The
luxury bath movement continues its onward march as homeowners transform
the bathroom from a utilitarian space into a private retreat. What
we’re seeking is a sanctuary; a place to relax the mind and body. This
year the design focus is on clean, sweeping lines—either angular or
curvaceous—that impart a spirit of peace and serenity. And we’re dressing it all up with the latest in luxe items, from fashion faucets to bubbling spas to designer lavs.
Tub Turner
This bathroom’s functionality was completely reworked by repositioning
the tub. Originally, the tub was located against the window bay. “The
tub ate up one-third of potential counter space,” says Glenda Anderson,
of Details International. “By turning it inward by 90 degrees, we gave
the homeowner space to sit down at a counter vanity.”
 |
| Photo by Tomas Del Amo |
The
turned tub also allowed Anderson to put the walk-in shower and tub
alongside each other. One corner of the tub’s deck extends into the
shower, offering a little seat. A glass shield between the shower and
tub, treated with diamond fusion to prevent unsightly water spots,
keeps the shower spray from splashing into the tub.
Anderson
notes that she prefers to floor mount tubs and then build a deck around
them. “Tubs with decks have fewer maintenance problems, plus they’re a
lot safer to get in and out of. You should be able sit down on the deck
comfortably and then swing your legs in to help you get in safely.”
Besotted with Basalt
 |
| Photo courtesy of Bella Pietra |
Place this natural stone sink in your bathroom and introduce the dual
energies of yin and yang, with the intriguing contrast between its
earthy exterior and polished interior.
This
free-form sink from Bella Pietra, A Natural Stone Design Center, is
crafted from basalt, a stone that is forged in volcanoes. As lava
rises, it quickly cools, forming the dense, finely grained basalt. It’s
a durable, beautiful stone that ranges from light gray to dark black.
This vessel sink is a natural fit for Hawaii homes, being identical to local basalt but easier on your pocket.
Bella
Pietra also carries more traditional vanity sinks in basalt, along with
tubs and farmhouse kitchen sinks. The company imports natural stone and
related products from all over the world, including marble, granite,
slate, quartzite, travertine, limestone and glass and metal tile.
Got Glamour?
Pedini Bath has it to the max in this serene, sophisticated bathroom
from its Glamour series. The superb Italian styling shines through in
every sleek line, from the suspended oak vanity to the built-in marble
soaking tub.
A
hallmark of Pedini’s kitchens and baths is the company’s use of
stunning materials and innovative engineering. The basin is crafted in
honed basaltina, an extremely durable Italian lava stone that was being
used in the times of ancient Rome. The soaking tub and flooring are in
Pietra Grey Italian marble. The fixtures are another Italian style
statement, coming from Gessi.
You can indulge in the Pedini experience at the award-winning Susan Palmer Designs at the Shops at Dole Cannery.
White Waters
Transform your bathroom into a spa space and luxuriate in all that
hydrotherapy can do for your body and mind. The clean lines and
sweeping curves of the Solana spa make it perfect for the privacy of
your own bathroom.
With
contoured seats for two, the Solana spa features a total of 10
high-pressure jets. The Precision jets give an invigorating back and
shoulder massage; the Moto-Massage jet sweeps up and down your back;
and the Hydromassage jets provide deep relaxation.
Ready to relax? You can find the Solana TX spa at Blue Champagne Pool & Spa for $4,395.
Italian Hardware
High-style it with Gessi. This collection of designer tap ware and
accessories is infused with innate Italian flair and quality
construction. The Rettangolo collection offers a minimalist linear
style that fits perfectly into the modern home, while Gessi Ovale has a
softer more classic feel. Georgio Armani likes the Rettangolo series so
much that he’s installing it in some of his new boutique hotels.
The
collection includes remote-control mixers and spouts that can be wall,
ceiling or floor mounted and accessories, such as towel rails,
shelving, soap holders and paper towel holders.
For
your own slice of Italian style, visit Fiddler’s in Honolulu, which
just introduced Gessi’s Rettangolo and Ovale series. Rettangolo Bagno
single lever in polished chrome (20001-031), suggested retail, $695.
 |
| Photos by Scott T. Kubo |
|
Spun-Out Beauty
This
condo master-bath remodel was all about upgrading existing materials
and opening up space. Michael Smith, of Kitchen Concepts Plus, knocked
down the wall and door that separated the toilet and tub from the rest
of the bathroom. He also removed the old countertops, white cabinets
and large wall mirror, which featured a strip of 10 overhead bulbs. The
tub, toilet, floor and faucet hardware stayed, while new marble
counters and cherry, Asian-style Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry were
installed. Smith extended the cabinetry’s towel holder between the
vanity and the toilet to offer some privacy. The finishing touches were
the Kohler spun-glass vessels, which were paired with the bath’s
original hardware. The vessels’ translucent glass provided a unique,
handcrafted look that became the focal point of the bathroom.
|
Coastal Condo
The most bang for your buck Ão/oo that was the tall order for this condo’s
very small, master bath. “The husband and wife both work with shipping
lines, so when they come into Honolulu, they may only have 24 hours or
they may have three months,” explains J.R. Ludlow, of Studio Becker.
