Latest trends in bathroom remodeling

Tag : Steam Control Valve
Latest trends in bathroom remodeling 12:50 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 By ADRIAN SAINZ / Associated Press
MIAMI — Tell me if you've had this problem before: You'reenjoying your shower, someone in the house flushes a toilet, andall of a sudden it turns from heaven into Hades.
That scenario has been an annoying facet of America's dailybathroom life for decades — the rapid increase in a shower'swater temperature when a toilet is discharged. But, thanks todigital temperature controls and single-valve technology,homeowners looking to remodel their aging bathrooms can make showerscalding a thing of the past.
That's one of many technological and design improvements and trendsavailable in the bathroom remodeling world, helping homeownersimprove their quality of life and add value to their homes. Othertrends in bathroom designs include the installation of showers withmultiple heads and body spray nozzles, steam baths and even music;heated floors and toilet seats; raised sinks; brushed nickel andchrome fixtures; and the use of remote, digital controls to turn onshowers, tubs and lights.
"The bathroom, especially the master, is one of those placesof refuge either at the end of the day or a long week, where peopleare going to seek solace," said Michael Menn of DesignConstruction Concepts in Northbrook, Ill. "They don't want thepostage card-sized bathrooms of the past."
Homeowners spend an estimated $280 billion a year on remodeling,accounting for nearly 40 percent of all residential constructionand improvement spending, according to Harvard University's JointCenter for Housing Studies.
Last year, bathroom remodeling expenditures in the U.S. totaledabout $16 billion, said Gopal Ahluwalia, vice president of researchfor the National Association of Home Builders' economicsdepartment.
One of the hottest trends in bathroom remodeling is the emergenceof what some call the "car-wash" shower that provides aspa-like experience. These are tub-less showers with doors ratherthan shower curtains. They can have a wide shower head that makesit look and feel like a rain shower, plus another hand-held showerhead with an extension. Meanwhile, jets and nozzles protrude fromthe wall itself, spraying water in multiple directions. Dependingon its components, a steam bath shower can run from about $1,300 tomore than $8,000.
These showers can also include a steam bath and can be controlledby a digital keypad that allows bathers to customize where thewater shoots out from and how hot it will be.
Technological advancements allows showers to operate on a singlevalve, which means the water volume and temperature control aremanipulated in one knob rather than two or three. That single-valvetechnology essentially separates the toilet's water flow from theshower's, preventing shower burns, said Ibrahim Guzman, showroommanager at Coral Gables Plumbing in Miami.
Many people like to keep the shower and the tub separate. Thenewer, more expensive tub designs include whirlpool-like jets,extending nozzles, light and sound therapy, and tiny holes thatshoot air after a bath is completed to prevent the accumulation ofmold and mildew. Like the shower, the tub can be controlleddigitally and remotely. A Thermomasseur whirlpool tub fromBainUltra, a top brand, can set you back $3,230, Guzman said.
"If you want the best tub and the best shower, you try to doit separately," said Doug Walter, a Denver, Colo., architect."But sometimes you have to be realistic and think, 'How oftendo I take a tub bath?'"
Toilets also have been improved, especially in this era ofconservation. Not only are there toilets that use just 1 gallon ofwater per flush — down from the average flush capacity of 1.6gallons — but also, some "dual-flush" toilets havesensors which determine how much water is needed to get rid of thewaste. Toto offers this type of toilet for a list price of $435,Guzman said.
Water heaters and toilets now come tankless, so that less water isused.
Eric Moore, an interior designer with Kohler Co., estimates thathomeowners who install water-saving toilets and shower fixtures canresult in significant savings.
"That's an area in the market that were pushing," Mooresaid. "Everything that were doing goes toward waterconservation."
When it comes to design trends, more bathrooms now have raisedsinks, with the bowl-shaped vessel standing fully above the vanityrather than mounted down into the vanity itself.
Cheaper floor tiles, ceramic and marble, have made linoleumpractically extinct. Floors and toilets can be heated. The mostpopular fixtures and towel bars tend to be brushed nickel or chromerather than brass, and modern, straight-line designs are the rage.
Homeowners are adding skylights or large windows to bring moresunlight into the room, Walter said. LED lighting is gainingpopularity because of the energy savings it provides, but it can beexpensive to install them.
Sticking with the theme of bathroom-as-sanctuary, one can installmusic for the shower and a flat-screen television.
Homeowners should remember to keep the home's value in mind,especially if they plan to sell the property within a few years.Industry professionals recommend improvements that please thewidest range of people, perhaps mixing traditional and modernstyles and choosing neutral colors when deciding on fixtures,flooring and other details.
Small improvements such as updating lighting or fixtures canquickly change the look of the bathroom and cost in the lowthousands. But larger jobs can take from six months to a year,including planning, purchasing and installation, and cost in thetens of thousands of dollars, Walter said.
"The best way to do a bathroom remodel, particularly on olderhomes, is to strip it down," Walter said. "A lot of timewe find hidden damage, and we wouldn't find it if we didn't removethe tiles and the such."