The bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in the house, but it packs a lot of punch.
In fact, bathrooms rank with kitchens when it comes to house value and their return on investment.
More than that, the bathroom has grown increasingly important to time-stressed homeowners looking for a sanctuary in which to relax and unwind after a hectic day at work.
All of which is why beautifying the space and keeping it relevant and desirable is more important now than ever.
"Bathrooms have increased importance due to what we're doing in that space versus what we used to do in that space," says Diana Schrage, senior interior designer at the Kohler design centre.
"Just like the kitchen used to be an area where people went in and cooked, now that kitchen has become a socializing space. We're seeing the same expansion in the bathroom, yet for different reasons."
Schrage says the average person spends up to seven years in their bathroom in a lifetime. Therefore, the space needs to work efficiently and be non-stressful.
One of the ways to make over your bathroom in a trendy yet efficient manner is to introduce bathroom furniture to the space.
Integrated tub basins are fashionable products that combine esthetically pleasing sinks, fixtures, countertops and storage all in one piece. The integrated sinks can come in such high-end materials as cast iron or glass, creating a sleek, contemporary look. And another plus: They're easy to find and install.
"It meets a couple of criteria," Schrage says. "People want something high-end, but they don't want to spend forever searching and Googling and driving all over matching a lot of complicated pieces. It's a simple one-stop solution."
De-stressing the space can also be achieved with colour. Sprucing up the room with splashes of trendy shades will not only make the space appealing, but welcoming as well. It's also an area where homeowners can add a splash of fun to redecorating.
"The bathroom is a place where you can sometimes have a lot of fun," says design guru Debbie Travis. "If you're intimidated by putting an amazingly bright colour in your living room, you can always try it in the bathroom. You can be brave in there."
When it comes to finding the hottest colours, Travis suggests turning on your TV for inspiration.
"We're following fashion," Travis says. "If you watched the Academy Awards, whatever they wore, we're going to be doing that in our home."
In addition to Hollywood's influence, homeowners are safe to keep in line with such cooler shades of the palette as greys and purples.
"Grey has replaced brown," Travis says. "We've seen a lot of blue and brown in the last few years and now we're seeing a lot of greys."
Fixtures are no exception when it comes to picking fashionable pieces. They're becoming more decorative and mimicking the jewelry trends seen in the fashion sector. Silver and brushed nickel used to be the go-to trend for sink fixtures, but 2009 saw a gold comeback.
"We used to never mix gold and silver, but now even look at the way people wear jewelry," Travis says. "Now we're starting to see that in taps."
Colour is being used not only to remodel the space, but as a way to heal stressed-out homeowners emotionally, spiritually and mentally.
Chromotherapy can be installed in your bathtub or shower, wherein an overhead lighted panel reflects a specific colour or scene to help relax and heal homeowners while they bathe. Scenes including a sunrise, sunset or lightning can be depicted from above, or simply change the colours to inspire and relax.
Beyond that, the act of bathing is getting even more high-tech with the use of digital thermostatic valve systems. Homeowners can preset such desired features as length of shower, water temperature, degree of water massage, what music they'd like to hear while showering and what chromotherapy they'd like to experience in the media box. Then all they have to do is press a button, hop in and enjoy.
"Technology in the bathroom is one of the most dramatic changes," Schrage says. "We're getting smarter houses and having more things done for us with pre-sets and now the bathroom is no exception."
-- Postmedia News
