STEAMY RETREAT
Luxurious ensuites give homeowners an ‘extremely healthy’ way to de-stress
Luxurious showers are the new soaker tubs in many new homes’ master ensuites — complete with steam and “really great shower heads,” says designer Alykhan Velji, principal of Alykhan Velji Design in Calgary.
“People aren’t really into baths as much as in the past. They just want a large shower, maybe with two shower heads, really great jets, and dual sinks,” he says.
As long as there is one tub in a home, that’s all that most people really need, he says. “If you have a tub in the main bathroom, that’s great.”
Design choices help create the luxury shower experience.
“The great thing about showers now, is that they’re using really amazing tile,” Velji says.
Sometimes it’s the classic and timeless subway tile look. Other options include a stacked pattern for a modern look; a bricked pattern, which is more traditional; or a herringbone pattern, which is more labour-intensive — “but it’s such a beautiful look,” Velji says.
With walls, ceiling and floor all tiled, you might want to choose a 12-by-12-inch or 12-by-24-inch tile, with glass or metal as accents in the shower floor, complete with a built-in bench.
“It’s a little bit of a status symbol if a house has a fully tiled shower,” says interior designer Bridgett Jessop of Debutante Design, a Calgary-based boutique interior design firm that works with several new home builders.
Using grout that’s darker in colour than the actual tile “really helps to bring the tile out and make it pop,” Velji adds.
Another alternative material for shower walls is natural stone — the same kind of stone that’s so popular on countertops.
“It’s a bit of an expense, but they are easy to clean and they look fantastic as well,” he says. “Marble travertine is really big. The nice thing about natural stone is that it adds a luxury factor into any bathroom space. It’s a higher-end feel.”
According to Jessop, with an ensuite shower the big debate is whether “to steam or not to steam.”
More homeowners are choosing to add steam to their shower, because “people are understanding the value in it, and they are understanding the value of their bathroom,” she says. “It’s their miniature retreat, and they want to give themselves those luxury items, without going to an actual spa.”
A steam shower is “extremely healthy,” according to Jessop, as it adds moisture to the air and to the skin. “If you have any type of nasal congestion, adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to your steam room will free up your nasal passages. There’s a relaxing element to it, right away. It’s very hot, very moist and very luxurious. People who have had one usually always do it again. Once you’ve had one, it’s one of those things you can’t live without.”
For anyone with a desk job, a high-stress job or who uses their body doing physical labour, a steam shower can help ease sore muscles and joints, as well as reduce stress. “Just that five minutes to de-stress can go a long way,” Jessop says. “It brings that feeling of calm and relaxation.”
If you want to round out the luxurious feel of a fully tiled shower, another touch she suggests is to include a 10-mm-thick shower door. “It’s a nice chunky piece of glass that finishes off the shower.”