Bathroom Design Trends: The Home Spa

By Mihaela Lica
Defining the Home Spa
Those who talk about spa today know little or nothing about the word's origin. We do not include in this category scientists, spa resort owners, hot tubs manufacturers, geography and history passionate learners or Belgian citizens. Why not Belgians? Well, just because the famous mineral springs in Spa, Belgium, are the reason why the common noun spa is so often used nowadays, denoting not only places with medicinal and mineral springs, but also a "tub for relaxation or invigoration, usually including a device for raising whirlpools in the water."

It is the very tub for relaxation we have to consider when we think about the home spa, and a few other elements necessary to create a comfortable atmosphere. The ones who visit spa resorts seek tranquility in a healthy environment. And they pay for it. Every time. If you are a busy businessman, or woman, with just about no free time, visiting a spa to release stress might sound like a nice option, as long as you can make it there before the closing hours.

Many people have too much to do and close to no chances to find the time to combat the effects of the stress. Besides, there are also people who cannot afford to spend each week a small fortune to experience the benefits of a day at the spa. So let's bring the spa resort home...

What is a home spa? To put is simple is a spa resort in the comfort of your own house. No schedule, no entrance or club fees. You can go in and out whenever you want. There is just one catch to it: if you want to socialize there's no one around but your cat (that's if you have one).

Tips for Creating Your Own Spa Bath
Whether you plan to build a new bathroom, or just to remodel an existing one, plan a step ahead and create a modern, comforting environment. "Modern" doesn't refer to a futuristic design. In fact, building a bathroom that reminds of the Roman thermae is as modern as building one that takes you on a trip to Mars. A modern design combines technology and fantasy to create the bathroom of your dreams: a unique space where you can relax after a hectic day at work. Many of the contemporary bathrooms are more practical than relaxing. Some are small and uncomfortable, some are large and cold. No matter the space you have to work with or your budget, a bathroom can become a pleasant, luxurious spot. All it takes is careful planning and the will to succeed.

Don't get this wrong: luxurious doesn't necessary mean expensive. In this particular case we refer to "something inessential but conductive to pleasure and comfort" as the "American Heritage" dictionary defines luxury. With so many offers and manufacturers out there, you'll find options to accommodate any plan.

The building consultants from EEKHOF Objektberatung have gathered a few tips you might want to consider when planning your relaxing bathroom. Let's take a look at what they could come up with:

Water, combined with other elements such as light, aroma and sound, is a perfect relaxer. For large rooms bathtubs are a must. The long, rectangular bathtub is out. Nowadays there are hundreds of different styles, shapes, and features including massage tubs and soft bathtubs available for everyone to choose from. The most durable bathtubs are also the heaviest ones since they are made from enameled cast iron. So, if you go for the best, that's your choice. Acrylic reinforced with fiberglass tubs are lighter and come in more complex styles than cast iron. Fiberglass bathtubs tend to scratch too easy - so we wouldn't recommend them as a long-term investment. When it comes to color and revolutionary materials, for more design options we would recommend Quarrycast bathtubs. Quarrycast is a mineral crystal composite developed by Victoria & Albert, a UK manufacturer. There are also bathtubs designed to fit in small spaces. All you need is to browse the web and you will find the right one.

Built-in showers are a good choice for small rooms. Yet, don't think that showers cannot bring you that spa feeling you long for. Showers have evolved and now they are able to bring you as much pleasure as a sophisticated bathtub. Such products are also known as "shower towers". Designer showers provide new relaxing means: therapeutic massages, rain-like feelings, or experiences similar to a steam room at a health club or spa.

To perfect the luxury feeling, more and more people prefer to warm up the cold floor tiles in their bathrooms with electric heating systems that fill the room with floor-to-ceiling warmth. Try the Uponor products if you are looking for a market-leading manufacturer, or look for other products such as the ones offered by Radiantec, Warmup, Heatlink. No more chills after a hot bath on a cold winter day.

Another modern accessory is the towel warmer. There are plenty of styles and types to choose from including portable, wall mounted or floor mounted, spiral, circular and more. You can see a large selection at Stacks and Stacks.

Bathroom is not just about toilet, sink and a bathtub. Bathroom furniture, also known as bath vanity units, is the "magic touch" needed to create the perfect ambient. Most of these units are protected against warping in normal moist conditions.

Mirrors are a stylish way of giving small rooms a sense of openness, but they are perfect accessories for large rooms as well.

For larger budgets we recommend a product that conquers the market more and more today: the bathroom TV. The LCD bathroom TV has heated screen for condensation free viewing, inbuilt water resistant speakers and a 90 degrees wide angle-viewing screen.

The shower CD players are already there for those who plan their wellness spa on a budget.

With LEDs dominating the lighting industry there is a large selection of shapes and light and color controllable fixtures you can choose from. LEDs have many advantages if you look for dimmable illumination or for hidden lights. If you look for a unique light source or for light effects to complete the spa feeling, there are also many controllable fixtures "out-of-the-box" you might consider purchasing.

To make a long story short, the modern bathroom should be a perfect environment in which to relax and rest, and should provide a refuge from the tensions of daily routine. This is why spa resort trends such as chromatherapy, aromatherapy and music therapy are successfully applied in the design of the contemporary domestic bathroom. Obtaining that spa feeling in the comfort of your own home is not an impossible task. And when you don't have the courage, experience, ideas and time to start such a task on your own, a building consultant has the answers.

Mihaela Lica is the founder of Pamil Visions - online branding for small businesses. She is now a freelance writer, public relations consultant and an artist. Previously she used to be a respected TV redactor, working for the Romanian Ministry of Defense. At the moment she works with small and new business helping them in their branding efforts.

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