The luxury bathroom is one of the great rooms of the house, a
place for enjoying a few moments of solitude and the time-honored healing powers
of water. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the bathroom has undergone many changes.
Originally, the bathroom was one shared room at the end of the hallway; then
bathroom's became a
personal adjunct to the bedroom, and became smaller and more utilitarian. Our
days, utility and luxury are combined, and the bathroom - once hidden behind
close doors - is frequently exposed to sky, garden, terrace and sometimes to
other rooms of the house.
What was once a small sterile room with three basic
plumbing fixtures (lavatory or sink, toilet, and tub or shower) has become a
powder room, dressing room, and even sitting room, often with additional luxury
features such as whirlpool, sauna, spa, hot tub, fireplace
mantels, and television. Luxury bathroom is a personal retreat designed to pamper your senses. Clean
lines, soft colors and luxurious material partner with high quality
lighting fixtures and indulgent amenities.
When square footage is no object and the imagination is generous, there is
no limit to the options available today for bathroom decorating
or remodeling. Many large bathrooms are referred to as luxury bathrooms because
they offer an ultimate comfort and sensuous relaxation. Often luxury bathroom
includes amenities similar to those found at well-equipped health centers and
saps, thereby bringing the facilities and luxuries of the outside world into the
home.
The more elaborate home bathroom includes separate rooms for bathing, toilet, double
lavatories with generous storage, and separate dressing area. A luxury tub can
be raised on a platform, sunk into the
floor, or freestanding in the center of the room. The sunken tub is a one of a
few more signs of luxury and status.
Showers have evolved from the
single fixed arm most of us have used for years. A walk-in shower with multiple water effects,
steam-shower or even sauna are standard amenities for luxury bathroom. In the
walk-in shower or steam-room a built-in bench of sturdy stone (marble or
granite) provides a handy perch. Often
exercise room with fitness equipment or massage parlor are adjoin to luxury
bathroom. In today's luxury bathroom you can often see built-in water proof digital TVs and superior quality
AM/FM Shower Radio and stereo equipment.
This may evoke visions of decadence, but, if done tastefully, a bar or an approximation of one can add
a touch of luxury into the bathroom. Even if you install a small shelf to hold a few bottles of your
favorite drink or health juice and add a rack to hold glasses and mixing tools.
When you are not limited in size, you can
transform your bathroom into something closer to a living space with comfortable
seating, occasional furniture, and entertainment equipment such as televisions and stereos, and even small
refrigerators for makeup storage and cool beverages. The most envied examples boast the additional luxury of opening
onto a deck or courtyard. Imagine having and incredible view as you soak in warm
water up to your neck!
Sitting areas are usually associated with bathrooms found in luxury hotels or large
luxury master suits, but they can be recreated in your home if you have a
spacious bathroom. A sitting area makes your bathroom feel as comfortable as any
other furnished room in your home. A wicker or wooden chair with a side table can add a luxury
touch to the bathroom. Or consider an armchair covered in absorbent terry cloth
or soft, washable cotton. You should tie in the color of the chair cushion with the
rug, shower curtain, or window treatment so that your luxury bathroom is color
coordinated.
Part of the secret to many of the luxury bathrooms is found in the details, not
just the amenities, for they provide that individual design stamp known as
panache. Such decorative devices might include
molding for a very deluxe look, an
assortment of lush plants to create an indoor oasis, or dazzling accent tiles
that add some glitz. Together, the right fixtures and details can have a
stand-up-and-take-notice effect.
While designing your luxury bathroom try to avoid having a toilet directly opposite to the door.
Sometimes it can't be avoided. In most hotels bathrooms awkwardly designed to the inch often
result in the toilet being the focal point of the bathroom. It is definitely should not be a main
feature of a luxury bathroom.
Bathrooms have always been an important selling point in a home, but never have
they received as much attention from buyers as they do today.
Most homeowners
know that the bathroom can be a very expensive room to replace or renovate and that a
particularly weak bathroom can seriously diminish the value of a home. But fewer
people recognize the opportunities bathrooms offer to the homeowner who wants to
make important life-style statements about a house and set it apart.
Taking
into consideration that there is a
greater need for bathrooms designed to accommodate two people at once, and there is
a new awareness of the importance of fitness and relaxation today, the
luxury bathroom is an ideal place to fulfill the demands of today's lifestyle.
By recognizing both of these demands, you can make your bathroom or bathrooms
into an important luxury amenities in your home. Developers are taking advantage of this
trend by installing luxury features in the bathroom that address this need. The
luxury kitchen and bathroom are emerging as most profitable home selling tools.
That are the reasons behind the renaissance of the luxury bathroom.
