From House To Home

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The consumer trend for bathrooms sees more money spent and more real estate set aside to turn the master bathroom into a sanctuary. Sure, bathtubs and showers as one single unit are nice—functional and space saving—but the kitchen and bath market indicates that homeowners are looking to more luxurious shower systems and baths, independent of each other.

“Overall, consumers are looking for individual and functional choices to customize the shower experience for their personal needs,” says Michael Wandschneider, senior product manager for Kohler Performance Showering.

More and more homeowners are asking the question: what can the space do for me?

“I still see the market in which consumers will go outside the conventional price points and pay more for the added luxury. Consumers will continue to pay for the luxurious finishes in bathroom products, for the additional functions to enjoy the massage or air technology of a showerhead or hand shower, and for a wider variety of designs and styles to enjoy the aesthetics of their baths,” says Russ Wheeler, president of Hansgrohe-North America.

“Consumers are looking for more of a showering experience and not just a means of washing. To create a more luxurious atmosphere, check out the shower systems that feature adjustable body sprays, hand showers with massage functions that release everyday tensions, and overhead showerheads with air technology that simulate the experience of a rain shower,” says Jim Stockstill, training and development manager, Hansgrohe, Inc.

Hansgrohe, for example, has introduced two premium series, Interaktiv and Retroaktiv, to respond to the trend toward higher-end products with more affordable price points for the bathroom. Also, the Raindance AIR showerheads and hand showers are unique in that they draw surrounding air inside the shower face, infusing the water with air bubbles. The result is Rain AIR-air-enriched water rushing through 60 spray channels as soft, voluminous droplets, creating an experience similar to a warm summer rain.

The second spray mode, Whirl AIR, accelerates the water and air combination through three rotating whirl jets that provide a relaxing massage.

The third spray mode, Balance AIR, allows the rain-like shower and massaging jets to be experienced together. Regardless of which spray mode is selected, the air-infused water magnifies the shower volume, giving an intense experience of well-being.

New heights in shower systems
Technology’s growing role in the bathroom couldn’t be more evident than with the KOHLER DTV custom showering product from Kohler Co. Does the wife like a warmer, gentler showering experience than the hubby? No problem; it’s all preset at the touch of a button. The interface panel can be installed inside and/or outside the shower.

Featuring a thermostatic valve and a digital interface, the DTV offers homeowners customized shower experiences utilizing multiple showerheads, hand showers, and body sprays controlled by the touch of a button. With the DTV’s pre-set hydrotherapy experiences, users can instantly specify showering preferences with the turn of a dial or push of a button.

Another great showering product from the minds of Kohler is its line of steam generators for most common shower sizes and installations. It is easy to operate and allows the user to select temperatures ranging between 90o F and 125o F. The steam head evenly disperses steam and also has an aromatherapy well so that a relaxing scent, such as eucalyptus or lavender, can be added.

Misty shower stop
The FRESCIA with Nebulizing Mist from Jaclo Industries is an enhancement to the bathroom that provides a unique shower experience, combining a therapeutic mist and massaging stream. It features four distinct spray functions.

When taking a shower under the mist spray, it transforms your bathing experience into a relaxing adventure that exfoliates the skin and cleanses the soul.

“We are extremely excited about the impact that the FRESCIA hand shower will have on the marketplace,” says Larry Brodey, president and CEO of Jaclo Industries. “Functionality is certainly one objective. But, more importantly, FRESCIA represents a critical step in design and creates the most complete and innovative suite of shower systems in the marketplace.”

It’s evident that today’s shower systems are more sophisticated and have the personality that could match your tastes. “Custom showering is one of the fastest growing trends in the bathroom today. Homeowners who are looking for the timely convenience of showering and the sensual experience of bathing find that a customized showering environment is more than an ideal compromise,” says Wandschneider.

John Mesenbrink’s market reports and trends analyses have been compared to an exhilarating rain shower experience in a luxury bath.

Thermostatic Valves
Gaining popularity in residential shower applications is the thermostatic valve. Showerheads, hand showers, and body sprays—in all their unique styles and finishes—are the most visible expressions of the new, custom shower. But what’s really driving the popularity of these showering components is the revolution in the valve technology happening behind the wall. Ten years ago, every bathroom had a pressure balance valve, delivering 4.5 to 6.5 gallons-per-minute (GPM) to operate one showerhead. Strictly utilitarian: You get in, you get clean, you get out. A decade later, the shower valve of choice is thermostatic, which offers a host of functional benefits, including:

Consistent water temperatures, so the temperature remains the same throughout each shower, whatever other plumbing fixtures and appliances are being used elsewhere, as long as hot water is being supplied to it. No more worries about a burst of extremely hot or cold water coming through the head.
Preset water temperatures, so the temperature is the same with every shower. No more fiddling the hot- and cold-water controls back and forth—eliminating scalding dangers.

Greater outputs than the 6.5 GPM at which a pressure balance valve maxes out. Thermostatic technology permits flow rates that are double or triple that total, depending upon the pressure of the water coming into the home. This, in turn, allows a shower to include multiple outlets that operate simultaneously: showerhead, hand shower, body sprays. You just have to be certain that the combined flow rates of those individual components do not exceed that of the shower valve itself.

Better flow control without adversely affecting temperature. Not everyone wants a high-powered shower all the time. Maybe you have a bad case of sunburn, and prefer the water to be little more than a trickle. With a pressure balance valve, chances are that trickle will be icy cold, because you have opened only the cold side of the cartridge. With a thermostatic valve, volume and temperature controls are separate components. As a result, you can throttle the flow down, yet still enjoy a consistently comfortable temperature. Many thermostatic valves also feature some element of “temperature memory” that allows the homeowner to control the temperature separately from the on/off controls in the shower. As a result, the homeowner can leave the shower set at his/her preferred temperature, and the next time he/she steps into the shower, the water returns to the previous temperature that was set.