Photo courtesy Central Arizona Supply The freestanding Ravello is a sleek alternative to clawfoot bathtubs.

The latest bathtubs, showers and design tips can transform your
bathroom into a soothing, sexy retreat.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, maybe it’s time to redecorate your romantic life. (And you thought you were reading a home design article.) Really, how’s the romance meter in your house? If it’s pointing down the drain, the bathroom is a great place to recapture a sense of romance while modernizing the look of your home.

So grab your rubber ducky – better yet, imagine slipping into a sudsy oasis tailored for two – and discover what’s new in the world of bathtubs, showers and the extras that create the ambience around them.

Bathtubs
Maybe it’s a metaphor for our recession-touched lives, or maybe it’s just a trend whose time has come, but these days, simple, clean lines are in. When it comes to bathtubs, that means built-in armrests, grab bars and just about anything that makes cleaning more difficult are out. “The big buzz word out there is ‘minimalistic.’ In this industry that’s the biggest change I’ve seen,” says Bruce Shira, president of Ultra Bath in Tempe.

Still, one oversized bathtub style that’s still getting plenty of mileage is the soaking tub. Beautiful and sleek, these tubs make a statement and can be plunked down right in the middle of your bathroom, or even the bedroom. “Most of the people who do that don’t have kids, but if you’re single or a couple without kids it can work,” Shira says.

With soaking tubs, Jennifer Ferrandi of Ferrandi+Kacer Design in Phoenix urges clients to consider function as well as form. “A freestanding tub can be gorgeous, but you can’t set a glass of wine or a book on there. They’re pretty to look at but difficult to use,” she says.

If a heart-shaped tub for two is too over the top for you (Shira carries a 70-by-52-inch model make by Aquatic, complete with hydrotherapy jets, recessed rotary massage jets and lumbar back support), air tubs are a hot alternative. “These tubs basically combine air and water action. It gives a lighter massage over the entire body,” Shira says.

One trend that’s sure to sap your bathroom of sex appeal is the old-fashioned clawfoot tub, says Jeremy Smith, showroom director for Central Arizona Supply, which has multiple locations around the state.

“That was the only option for years if you wanted a freestanding tub,” he says, pointing to newer, more modern lines like Victoria + Albert and ZUMA.

Minimalist bathrooms, with garden-style tubs and glass shower doors, are in.

Showers
If you’re worried about installing a dramatic bathtub and never using it, you’re not alone. Patrick Benkowski, president of Roadrunner Custom Remodeling in Fountain Hills, says nine out of 10 of his customers would choose oversized showers over bathtubs. Ultimately, he says, worries over home resale value scare some customers from replacing tubs with showers. Other customers have room in their bathrooms for both – a good thing, he says, since the shower can be every bit as therapeutic as a bathtub.

“We’re in a high-stress world,” says Benkowski, a certified remodeler and board member of the Greater Phoenix chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. “People use their showers as a release. They used to use tubs, but I think it’s changed now to showers.” Today’s showers can come loaded with his-and-hers shower heads, hand-held therapeutic body sprays, benches and thermostatic temperature control valves.

Long gone are the clunky gold shower door frames that were big in the 1980s and ’90s. “I fill Dumpsters with that stuff,” Benkowski quips, noting that thicker 3/8-inch swinging glass doors have displaced chrome and gold frames. “The look is all glass now. People want as clean a look as possible,” he says.

Extras
Whether you’re a tub type or a shower hound, experts agree it’s the extras that make or break your bathroom. “The look used to be very brash with gold sticking out everywhere and big mirrors,” Benkowski says. “People want to get rid of all that and go to nicer lighting, framed mirrors and tile. They want their bathroom to be a place that they want to go to, not a place they have to go to.”

Here are some tips to creating your own personal oasis:

Lighting. Heat-emitting Hollywood lighting strips that run the length of the vanity are out. What’s in? Soft, spa-inspired design. “A lot of customers are bringing chandeliers, or smaller chandelettes, into the bathroom over the vanity or tub,” says Tammy Kime, owner of Cappadonna’s in Tempe. Also popular are lighting sconces, pendant lights and even beauty spots, tiny ceiling-mounted lights that cast patterns onto the ceiling. “It almost looks like starlight. It’s very playful, very fun,” Kime says.

“Most important is putting everything on a dimmer,” she adds. “It’s an energy-smart way to go, and it creates the ambience everyone is going for.”

Mirrors. If you’re still clinging to that oversized mirror with wall-mounted clips, it’s time to upgrade. “Now, a mirror is a piece of furniture,” Benkowski says, adding that simple, framed mirrors over each sink bring simplicity, elegance and a current look to the bathroom. Kime even suggests separating them from the wall and backlighting them with LED strips.

Extras. Clean the clutter. Fill glass containers with white Q-tips and white cotton balls. Use chunky baskets on the shelves to store fluffy, white towels. Finally, if your budget allows, consider adding sound systems, coffee bars, warming drawers for towels and even an exterior door to a courtyard or outdoor shower. “You’ll get that clean, luxurious feel of the W Hotel or Four Seasons in your home,” Ferrandi says.

Pendant lights give a softer spa-like design (left); oversized showers with double shower heads offer room for two (right)

RESOURCES

Cappadonna’s
5030 S. Mill Ave., Ste. D14, Tempe
480-820-7192
cappadonnas.com

Central Arizona Supply
Multiple locations, 480-834-5817
centralazsupply.com

Ferrandi+Kacer Design
Phoenix, 602-686-6167
ferrandikacerdesign.com

Roadrunner Custom
Remodeling, Inc.
Fountain Hills
480-816-0788
roadrunnerremodeling.com

Ultra Bath
1230 W. Southern Ave., Ste. 106, Tempe
480-967-8808
ultrabathaz.com