In many cultures around the world and throughout history, bathing has been a ritualistic act. A bath cleanses impurities and calms the spirit. Immersing oneself in water can feel exhilarating beyond belief. In the twenty-first century, we have the technology to make our bathing experiences transcendent every time. Here is my recipe for a perfect bath that will make you feel rejuvenated, happy, and healthy.
Squeaky Clean Utilities
The art and ritual of bathing varies widely the world over. In Japan especially, water is considered to be spiritually as well as physically cleansing - a belief which led to the development of a very different attitude towards bathing, different bathing rituals, and even different bath fixtures. The Japanese bathroom is very different from those you'd find in the US, but many traditionally Japanese fixtures - especially the Japanese soaking tub (the furo or ofuro) - are beginning to become popular in the US as well.
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A steam bath is not the same thing as a sauna. Each has their ups and downs, but both are therapeutic and medicinal. The steam room is the one where the heat is carried on thick clouds of mist emitted from steam heads, and although it might feel more intense than a sauna at first, it is actually a little bit cooler.
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Your steam shower at home must be sealed in by vapo...
A good bathroom should be, above all else, comfortable. So while I tend to favor a more modern, minimalist design in other rooms, the bathrooms I like best always have a quaint, country style. The combination of slightly rustic furnishings, light, welcoming colors, and vintage fixtures alway...
A good friend of mine lives in a gorgeous turn of the century house. Stunning woodwork, beautiful architecture, original wrought iron fixtures... and only one bathroom for all three bedrooms. Having too few bathrooms is a problem you can run into no matter how big or small your home, especially as your family grows up to fill (or overfill!) it. But adding an addition to your home or moving into a new one aren't always practical options. Even a reasonably sized master bath can feel crowded if two people need to use it at once. So what's a homeowner to do when the morning waiting line for the bathroom is getting out of hand? My friend's solution was to turn a plumbing-adjacent closet into a water closet. Perhaps not the world's most elegant solution, but effective and relatively inexpensive....
For a primary or master bathroom, type and amount of storage is often a main concern in terms of choosing a new bathroom vanity. Even (or especially) in small bathrooms, efficiency and functionality are extremely important. But the priorities and considerations for half bathrooms and guest bathrooms is a little different. There's less that needs to be stored, and space is often at a premium. For a guest bathroom or powder room in particular, you want a vanity that's attractive and versatile enough for company, but that takes up as little space as possible.
[caption id="attachment_7199" align="aligncenter" width="402"]Ariel Bath does this by combining luxury elements with a simplified modern design.
Shower Panels
[caption id="attachment_12087" align="aligncenter" width="480"]vanity that's either 24", 30", or 36" wide. But in truly small spaces, width isn't the only concern. You also have to worry about how far your vanity extends away from the wall. Most conventional "small" bathroom vanities are big enough to disrupt movement in these teeny tiny bathrooms. That means you need a more elegant solution. Modern space saving vanities are both narrow and sit close to the wall, making them an ideal option for extremely small spaces.
In the name of self-care, luxury bathroom products can be found in every mall, craft show, and pop-up shop that sparkle, shine, and make us feel like royalty in the bath. We already treat ourselves with bath bombs and bubble bars, why not treat the bathroom as well? Make your bathtub the centerpiece of your bathroom by hanging a classy chandelier above. It's elegant, ambient, and opens up the bathroom more than other light sources.
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One of the biggest problems with modern bathroom vanities - and, really, modern bathroom design as a whole - is that the minimal design and industrial palette tend to err a little on the side of stark, cold, and even sterile. That said, if you give your bathroom design a creative eye, it's more than possible to create a modern decor that's warm and inviting rather than a little alien. The best, most important first step is to choose modern bathroom vanities that are either made from
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Your steam shower at home must be sealed in by vapo...
A good bathroom should be, above all else, comfortable. So while I tend to favor a more modern, minimalist design in other rooms, the bathrooms I like best always have a quaint, country style. The combination of slightly rustic furnishings, light, welcoming colors, and vintage fixtures alway...
You ca...