Since they’re used to tight living quarters at sea, the couple didn’t
need a lot of space. But, they did want a space that made sense.
 |
| Photo by Augie Salbosa |
“The
bath was a very disjointed room, with a wall that divided the vanity
from the toilet,” Ludlow says. Since the homeowners were less concerned
about privacy, Studio Becker removed the wall to open up the space.
Ludlow
and the condo owners worked together to find the bathroom’s materials.
The owners acquired the shapely, sculptural sink and presentation
pedestal. Ludlow installed the shell stone countertop and worked with
the tile layer to perfectly place the detail Blue Hawaiian, 2-by-2-inch
marble mosaics in the shower’s sand-colored travertine.
“They
have an amazing ocean view from the master bedroom and the owners
really wanted to bring that ocean feel in,” Ludlow says. “This is now a
place where they can come in and breathe.”
Symmetrical Beauty
This Wade Terao design provides the perfect frame for soaking in the
famous Kailua Beach view. And the view is just as good on the inside,
thanks to the craftsmanship of Integrity Tile & Stone.
This
bathroom is all about massive stone. The floors are crafted in marble,
while the rest of the bathroom is tied together with a soft-green
granite. It can be found everywhere, from the floor accents to the
countertops to the bathroom surround. The walls are also clad in solid
slabs of the granite, as is the shower stall, which is fully enclosed
so it can serve as a steam shower.
The
bathroom is an example of Integrity Tile & Stone’s high-end work.
Large projects such as this require seamless teamwork and innovative
methods to achieve the client’s goal. Installing the shower walls alone
was a large production, involving plywood templates and numerous trial
runs before the large pieces of granite were actually lifted into
place.
Tropical Exotic
Catch the latest in tropical exotic with the hot new line of Coconut
Republic furniture. Featured here is an inlaid coconut shell vanity
with pewter handles, topped off with a mother-of-pearl basin.
Coconut
is one of the popular new exotics, prized for its durability and
sultry, tropical feel. It’s a look that is equally at home with Eastern
dŽcor as it is with contemporary designs.
Coconut Republic also produces flooring and one-of-a-kind custom pieces.
Fine
Linens & Furnishings in Kakaako features this new line, along with
its other exclusive products, from Egyptian cotton bedding and bath
towels to home accessories and pillows.
Bronzed in Zen
The Zen, square vessel basin bears soft, subtle curves and rests on a
simple, wood, L-shaped pedestal. The wood is handcrafted, using mortise
and tenon joinery (no nails) and then finished with a three-coat
sealant to emphasize the wood’s character. Available at Ferguson,
832-7473, through special order.
His-and-hers
This Hawaii Kai master bath had a typical small bath with toilet, sink
and tub. But, what the owners wanted was a nice master suite, with a
his-and-hers vanity, plus a luxury soaking tub.
Judy
Dawson, of DESiGNER Kitchens & Baths, designed the suite so the
couple could easily get ready at the same time in the morning and not
have to fight for space. “The husband is quite tall, so I created an
elevated counter for him with a stepped up mirror on the back wall of
his vanity.” For her, Dawson installed a freestanding pedestal lav and
a shallow makeup counter. “Most women like to do their makeup close to
the mirror, standing up,” Dawson says. “If a bathroom has a seating
area Ão/oo I’ve found that they are rarely used.”
The
bathroom has a separate room with a pocket door, toilet and shower. The
glass blocks in the shared shower wall and around the tub allow in the
natural light and make the room an inviting space that feels airy and
spacious.
Nature’s Showers
Create a junglescape in your bathroom. Or an underwater reef scene. Or
add a Jackson chameleon surfing on a toothbrush. Windward artist Thomas
Deir promises to use his artist’s brush to create any—any!—scene his
clients might wish for. The palm-frond design pictured here is a
popular motif that Deir likes because it gives the feel of taking an
outdoor shower.
Deir
helps his clients visualize the finished result by chalking out the
mural on the bathroom prep board. Then he takes the tile back to the
Thomas Deir Studios, creates the design with glaze paints, and fires it
to produce a tile hardy enough to withstand even the outdoor elements.
Crystalline Qualities
Glass and water make a perfect pairing in the bathroom. The bathroom
featured here shows a half-radius wall walk-in shower that gives the
bathroom its clean lines and glowing light.
