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Beyond Baths![]() Photo by Landmark Photography, Courtesy of Aarbor Homes
Theres no need to go to a spa with high-end bathrooms like this one by Aarbor Homes.
Vanity Privacy “We hardly ever put two sinks side by side anymore,” Smuckler says. “People want separate vanities, either across from each other or in an ‘L’ shape. They may share the overall bathroom, but people still want their own private space. She doesn’t want to be by his toothbrush, and he doesn’t want to be by her makeup.” Even though high-end baths have expanded in size, storage comes at a premium. “Everything is tight,” Noding says. People want a lot of extra cabinetry and they’ve brought linen storage into the bath. Typically in high-end construction, Kraemer says, vanities are made to look like stand-alone cabinetry and are often made of cherry or alder. Sometimes even a distressed look is used. An eclectic look is also popular. “It used to be that the woodwork was either stained or enameled,” Skogquist says. Today, he says, people are doing both and staining the cabinets and enameling the doors, which adds to the stand-alone look. Granite or other high-end stones have also become nearly standard in these luxurious baths. And the trustworthy medicine cabinet has come out from behind the mirror and is being custom built into the cabinetry. Fun Extras
Skogquist has installed butler’s pantries just outside the bath, typically in a transitional space, with base and upper cabinets, sinks, a small refrigerator, a coffee pot, and sometimes a microwave. “If the homeowners want to make coffee and stay in the bedroom or enjoy a glass of wine while soaking in the tub, they can,” he says. Built-in espresso machines and coffee makers are also being added, either inside or just outside the bath in a transitional space.
Water Closets
Fun, inviting, and pampering best describe today’s spa-like bathrooms. “There is no end to what we can do in a high-end bathroom,” Brotman says. “The only boundary is the imagination of the client. When all is said and done, I want the homeowner to be in the room and think there is nothing they would have done differently.” Today’s new baths are truly a fantasy come true.
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