Some buyers want both a shower and tub

June 18, 2005|By Allison E. Beatty, Special to the Tribune

Do you love to lounge in a hot, bubbling bathtub or would you prefer to let invigorating shower jets help get the day started?

While some people clearly fall into one category or the other, many home buyers are saying "yes" to both bathroom features.

Years ago, master bathrooms typically were built with either a bathtub or shower. That design has changed, however, as more and more home buyers look for the flexibility of having both a tub and shower available to them in the same room.

"In higher-end homes, people still are looking for both," said Jenny Accomando LaVergne, office and showroom manager for CabinetWerks Design Studio, a kitchen and bath showroom in Lincolnshire. "They like the option of taking a nice relaxing bath or a quick shower."

When selecting the layout of your bathroom, consider the amount of space you have and what type of routine you follow. In a floor plan with limited space, you might have to choose between one feature or the other -- or make the shower or tub smaller to squeeze in both.

Someone with a fast-paced career or family life -- or both -- might prefer to focus more attention on the shower stall, making it larger and more luxurious.

While a 4-foot-by-6-foot shower stall will do the trick, a space that is 6-by-6 will allow more room for features such as two shower heads, a handheld shower spray and a bench for seating.

Others who live a more sedate life -- complete with evenings spent soaking in a bubbling tub -- might prefer to devote more space to the bathing experience. Bathtubs are sold in a variety of sizes, from standard 60-inch lengths to larger tubs with oval or multi-sided shapes.

"Sometimes people like to use the bathtub as a focal point," Accomando LaVergne said. "They may have a ball and claw foot tub or a really modern tub made from stone."

Bathroom luxury is becoming the rule. Just as homeowners look for the latest and greatest in the kitchen, they also long for plenty of pampering in this more private retreat.

Among the newer products that are popular are air baths, which have jets in the bottom of the tub that send water rising to the surface. They are designed to provide a softer massage than what is commonly found with whirlpool tubs, said Alan Zielinski, owner of Better Kitchens in Niles.

"The time you stay in a whirlpool tub is short because you get all beat up [from the jets]," Zielinski said. "This is kind of like a gentle kneading."

Oils and bubble bath gels can be used in these tubs, while they are not recommended in most whirlpool tubs. Some air baths also have features such as heated headrests and cleaning systems that keep the tub free of bacteria, Zielinski said.

The shower stall also has seen a revival in recent years, as homeowners try to create a health club atmosphere, complete with steam and multiple shower sprays. These stalls often are framed with glass doors to allow light to filter in and to showcase the stone walls.

Home builder Ferris Homes often designs master bathrooms with separate bathtubs and showers.

At some townhouse units in its Liberty Grove development in Libertyville, however, the master bathrooms are being built with only shower stalls. Townhouses in the development are priced from $400,000.

"By getting rid of the tub we can still give buyers a good size room with a separate water closet and decent size double vanity," said Drew Ferris, president of the Northbrook-based company. " I think it has paid off in that the layout of the room is better."

These showers, however, are not your basic rectangular boxes with one shower head and a soap dispenser. They have become a haven for multiple shower jets, marble or granite seating areas, hand-held sprays and many other creature comforts.

"We're doing a lot of shower systems with rain heads and body massage jets," Ferris said.

These shower designs tie in with the use of luxury items throughout the room. Countertops often are made of granite, marble or glass. Rich, natural stone and multi-colored glass tiles are increasingly being used on the floor and walls.

"We're seeing people spend some time designing the walls with tumbled marble instead of going with a ceramic tile," Ferris said.

While many homeowners want the flexibility of having a bathtub and shower in the master bathroom, the overall design is driven by individuality and lifestyle. Some people are not concerned about getting rid of the traditional bathtub feature in the master bathroom. As long as there is one bathtub in the house -- perhaps in a hall bathroom -- they are comfortable with focusing instead on a fancy shower stall in the master bathroom.

"When you survey folks and ask how often they take a tub bath, it's almost nonexistent," Zielinski said. "We've become a society of shower users."

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Allison E. Beatty is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding new home buyers' product and design choices, write to Choices c/o Chicago Tribune, New Homes section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611. Or, e-mail: allison@renovatorsplace.com.