At
Hawaii Glass Block, the standard clear glass block takes off in new
directions with a multitude of styles. Different shapes and sizes allow
you to create angles and curves. Variations in transparencies and
textures can be used to build patterns of intricate beauty. The
multitude of colors can add design accents from backsplashes to showers
to floors. And the company’s artists can custom-etch any design into
the blocks, perhaps creating a serene underwater scene.
Pretty & Smart
 |
| Travertine
tile is a popular choice for bathrooms. Its beauty stems from its
remarkable range of shades, including sandy coffee hues to lighter
golden and oatmeal tones. Courtesy of Marblehaus Hawaii |
“Theoretically, people don’t like to see grout joints, but when it
comes down to baths, people are more willing to overlook them for
attractive designs,” says Kevin Nip, of Marblehaus Hawaii. Beyond
aesthetics, Nip notes that small, varied stone settings and mosaics,
such as basket weave, herringbone or band and dot, provide grip to help
prevent slipping on wet bathroom floors. “More people are using smaller
tile—anything from 1” x 1,” 2” x 2,” 3” x 3” and up—in their walk-in
showers,” Nip says. Plus, rather than cutting large tiles to fit into
small spaces such as a shower floor, it is easier to use small tiles to
create the correct pitch for drains.
 |
 |
|
Travertine square pattern
|
Rainforest herringbone pattern
|
Tidy Tile
Is grimy grout taking the shine off your bathroom? Tile & Grout
Solutions offers SaniGLAZE, a process that restores tile and grout to a
“like new” appearance. More than just cleaning, the multistep process
pulls out embedded contaminants, then glazes the grout with a nonporous
coating. It then shields the entire surface from direct contact with
any more grime.
SaniGLAZE,
which is exclusive in Hawaii to Tile & Grout Solutions, is used on
heavy-duty jobs in the Hyatt and the Gold Bond Building, as well as
Island residential homes.
This
is a great alternative to retiling dollars. The initial restoration is
permanent, although it does require periodic preventive maintenance to
rejuvenate the protective shield.
Ramped Up
Break the mold of the traditional bathroom sink. This award-winning
ramp sink from Lokahi Stone is a sure way to make a statement.
Concrete’s
trademark creativity comes through in every detail of this olive-green
monolith. Architectural details are added with the front inset and the
softened edges, which are inset with 500-million-year-old sea fossils
called ammonites. The sink is accentuated with a mosaic charcoal slate,
which is also echoed in the backsplash.
Lokahi
Stone works with a proprietary mix of concrete that is extremely dense,
resulting in a durable product. Lokahi Stone specializes in custom-made
concrete countertops and sinks, furniture and flooring. The company
encourages clients to get involved in the creativity, from developing
the design to placing the accent inlays.
Glass Art
Turn your shower walls into art with an UltraGlas shower enclosure. The
unique heat-slumping process embosses glass panels with waves,
geometrics and swirls that grant privacy while diffusing light.
 |
|
Image courtesy of UltraGlas Inc.
|
This
featured bathroom highlights a custom Stardom burst design on a
background texture called UltraSlate. The custom glass design runs
seamlessly between the panels and also features a strikingly shaped
top. You can find UltraGlas at Screens & Things, which furnishes
and installs shower and tub enclosures. The Honolulu company offers
several brands and many styles, from moderately priced sliding and
hinged door systems to custom, frameless enclosures. And if you like
glass, but not the thought of cleaning it, Screens & Things has
Diamond Seal, a hydrophobic sealant that makes cleaning a breeze.
Concrete Squared
Concrete is one of the “it” materials for designers, popular for its
ability to take on any form or color. These “bird-bath” sinks by Inouye
Designs catch on to the popular trend for above-the-counter vessels.
The
boxy sinks are colored a rich chocolate and blend seamlessly with the
lighter-shade countertop. One of the beauties of concrete is that it
can be created in any color in the spectrum to match your tile,
cabinets, walls or artwork. The concrete structures can also be stamped
or acid stained, while semiprecious stones and inlays can be added as
unique design flourishes.
Inouye Designs works with a full spectrum of concrete products from kitchen, baths, wall tiles, floors and more.
Flushed with Excitement
Sit right down and let the Neorest bidet-toilet do the rest. Made by
Toto, which is known for its technologically advanced bathroom
products, this is a loo with intelligence. The lid is hands-free; it
opens automatically as you approach, then closes and flushes as you
walk away.
The
rest can be controlled with the push of a button: The Neorest remote
control manages functions, such as the gentle front- and back-aerated
warm water spray, which can be regulated for preferred water pressure
and temperature. Other advanced features include an oscillating spray
massage, heated seat, automatic catalytic air purifier and warm air
dryer.
This
is a sleek-looking Toto, with a modern, low silhouette and a tankless
design. Find the smart Toto Neorest 600 at The Bathroom Store, $5,200.
