The Bathroom Shower as Spa and Therapy Center
If you would like to go a bit beyond an ordinary shower, today's showering choices give you a lot of options.
Among the options available to consumers are showers that deliver hydro-massage, as well as showers that mimic the experience of a steam room at a health club or spa. In fact, that's the whole idea - to transform a standard shower into one of life's indulgences, a retreat that offers physical and emotional wholeness and balance. Power shower
Multiple showerhead assembly from Water-Pik attaches to the existing showerhead with no additional plumbing.

While in the past, most home showers wouldn't have been able to drive more than one showerhead, new technology can deliver and distribute water for a custom shower or home spa.

New shower designs address the fact that not everyone is the same size by making their components adjustable. Some products feature showerheads with telescoping arms that can be effortlessly adjusted up and down, and radially as well. The adjustability can help in other ways, too: If you don't want your hair to get wet, just move the arm down.

To complete the home spa experience, consider adding steam to your shower. Steam has a way of slowing you down, and it promotes breathing and relaxation.

From practical to pampered, new shower innovations make it easier than ever to relax and unwind in the privacy of your own bathroom
Power Showers
Multiple head showers are becoming more frequent upgrades to existing bathrooms. Many add-on units do not even require revising the existing plumbing. They attach to the shower wall and merely supplement the existing showerhead.

Shower spa add on
Multiple showerhead assembly from Water-Pik attaches to the existing showerhead with no additional plumbing. For those who feel that ordinary house water pressure may not be enough for the true therapeutic experience, manufacturers are beginning to offer power showers.

These multiple showerhead cabinets are fitted with pumps just like whirlpools that feed high-pressure jets in the unit. Adjustable from merely misty to blow-you-out-the-door, these units are the ultimate extension of the pioneering Water-Pik messaging showerhead of 30 years ago. Selecting Bath Fixtures:Lavatories, Commodes, Sinks and Basins

Types of Sinks

If you are wondering what the distinction is between a lavatory, commode, basin and sink, the answer is: not much. They all mean "sink" and are pretty much used interchangeably. A commode, basin or lavatory is typically a sink mounted on or in a cabinet. Lavatory and commode refer only to bath sinks while a basin can also mean a kitchen sink. A commode cabinet is designed to look like furniture and the term is often used to refer to the cabinet rather than the sink itself. The word "sink" means all of these but when professionals use the term to describe a bath sink it typically refers to a sink not mounted in a cabinet, for example a pedestal or wall sink. So that's the difference. As we said, not much.

Countertop Sinks: Drop-In, Undermount and Set-On Basins
Vessel Sink Vessel sink with an oriental flavor mounted on a narrow console. These are sinks designed to be set in or on a countertop. The classic drop-in sink sits in a hole in the countertop with a lip protruding above the countertop. The undermount variety sits under the countertop. The limitation of these sinks is that the countertop must be an expensive material like stone or composite. There is as of yet no undermount bath sinks for laminate countertops. Wall mounted lavatory Contemporary wall-mounted glass sink from Kohler.

The newest and oldest wrinkle is the vessel sink. Designed to look like a bowl sitting on a table top, it emulates the old basin and dry-sink combination from pre-running-water days, but is a fully functioning sink.

Pedestal Sink
These sinks are supported on a narrow base, but also typically attached to the wall. The base hides the sink's plumbing. Pedestal sinks are generally considered better around children than wall-hung sinks - which makes us wonder why school sinks are almost always of the wall-hung variety. The base holds the sink up so it cannot be easily torn from the wall. Pedestal sink The classic pedestal sink from American Standard.

Wall-Mounted Sink
As the name suggests, these sinks are mounted to strong brackets in the wall. They have no base support at all. Plumbing is usually exposed, so it has to be neatly done. However, some wall-mounted sinks include a pipe-shield that covers the plumbing. If the desired look is minimalist or you need to minimize the size of fixtures in a small bath, wall-mount sinks are worth a good look. In glass versions, they almost disappear.

What to Look For
Size.
If your bathroom is small, you may not have room for a standard drop-in bowl and cabinet; a pedestal sink or wall-mounted sink may be better choices.

Surface space.
Ensure there is enough space for toothbrushes, eyeglasses, soap, and so on. This is especially important if you're considering a pedestal or wall-mounted sink, since you may not have a countertop surface nearby.

Ease of Cleaning.
How easy is the sink to maintain? Good quality vitreous china fixtures — the normal material for sinks and basins — are easy to keep clean. But if you are considering another material such as glass, keep in mind that it may not be so easy to keep spotless. Cultured marble and solid surfacing materials, for instance, although not easy to stain, will not stand hard scrubbing if they do get stained.

Style.
Sinks and basins come as plain or as fancy as you want. Ornate pedestal sinks, art-glass basins, and cultured marble vanity tops with integral sink basins are all available. A wide variety of colors are also available, and basins can even be custom-crafted by glass or ceramic artists.

Faucets

There are essentially three types of faucets:

Double-spigot: This faucet is actually a pair of faucets, one for cold and one for hot water. Temperature mixing occurs in the bowl, not in the faucet. This is the very oldest design and is appropriate, if at all, only in period designs. The hot water spigot can dispense very hot water and is not a good idea for households with children.

Two-handle faucets Two handles control the flow of water in a single spigot. These offer a traditional look and the most control over water temperature. Handle and spout styles vary widely to suit the look of your bath.

Much More On Faucets
Click to go to "Sources of Supply: Faucets" Looking for that special faucet for your bath? Don't miss Sources of Supply: Faucets. Dozens of faucet manufacturers discussed and rated. Single-handle faucets Faucets with a single-handle control provide a more streamlined look and greater universal access for persons with disabilities.
Single-handle faucet Single-handle faucet from American Standard.

What to Look For

Longevity: Newer faucets offer washerless construction, which virtually eliminates drips and leaks caused by worn-out innards. Less expensive faucets can still be found with mechanisms that require washers. Avoid these unless you resolve to change the washers periodically to prevent leaking.

Durability Good faucets are made of stainless steel or chrome-plated brass. Either works well. The chrome plating on better faucets is a little thicker than on value lines, but ordinarily will last 20 years or longer. Chrome on steel is not a good faucet. Avoid any plastic in faucets. Even plastic knobs are suspect.

Cleanability Beware intricate embossing and filigree. You have to clean all of those minute recesses. Select a faucet that matches your style, but still is easy to clean.

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