Bathing Beauties
With a little help from some tiny bubbles and designer tap ware, you can turn the morning routine into a joyful ritual.
Article by Alice Keesing and Aimee Harris
Issue Date: November 2006
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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.”
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
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
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.
Coastal Condo The most bang for your buck o/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.
“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.
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 o/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
“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.
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.
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.
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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.
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