Southern Breeze 2007 Summer Issue - (Page 30) (L to R) Lovelace Interiors’ sleek design for a Waterview Towers condo; Kohler Rain showerhead; a neutral stone palate and fixtures accent this bath designed by Kevin Harris; Kohler’s Water TileTM Rain shower tile; and Kohler’s bodyspray jets installed in a luxurious wet room. Wet Room Tips There’s more to adding a wet room than ripping out that old tub, taking down the shower curtain, and applying new tile. The following is a to-do list if you’re thinking about installing a wet room. The whole room will need to be watertight; this should be done only by a professional High quality ceramic/carbon seals ensure longer life and leak-free operation The floor will need to be raised about 5 cm to accommodate the drain. The floor will need a slight slope towards the drain The room must have enough structural support to take the weight of all the material and products Ventilation is important to allow the room to dry out; consider installing in-floor heating Position the shower fittings away from the door to ensure that the water drains only into the room Consider installing a wall-hung toilet and sink to add to the spacious feel and to free up the floor Think about your floor covering carefully; opt for non-slip surfaces Choose a stylish shower to set off your room. Consider body jets and movable shower handsets as well as a fixed head You may want to add a screen to save all your bathroom fixtures being regularly sprayed with water Editor’s Note: Alice Liao contributed to this story. sets these showerheads apart are their sheer size—they’re as big in diameter as a dinner plate! But that’s just to make room for the increased number of water outlets, all to make you feel like you’re caught in a sudden downpour, especially when you’re drenched with two and a half gallons a minute! If you want to go a step further, you might consider rain shower tiles. These are often built flush to the walls—like any bathroom tile—and provide a relaxing, refreshing spray rather than a focused stream. Kohler manufactures a ceiling-mounted overhead showering panel called Water Tile Rain which will shower you with 216 separate shower jets. No more having to jump in a narrow stream to wash off the soap and shampoo under these deluges! Nothing says “low end bathroom” like vinyl and Formica, which unfortunately are prevalent in new and old construction alike. However, people are starting to look to various finishes for an added luster to their baths. Kevin says that natural stone materials have become very popular with his clients. “It’s cheaper than the sheet-plastic countertops, which is surprising,” he says. “They also have something called cultured marble, which after 10 to 15 years may need to be replaced, but it can make a space look like it belongs in Elvis’ mansion.” For a condo in Waterview Towers in Destin, a shower’s sleek design had to complement the bathroom’s contemporary upscale feel. Lovelace Interiors’ Debbie Faulkner opted for natural finishes and a rain showerhead. The result is a very high-end showering experience. “Marble tiles were chosen for their beauty and texture and were installed in the shower and on the adjacent wall where the glass and wood vanity is hung,” Debbie says. “We wanted to use the rain showerhead for its expression of style and how it would enhance the shower experience. It invites you to walk in for the natural sensation of a warm and drenching waterfall a perfect way to relax and unwind after a busy day.” A trend that has always been more popular up north than down south is the use of ambient heating elements in the floors. However, Kevin says that is changing in the higherend baths, but it’s still rare enough that he has to special order the parts. “For huge, walk-in showers, we put them in the walls as well, because we can’t warm up the stone fast enough with the water,” he explains. “You put the heating system on a timer so that when you walk into the shower, it’s already warm.” With rain from the ceiling and self-warming floors, you may never want to get out of your shower! TM 30 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m (L TO R) INTERIOR DESIGN BY DEBBIE FAULKNER OF LOVELACE INTERIORS/IMAGE BY JACK GARDNER, KOHLER, CHIPPER HATTER, LAST TWO IMAGES BY KOHLER. http://southernbreeze.com
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