The Bathroom as a Sanctuary

New Technology, Design Trends Envision More Than a Place to Get Clean

It's been an annoying fact of life for ages: You're enjoying your shower, someone in the house flushes a toilet, and all of a sudden it turns from heaven into Hades.

But thanks to digital temperature controls and single-valve technology, homeowners looking to remodel their aging bathrooms can make shower scalding a thing of the past.

That's one of many technological and design improvements in the bathroom-remodeling world. Other trends include the installation of showers with multiple heads and body-spray nozzles, steam baths and even music; heated floors and toilet seats; raised sinks; brushed nickel and chrome fixtures; and the use of remote, digital controls to turn on showers, tubs and lights.

"The bathroom, especially the master, is one of those places of refuge either at the end of the day or a long week, where people are going to seek solace," said Michael Menn of Design Construction Concepts in Northbrook, Ill. "They don't want the postage-card-size bathrooms of the past."

Homeowners spend an estimated $280 billion a year on remodeling, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all residential construction and improvement spending, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Last year, bathroom-remodeling expenditures in the United States totaled about $16 billion, said Gopal Ahluwalia, vice president of research for the National Association of Home Builders' economics department.

One of the hottest trends is the emergence of what some call the "car wash" shower, which provides a spa-like experience. These are tubless showers with doors rather than curtains. They can have a wide head that makes it look and feel like a rain shower, plus another hand-held shower head with an extension. Meanwhile, jets and nozzles protrude from the wall itself, spraying water in multiple directions. Depending on its components, a steam bath shower can run from about $1,300 to more than $8,000.

These showers can also include a steam bath and can be controlled by a digital keypad that allows bathers to customize where the water shoots from and how hot it will be.

Technological advances allow showers to operate on a single valve, which means the water volume and temperature are manipulated from one knob rather than two or three. That technology essentially separates the toilet's water flow from the shower's, preventing shower burns, said Ibrahim Guzman, showroom manager at Coral Gables Plumbing in Miami.

Many people like to keep the shower and tub separate. The newer, more expensive tub designs include whirlpool-like jets, extending nozzles, light and sound therapy, and tiny holes that shoot air after a bath to prevent the accumulation of mold and mildew. Like the shower, the tub can be controlled digitally and remotely. A ThermoMasseur whirlpool tub from BainUltra, a top brand, can set you back $3,230, Guzman said.

"If you want the best tub and the best shower, you try to do it separately," said Doug Walter, a Denver architect. "But sometimes you have to be realistic and think, 'How often do I take a tub bath?' "

Toilets also have improved. Not only are there toilets that use just one gallon of water per flush -- down from the average flush capacity of 1.6 gallons -- but also some "dual-flush" toilets have sensors that determine how much water is needed to get rid of the waste. Toto offers this type of toilet for a list price of $435, Guzman said.

Water heaters and toilets now also come tankless so that less water is used.

Eric Moore, an interior designer with Kohler, said installing water-saving toilets and shower fixtures can result in significant savings.

"That's an area in the market that we're pushing," Moore said. "Everything that we're doing goes toward water conservation."

When it comes to design trends, more bathrooms now have raised sinks, with the bowl-shaped vessel standing fully above the vanity rather than mounted down in the vanity.

Cheaper floor tiles, ceramic and marble, have made linoleum practically extinct. Floors and toilets can be heated.

The most popular fixtures and towel bars tend to be brushed nickel or chrome rather than brass, and modern, straight-line designs are in fashion.

Homeowners are adding skylights or large windows to bring more sunlight into the room, Walter said. LED lighting is gaining popularity because of the energy savings, but it can be expensive to install.

Sticking with the theme of bathroom-as-sanctuary, a homeowner can install music for the shower and a flat-screen television.

Owners should remember to keep the home's value in mind, especially if they plan to sell the property in a few years. Industry professionals recommend improvements that please the widest range of people, perhaps mixing traditional and modern styles and choosing neutral colors when deciding on fixtures, flooring and other details.

Small improvements such as updating lighting or fixtures can quickly change the look of the bathroom and cost in the low thousands. But larger jobs can take six months to a year, including planning, purchasing and installation, and cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.

"The best way to do a bathroom remodel, particularly on older homes, is to strip it down," Walter said. "A lot of times, we find hidden damage, and we wouldn't find it if we didn't remove the tiles and the such."