Bathrooms have come a long way from the tiny ,
dingy little cubicles that our ancestors rushed in and out of as
fast as they could. Spending any thought or money on doing up
these rooms was considered a sheer waste until very recently. The
bathrooms of today are different in quality and style-ranging from
the practical to luxurious.
Every individual's idea of luxury differs as do the features they
would like to include in their bathrooms. The possibilities are
endless: His and Hers wash-basins, bidets, Jacuzzis with
underwater lighting and adjustable slide jets with an option of
water heated air or both, sauna, steam bath, whirlpool or a
reading nook with bookshelves and two comfy chairs! Then there are
bathrooms located in a secluded corner of the house beside a glass
wall that brings the outdoors with in.
Whereas earlier the sink, WC and bathing area were placed just
where they fitted in conveniently, often resulting in the users
having to traipse the length of the room to wash their hands,
today a lot of thought is given to the placement of each fixture
in the bathroom.
Dressing walls in the bathroom is easier, as many material can be
used. A simple look requires just a coat of paint or ceramic
tiles. However, water as well as soap suds are bound to splash on
the walls in the bathing area and if the material is not
well-selected, it will leave ugly stains with the passage of the
time. Lighting in the bathrooms give the whole space a well-lit
look. Fluorescent tube lights are accepted as a rule, but a couple
of bulbs fitted near the mirror would produce a clearer image.
The minimum fixtures in any bathroom are a WC,
washbasin and shower/tap. But the tempting variety available today
both in design and colour offer different combinations. Bathrooms
are been given much more attention, particularly in size The
budget allocated for decoration of bathrooms has also increased
substantially.
New and popular flooring options available today are more in terms
of colour than any change in material used. Italian marble and
ceramic tiles still hold the market, but the changes seen are in
the colours and the ways of laying them. Basic earth shades are
being mixed and contrasted with bolder shades to draw attention to
the floor. Walls can also sport the new look of plain, patterned,
embossed or marbled ceramic tiles which are offset by printed
borders.
A variety of WC's are now available in different shapes, flushing
styles and the capacity of the flush-which ranges from 5 to 7.5 liters.
Wall mounted WCs Re available in two options: standard and
concealed flushing apparatus.
Wash basins, with pedestals or fitted into a counter, come in a
host of shapes- be it the standard one or the triangular shape
that fits perfectly into a corner of the bathroom and avoids
wastage of space.
Bathroom fixtures available in the market today have sleeker
designs and come in a variety of power-coated colours of deep blue
and vibrant red versus the chrome, black and ivory which were
popular years ago. The designer taps may vary from a single tap to
options like three tap hole basin mixers with pop-up systems and
swivel spout mixers.
Acrylic bath-tubs are now available in many shapes- from standard
rectangular to the more unusual triangular, D-shape and the
rounded variety. Readymade acrylic bath trays, another new entrant,
come in the standard size of 3'X 3' or 4'x 2.3' in a square or
rectangular shape.
Luxury options like Jacuzzis are popular with
those who can afford the steep rise, while shower cabinets find
very few takers in the market today. Jacuzzis made of acrylic and
reinforced with fiber-glass are available in designs. Saunas are
popular because they help the excess fat in the body to melt away.
Bathroom accessories are colour coordinated with the rest of the
like the soap trays, bathroom shelves, towel rails, toilet-paper
holders, hooks and toothbrush holder. Walk in wardrobes adjacent
to the bathroom are also a common feature. A lot of stress is also
laid on exhaust and fresh air fans.
The colour schemes popular today are contrasts between a basic
earthy shade like a fawn, beige or black, with a bolder colour
like a deep maroon or forest green. If bathroom space permits, Jacuzzis
and bath tubs find their way in.
Current lifestyles often demand that bathrooms
offer extra facilities beyond the purely functional. Besides the
now mandatory closet storage, make-up table-cum-dresser, washing
machine or even a little nook used as a dressing space, you could
find a bed or a dance floor in your private retreat next-
depending, of course, on the space available.
Vaastu is very prevalent here, and bathrooms are carefully planned
accordingly- from where the WC is placed to the wall on which the
mirror is hung. According to vastu, the bigger and better planned
the bathroom, the more prosperous you will be.
The east portion of the house is
best for constructing a bathroom. The morning rays of the Sun are
believed to be extremely beneficial for health, hence proper
windows (of course with due provision for privacy) should be
provided in the bathroom. The slope of the bathroom floor should
be towards north and east so water drains to the north-east side
of the bathroom.
A geyser can be installed in
south-east of the bathroom. Taps and shower can be in north so the
water drains to the north-east. Bath tub can be on the west side
with head-side in south. Avoid a door on the south-west of
bathroom. A washing machine can be placed in the northwest or
southeast portion of the bathroom.
Ideal Bathroom
The ideal bathroom is such which provides the
essentials where you need it, when you need it.
The ideal position of the bathing area would
be one that allows you to step out of your bath on to dry
ground.
Family size has an important role to play in
the design and layout of bathrooms. The larger the family, the
larger the bathroom in terms of square footage and storage
space.
Plumbing fixtures should be comfortably
spaced, with storage facilities and furnishings well arranged
so that there is plenty of free space left for maneuvering.
Tailoring the bathroom to suit the age
requirements of all its users is sensible. If toddlers use the
same bathroom as the adults, the towel stand could be fixed a
little lower so that a child has easy access.
In situations where one bathroom has to be
shared by four or more people, separating the WC and the wash
basin from the bathing area will allow two people to use
different areas of the bathroom at the same time.
A WC should be placed near a window or an
outer wall, so that an exhaust fan can be fitted alongside.
The bathing area should be kept away from the
windows to protect it from drought.
A dry and free area (unencumbered by
fixtures) is needed to allow an adult to dry off and dress
after bathing.
Floor should always be skid resistant
variety.
A Jacuzzi should ideally be fitted with its
access panel and electric points under the flooring, directly
below the tub.
Colour scheme should be according to the age
factor. Women prefers soft colours and designs, while
children's bathroom sport cartoon characters. The middle
income groups there is a marked preferences for pastel shades.
The trend should be sober and not flashy.
Useful Tips
* Ajacent to the
bathrooms and near the kitchen a small washing room for washing
clothes and utencils is very convenient.
* Bathrooms adjacent
to the south-east corner in the east direction is very useful.
* The morning
sunrays coming from the east side falls on our body after the
bath, which is very useful.
*The wash basin and
shower should be in the north-east, north or the east side.
* Heater,
switchboard, all other electrical appliances should be in the
south-east direction.
* If a change room
is to be built in the bathroom, it should be in the west or the
south direction.
* Tub baths in the
bathrooms should be either in the east, the west or the
north-east.
* The slope of the
flooring in the bathrooms should be in the east or the north
direction.
* The mirrors &
the doors of the bathroom should be in the east or the north, but
not in the south direction.
*There should be
windows or ventilators in the east or the north. Bath should be
taken in the east or the north side.
* Clothes to be
washed, should be kept in the north-west corner
* The colour of
walls and tiles of the bathrooms should be white, light blue, sky
blue or any other pleasing light colour. As far as possible dark
red or black colour should be avoided.
* A toilet in the
bathroom is not advisable. However, if it is, it should be in the
west or the north-west.
* Toilet should
never be in the east or the northeast corner.
