Aubuchon Strong

By: By TAMMY WHALEY, twhaley@breezenewspapers.com

With technology improving more and more, consumers are looking to transform their bathrooms to fulfill a variety of needs including rest, relaxation and even entertainment. Gone are the days when a bathroom was just used for bathing and grooming as individuals look for new ways to innovate their lifestyles.
Just as with other areas of the home, colors for the bathroom are moving toward the retro feel. Eva Stulb, sales director for the design division of Evalutions by Aubuchon Homes, said blues, greens and teals are have been popular along with the darker chocolate tones added with a pop color such as hot pink, lime green or blue.

“We also get a lot of requests for black and white or black with other pops of color,” said Stulb. “Mink grays with champagne accents are also pretty hot right now.”

These colors are being used everywhere from walls to window treatments to bathroom accessories.

According to James McBride, division manager for Royal Baths Whirlpool, luxury tubs are quickly becoming a standard.

“Most of the Jacuzzi tubs are what people want,” he said. “People want to relax in a tub. Most people want the big 50- or 60-gallon kind.”

Along with the Jacuzzi tubs, consumers are looking toward walk-in showers for an added convenience, McBride added. “The walk-in-showers are really popular with the older folks,” he said. “It is easier to get in and out of. I’m also seeing people wanting bigger showers like in the six-foot range.”

Linda Whitmore, selections coordinator for Aubuchon Homes Sterling Collection, said steam baths and sauna baths also are hot this year.

“The sauna is the kind like you would see at the gym where you pour the water over the rocks and the steam baths are run on a generator,” she said.

Another high-tech feature for showers which is quickly becoming more and more popular is computerized shower valves and lots of them.

“Many people are going after multiple shower heads in the bathroom,” said Whitmore. “And with a computerized system you can program them for multiple temperature settings and strengths.”

Whitmore said this makes for convenience in a master bath where multiple people use the shower.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “One person can have it set for just the way they like it and the next person can hop in and with the push of a button the settings become just the way the other person wishes.”

Lights and musical entertainment system added makes for the perfect morning, afternoon, evening or anytime shower. Another new feature on the cutting edge, are the vessel bowl style sinks. Whitmore said she is seeing more and more requests for these above counter sinks which comes in a variety of shapes sizes and colors.

“Most people are asking for these sinks to be installed in their powder baths in the master bedroom we are seeing people still ask for traditional sinks for convenience,” she added. Brushed nickel or silver tone fixtures are still popular however chrome is starting to make a comeback.

“Chrome is creeping back into the bathrooms,” said Stulb. “Not the traditional ornate kind, but warmer and shinier with cleaner lines.”

Lighting is the perfect way to create ambiance in the bathroom and a variety of options are available to create the perfect bathroom setting.

“We are seeing small mini-chandeliers going into the bathrooms,” she said. “Smaller ‘can’ lighting is going by the vanities instead of the larger, more traditional kind and wall sconces remain popular.”

She added that even drop pendant lighting is becoming more and more popular.

“These look great and create a good amount of lighting for whatever your needs are,” she said.