Short of decamping to a Caribbean island, there’s nothing you can do to stave off the arrival of bone-chilling winter weather. It is possible, though, to create a bathroom design in which you can warm up and wash away the winter blahs.
Luxury Escape
A long, hot soak in one of the new, generously sized, freestanding tubs is a good place to start. What could be more luxurious than the graceful lines of Native Trails’ Santorini model, which can be executed in antique and polished copper or brushed nickel? Save up – the cost is about $10,000US.
Bespoke Fixtures
Dramatically deep tubs benefit from the jewelry-like and sculptural fixtures now available. Moen, for example, has handsome new tub-filler faucets that come in popular chrome and brushed-nickel finishes. Some models will be available in new brushed-gold and matte-black finishes, while others come in warm polished-nickel and oilrubbed bronze looks.
Each line has matching faucets, shower trim, and accessories. The company suggests its proprietary bracket system avoids the wobble that comes with some floor-mounted tub-fillers; especially important given that some folk will use them to steady themselves getting in and out of the tub.
Next-Level Tiles Take You Away
The right tile can transform the most pedestrian bathroom into an elegant escape. Lunada Bay Tile, which makes handcrafted glass, ceramic, and concrete tile that reflect Southern California coastal living, has just launched Tomei Modules — largeformat glass tiles that echo the crisp and pleasing geometric of Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, and Mies van der Rohe, and are available in 11 waterinspired colours.
Splash-Proof Wallpaper
A practical alternative to tile is Tempaper, self-adhesive, removable, repositionable wallpaper. With a non-breathable substrate, it can be installed in bathrooms with indirect moisture: heat or steam will not affect its performance. The line includes exceptionally pretty floral prints, as well as clean-lined graphic patterns.
The New Bidet Options
There’s another area of the bathroom, much less talked about, that can enhance comfort and wellness. American Standard has come out with a toilet with an integrated bidet. This is a good idea for several reasons. An in-seat bidet is a great option for those with limited mobility. The Advanced Clean 100 SpaLet Toilet features include automatic seat lifting and closure, six heated seat settings, and a warm air-dryer.
There’s also a Bidet Seat, which has similar features and can be easily installed on most conventional elongated toilets.
Cost-Effective Upgrades
If these suggestions don’t fit your needs, reno plans, or budget, there are still affordable ways to add spa-like elements to your bath.
Candlelight always pumps up the relaxation factor. Spare, elegant candleholders for the wall from the U.S.-based Fredericks and Mae add just the right touch of medieval chic, especially when paired with black candles. Made from powder-coated steel, they are available through Stratford, Ontario’s prettiest new decor store — Wills and Prior.
Bath Products That Outperform Winter
By incorporating shea butter and almond oil into Epsom salts, Dr. Teal’s has created a low-cost concoction that will ease sore muscles after a day of skiing or a heavy bout of snow shovelling, while simultaneously soothing and moisturizing dry winter skin. Transferring the salts into a pretty vessel adds a nice design detail to the bathroom. Treat yourself by finishing off with paraben- and phthalate-free body lotion from the same line.
SOURCES
moen.ca , willsandprior.com , lunadabaytile.com , americanstandard.ca , drteals.com , tempaperdesigns.com , nativetrailshome.com