Spacious showers take over from tubs
Busy lifestyles shift focus on bathing with trend now toward walk-ins
WASHINGTON, D.C.— In the 1970s and ’80s, Jean Nate ran ads that showed a woman stepping out of a luxurious bath and refreshing herself with the popular après-bath scent. And who can forget the “Calgon, take me away!” ads? The slogan became a verbal cry for any woman who needed a well-deserved break.
But in today’s fast-paced world, taking baths — and owning bathtubs — is becoming a thing of the past.
Many of the newer U.S. boutique hotel brands, such as Canopy by Hilton, have done away with bathtubs altogether. Instead, each bathroom is outfitted with a barrier-free, walk-in shower. After years of research, including a survey of more than 9,000 travellers, Canopy found that their guests most valued functionality such as extra storage, doorless “open” closets and walk-in showers.
The standard rooms at the Draftsman Hotel, a new Mar- riott property in Charlottesville, Va., are outfitted with walk-in showers only. Suites have tubs, as well as walk-in showers, with a tub signifying luxury — and the luxury of time to soak.
The no-tub trend applies to homes, as well. Architect John Allee says that almost all of his clients would prefer not to install bathtubs and usually do so only for resale value. When they do request a tub, it’s for the master bathroom and it’s a freestanding soaking tub.
“Many of my clients are past toddler-time (except for grandchildren) and will put in a tub/ shower combo only if there is a logical place, like an extra guest suite,” Allee says. He theorizes that his clients’ shift away from tubs is a combination of our culture’s focus on hygiene and our busy schedules.
But Dolores Suarez and Caroline Grant, who head the New York-based design firm Dekar Design, say most of their clients need both a tub and shower. In their experience, one partner prefers showers and the other baths so creating a designated space for the tub is essential. And if there are children, they say a tub is critical.
Michael Rankin, a managing partner at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, feels differently. As one of the top real estate agents in the D.C. area, he equates the bathtub conundrum to that of the dining room: “A dining room might only get used four or five times a year, but the buyer still wants a house with one.”
Nancy Taylor Bubes, another top D.C.-area agent and associate broker for Washington Fine Properties, has a personal bias because she loves a bath. But she has found that the market has changed.
“Young professionals are living in smaller places and seem to prefer the walk-in shower convenience because it’s quick and easy,” Taylor Bubes says. Plus, a walk-in shower design is low maintenance and that’s a bonus for busy families.
“Sometimes I feel like tubs are the fireplace of the bathroom,” she says. “Many people still want both tubs and fireplaces, but the reality is that they don’t use either as often as they might think.”