect task lighting. For example, don’t use colored lights where make-up is applied because the colored glass will alter the true colors, and the light output may be less.
“In most cases, bold lighting colors need to be kept to the cleaner, more modern side of design, whereas muted and natural colors, such as parchments, ambers, umbers, browns, and even blacks, can be seamlessly incorporated into traditional interiors, “ she adds.
Koziol says the finish of the lighting fixture is just as important as the color of the glass, emphasizing that the metal finish of the colored piece needs to complement the other fixtures in the bathroom. If the colored glass is already adding additional “punch”, the flow can be broken and the room becomes visually confusing when the finish and style of the fixtures are too different from the surrounding accents. However, her unexpected eye leads her to suggest feeling free to mix brass with painted and aged golds, oil rubbed bronzes and any warm finishes. Stainless steel and brushed nickel work well together and also complement pewter and gunmetal finishes. She says black’s versatility works well with a variety of companion pieces.
For truly high style, think sinks. Sculptural designs range from sleek and contemporary to fluted and cured, all available in ceramic, crystal and glass. A hand painted sink makes a striking design statement in a spa-like bathroom. Just keep in mind that glass sinks may crack if there’s a sudden switch from extremely hot to cold water.
Tile, lighting and cabinetry are indeed turning the bathroom into one of the most beautiful rooms in the house. A spa-like bathroom’s beauty extends to today’s sophisticated shower systems. A home spa shower can spray from above, from the wall, or from several directions. The spray can be invigorating or soft and soothing. “My favorite showerhead is the Hansgrohe Raindance series because of its different size heads that twirl in a circular motion and its ability to change from a pressure rainhead to a massage,” says Jennifer Nelson, of Willis Klein Showroom. If that isn’t enough for you, Ban Ultra’s new Dedna Oasis for Personal Care combines aromatherapy, chromatherapy, thermotherapy and sound therapy. “Although there is a shower for everyone, the fun thing about shower systems is that you can customize your own shower by mixing and matching body sprays, hand sprays and shower heads,” she says.
These everything-you-could-possibly-want showers don’t have to be confined to a traditional shower space. Rocky Pusateri’s clients frequently request large walk-in showers without doors. For those who do want doors but don’t like the typical shower door, he suggests seamless, frameless shower doors.
“Larger showers with steam units are definitely taking the place of the standard whirlpool tubs. But people who love tubs are opting for soaking tubs or the new air tubs that have bubbles of air to give a gentle massage. They’re far superior to whirlpool tubs that have mildew and heating problems. Hot water splits and cracks whirlpools, and the jets cool off in six to nine minutes. The tubs can drain a 50 gallon water tank in minutes. Another downside to whirlpools is that because they have to pull the moisture out of the jets, body oils and soaps stay in the jets,” says Kelli Milligan.
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