Last month we envisioned re-creating
the luxurious appeal of a boutique hotel bedroom in your own home. This month let’s take the pampering a step further and see how your en-suite bath can become as luxurious as your new boutique bedroom –
and still be uniquely yours.
As my clients know, I am committed to green design
and always find ways to incorporate environmentally-
conscious products and concepts into my design
plans. With that in mind, some might view the notion
of a luxurious green master bath with a soaking tub
and powerful showerhead as an oxymoron. But in
fact, I believe there are many ways to spoil yourself in
the bath without throwing the environment out with the
bath water.
Showers and baths: The jetted corner tub has
been the premier luxury item in most new homes and bath remodels
over the last 20 years. Sitting pretty on its two-step
pedestal with a large tile or stone surround, it takes up
almost half the square footage allocated to the master
bath. When I ask my clients if they use it, they
frequently say, “Rarely. I wish I hadn’t put it in.” The
reasons are many: the large footprint; the quantity of
water needed to fill it; inconvenience in cleaning; and,
for those with small children who need help in the
bath, the awkwardness of working around the size of
the tub.
I am not in favor of doing without a tub completely, but
prefer instead to reduce its size and placement in the
bath-suite. A sitting or soaking tub — with or without
the jets — can fit in half the space of a full size Jacuzzi
and still fit two, giving you more opportunities for the
layout of your bathroom. Consider walling off your tub
to create a separate tub room to use as a quiet retreat.
Victoria and Albert’s Bath (
www.vandabaths.com), MTI
(
www.mtiwhirlpools.com), Duravit (www.duravit.com)
and Aquamass (through www.pscbath.com) offer
some of the best deep tubs on the market today. A
smaller tub that you actually will use gives you room
for a larger shower with a glass enclosure – no more
hitting the walls with your elbows as you lather up.
One of my favorite luxury bath splurges is a steam
bath. While not replacing the cleansing aspects of a
traditional water shower, it is an ideal way to reduce
stress, soothe muscles and open pores. A 15 to 20
minute steam bath as part of your shower routine can
shorten the time of a full blast shower significantly and
save water in the process, since a two minute shower
uses 10 times more water than a 20 minute steam
bath. With a reduced tub size and larger shower, you
and your spouse can still have your spa and sauna
time together.
Even without the water-saving aspects of a steam
bath, there are still many ways to have luxury without
guilt in the shower. Better to spoil yourself with a high-
flow showerhead that gives you five good minutes of
bathing rather than 10 minutes with a low-flow
showerhead that leaves you feeling nothing but soapy
and disgruntled. If your wallet or your conscience tells
you that a fully automated thermostatic and pressure
controlled shower and body spray system with
multiple heads is not for you, there are other
affordable and convenient water-saving alternatives.
These include shut-off valves for the loop between the
shower head and the knobs that enable you to turn off
the water while lathering up without losing the water
temperature setting, or diverter valves that direct water
to a hand sprayer.
Sinks and Hardware: Bringing luxury into the
bath has never been easier thanks to the wide range
of sink vessels, countertops, faucets and other bath
hardware on the market today. But functionality has
always been my priority especially in the master bath.
Leave the glass, decorated ceramic and metal
counter vessels which can truly be works of art for your
powder room – they are not practical for the everyday
use of washing and brushing. If you don’t have a lot of
space, forego the two sinks for a single, but
generously-sized, sink that leaves room for a makeup
counter instead.
Lighting: To save energy and create softer,
more demure lighting in the bath, install several
different light sources on separate switches so that
you can light only the areas that are in use rather than
lighting the entire room. Avoid overhead lighting for
makeup areas since it can create shadows on the
face. Ideally, make-up lights should be adjustable
with moveable arms. Install a timer or a movement
sensor switch on the general overhead light – these
measures prevent electrical overuse and the constant
reminders to “Turn off the light!” I have installed both
types in my kid’s room for that very reason.
Heating: In addition to being a treat for your
feet, radiant floor heating is actually more efficient than
standard baseboard heaters, both in emitting the right
kind of heat and dollar-for-dollar value over the years.
Baseboard heaters also tend to be unsightly and rust.
The initial cost of radiant floor heating is higher, but if
you are re-tiling your floor, you won’t regret it. Add a
slim wall radiator or towel heater and you are all set.
When it comes to heating your water, consider an
additional water source for your bath : tankless water
heaters that heat water only as you need it. This
avoids keeping heated water in an otherwise
oversized tank 24/7. Flow-through water heaters, as
they are also called, come in different sizes. Have an
HVAC specialist calibrate the combination of your
systems.
Mirrors: Thankfully, the days of full wall, non-
descript
vanity mirrors are gone. The interesting shapes and
handsome frames that have been the hallmark of
beautiful mirrors in other rooms of the home are
making their way into the bath. Consider
incorporating different sized mirrors into the room,
from full-length to smaller ones for make-up
application. Add a fog-free mirror to your shower for
shaving.
Soft Lines: To finish off your luxurious retreat,
outfit it with scrumptious towels, rugs and comfortable
stools. The styles, fabrics, and finishes on the market
today are abundant and provide endless opportunities
to truly pamper yourself.