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More Articles by Karla J. Nielson  More Design Perspectives

Luxurious, Comfortable Bed and Bath
The master bed and bath have been design companions for years, but today the bath is often the focus of attention.

by Karla J. Nielson, Allied ASID, WCAA

Housing trends today are decidedly toward luxury and comfort, and nowhere in contemporary homes is this more evident than in the master bedroom and bathroom. A trend is a long-term direction in the housing and interiors industries, as opposed to a fad, which burns itself out after about two seasons. This trend, which began about seven years ago, is now firmly established and fueled with a wealth of new product innovations that bespeak elegance and luxury. This trend will continue for many years to come. Key words include: useful, beautiful, and meaningful furnishings and design.

Bedrooms are places appropriate for lavish use of fabric: custom bedspreads and ensembles, matching window treatments, cushions or upholstery, and layered table skirts. They also are backgrounds for serene living where today’s active homeowner comes to de-stress and reconnect with the personal elements and experiences that revitalize. These may include a little extra sleep time in a perfectly lovely setting or some media time for unwinding or reading in a quiet and handsome setting.

Another trend is the spa-like bath experience, custom detailed for home. The master bedroom connects to an upscale bathroom in new homes, and in remodels walls are being removed to create, for example, one larger luxury master bathroom from a modest-sized existing master and a family bath. Once the walls are down, the architect or home designer creates a custom space that provides innovative features. The goals of new and renovation design far outreach yesteryear’s Spartan bath and grooming cubicles. It is a rejuvenating place where small indulgences lift loads of care off the shoulders of its owners. It is a place . . . a room . . . a destination.

WHAT’S NEW ABOUT THE NEW BATH
Never before have so many trends been directed toward the bathroom. Here are some of the newest trends for bringing products that feed the soul into the most private of rooms:

• To begin, cabinets are being replaced with fabulous alternatives from antique furniture fitted with plumbing for the sink to jet-age futuristic new cabinets. Where the vintage look is achieved, art and accessories such as fine china figurines and carefully sealed artwork lend a homey feel to the bath.

Counter heights are now adjustable, custom fitting the user for his or her comfort and convenience—taller or shorter than “standard” heights. This trend may be termed “Free Style” and represent a turn away from matched and fitted looks. Curved legs and fine furniture looks for cabinetry are key elements.

Another view of Free Style includes freestanding vanity sinks and standalone sculpted tubs set apart from any supporting elements. New tubs have become modern from a comfort and ergonomic viewpoint.

• Basins also have become a key artistic element. No longer interested in plain white porcelain sinks, color can be a bold blast of intensity for a small accent. Rainbows of hues in the bath include glass sinks in a range of spectacular, fire-bright colors to faucets and decorative hardware on cabinetry.

Sinks often are standalone items above the custom base cabinetry or furniture piece. Basins may be tinted glass, hand-wrought brass, ceramic, crystal or fine hard wood atop counter surfaces sized to match the scale of the basin. Spigots are imaginative, crafted from sand-cast metals. Many are wall-mounted, jutting from mirror or textured wall treatment such as tile or stone. These spigots cascade water into the bowl in a stylish, waterfall fashion.

• Adornments is another trend. We see botanical artistry at the end of faucet handles. High-end bath sinks may be adorned, for example, with diamonds and black Tahitian pearls set in 18-karkat white gold.

Washable suede as a finish material on drawer hardware indicates a trend toward things that feel comforting to the touch. It is a trend away from coldness and another indication of the need to feed the soul in our efforts to find relaxation and rejuvenation.

• Nature’s Beauty is a major trend in bed and bath settings. Leaf imprints, bamboo designs, imperfect or imprecise natural textures, wildlife scenes, rain patterns, vines and vineyards, cattails and woodland motifs are applied to tubs, sinks and hardware.

• Sleek design from the Mid-Century Modern masters is yet another major direction in bed and bath design where “less is more” is the credo. Accents of minimalist and meticulously crafted design in faucets, for example, are often enhanced by their versatility, allowing consumers to choose the placement of the handles for convenience and custom-fit.

A FLOOD OF POSSIBILITIES
As more consumers realize that their bathrooms are outdated or in a state of ill repair, more are looking to update in small yet significant ways. Some simple but noticeable updates include new showerheads. Consider Victorian-styled ceiling mounted showerheads in finishes such as oil-rub bronze and antique copper to contemporary sleek designs. When advising clients on updating showers, here are a few suggestions:

• Choose a showerhead that fits personal tastes, not just in styling, but in the way the water feels on the skin. Overhead “sunflower” showerheads offer a possibility of a downpour or a “rain pan” that drenches yet sooths. If replumbing, consider a ceiling-mounted showerhead. A showerhead with massage settings give added pressure in sore or tight places where it’s most needed.

The right shower arm slows the positioning of the showerhead to achieve the desired flow pattern and coverage. The larger showerheads work best if directly overhead, while smaller diameter showerheads will project their pattern out into the shower stall. Perhaps adding an adjustable arm extension will do the trick.
Wall-mounted body sprays give extra waterpower and are often used to complement showerheads for a true spa-like experience.

• Another shower update is to install a thermostatic valve, allowing the setting of water temperature at the handle so each time the water is started, it will return to that preferred temperature regardless of the change in water pressure at the faucet or elsewhere in the house, or changes in the temperature of water entering the valve.

• Many major remodeling projects create entirely new bathrooms. One example is removing bathtubs in favor of walk-in, sometimes door-less, showers that are so large that the shower walls don’t require wiping down. Seats and multiple showerheads, sometimes called “water walls” are becoming more common. Other luxury features include a variey of real and faux-stone and tile materials, making the aesthetics a remarkable experience. Open walls may be exposed to one-way glass for a garden view, to a gas fireplace, or to other artistic elements.

• Music may be piped in, soothing or invigorating. The news on radio or television is possible in sealed units. However, more people seem to want shower areas to be a get-away experience rather than a connecting to real world experience.

THOUGHTFUL PLANNING
Homeowners today are giving as much thought and financial allotment to the bath as any room in the home, especially in light of a master-suite connection. Kohler research shows homeowners spend as much as seven years of the average life span to scub, relax and soak in the bathroom.

No wonder it has become a focus of décor and planning, a true companion to today’s beautiful bedrooms.