7 ways to take your bathroom from blah to beauty

Bathrooms have come a long way from their utilitarian purpose. We now seek comfort, volume, luxury, convenience and technology. The bath industry has made incredible advances in technology in a few short years, from in-home spas, efficient plumbing, universal design and smart fixtures to incredible finishes and materials. We no longer just “use” the bathroom, we experience it!

Want a little added luxury in your bathroom? Here are a few ways you can enhance your daily bathroom experience:

1. In the shower we are seeing frameless glass, oversized showers fully equipped with rain heads, body sprays, steam units and surround sound. How’s that for every-day luxury?
2. Bathtubs now offer more than just body jets. Think chroma therapy, vibrational hydrotherapy, massage bubbles and effervescent bubbles.
3. Vanities are more stylish and equipped with smart-touch technology, soft-close doors and drawers, LED lighting and clever storage solutions. We are seeing the standard height of vanities rise from the typical 30 to 32 inches, up to 34- to 36-inches as the new standard.
4. Faucetshave become the jewelry of the vanity.The faucet industry offers a huge array of styles, finishes and prices for every budget. You can have semi-precious stones or exotic woods inlaid in the handles.With technological advances, we are now seeing smart touchless, low-flow and temperature-regulated faucets.
5. Toilets and bidets are available as a space-saving two-in-one unit. Smart-touch technology is available with preset individual preferences for multiple users. Comfort-height seats with an elongated bowl is the new standard. Wall-mounted toilets are also increasing in popularity, making it easier to clean underneath.
6. Lighting, both decorative and practical, is being taken into consideration. We are seeing beautiful decorative pendants, coupled with coordinating sconces at eye level for proper illumination. LED strip lighting along the mirror and vanity offers additional illumination, too.
7. Radiant heating brings warmth to a cold floor. In-floor radiant heating is no longer considered a “luxury.” Those looking for sustainable interiors can install one of the many types of radiant heating available on the market today.

Consider all the little luxuries that you can add to enhance your overall bathroom experience. Do you want to wake up to a massage of water jets every morning? Perhaps you would like a warm floor when you step out of the shower. Whatever your desires, don’t be afraid to bring that wish list to life. No matter the budget, there are now little luxuries available to consumers at all price points.

Bathrooms are no longer secondary spaces, but are just as important as your principle rooms. It is one of the first spaces you use every morning, and the last every night. Why not give yourself the experience you deserve? As an added bonus, a well-designed, beautifully finished bathroom can increase the value of your home. Stop utilizing the bathroom, and start experiencing it!