As one of the home’s most sacred spaces, discover how to turn your bathroom into the ultimate soothing in-home spa retreat.
BY: Sara Smola
IMAGES BY: Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery
Most people are so busy with day to day activities—juggling a household, family, careers—and don’t have the luxury of jetting away to an island whenever they feel like it or the time to spend days on end at a spa. For those that want the relaxation and pampering retreats that spas provide, an at-home spa is the ultimate luxurious experience, providing the perfect escape for those seeking a brief retreat from reality.
While adding a few fragrant candles is always a good place to start, Lake Avenue’s Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery takes it a step further by creating the tranquil environment of a spa within the privacy of your own home. Ferguson is known for their high-quality products—from elite brands like Kohler, Rohl and DXV—ranging from lighting fixtures and sinks to home appliances including stoves and refrigerators in a medley of classic and contemporary elegance, with up to the minute advances in technology and design.
For those seeking a serene experience in their bathroom, Ferguson remains dedicated to achieving the ultimate luxurious retreat customized to their clients’ specific needs and tastes. “All of our consultants are design experts. We will help clients create their entire spa sanctuary,” says Ferguson Showroom Manager Caralyn de Jong whose team works directly with clients, their interior decorator or anyone else involved in the project to ensure it is handled professionally and to the client’s 100 percent satisfaction. De Jong, a seasoned expert, offered up a few tips and tricks on how Pasadenans can create the ultimate soothing in-home spa retreat.
Getting steamy: While a sauna is dry heat that can be dehydrating for your skin, exposing your body to steam is said to reduce stress, improve complexion and detox impurities from your body. While steam rooms at gyms can be relaxing, regardless of which gym you use, there’s a plethora of germs lurking. A public steam room can be a breeding ground for bacteria when poorly maintained but you can rest easy knowing you can absorb the healthy benefits from a steam room in your own personal, at-home steam shower without the risk. De Jong notes, “Steam now is not just steam—there’s chromotherapy, the lights, the fragrance and music that you can have piped in your shower for your bathing experience and it creates that high-end Four Seasons type of experience for the client at home.”
Digital dreams: Ever wanted to customize your shower experience? While showering is an everyday ritual, it doesn’t have to be a mundane chore. From the temperature of water to the angle and height of the showerhead, every detail can be customized to the client’s specifications to ensure a complete customized experience. For those who have been known to belt out a song or two, you can even hook your playlist from your iPhone or other smart device to play your favorite tunes.
Soaking in the luxury: For those seeking to make a statement, nothing stands out quite like a standing tub and de Jong agrees, “The tubs are definitely the focal point. It’s something that clients choose first because that will really dictate the style of the room. It’s a reflection of the client’s taste and style.” Not only do these luxurious tubs serve as an impressive sculptural element, but they also provide a five-star soaking experience. We all dream of the luxurious bubble bath in a dreamy spa-like space that help us escape from reality but the reality tends to be bleak, involving a cramped tub and lackluster atmosphere. At Ferguson, this is far from the case and they can make your dreams a blissful reality. “The bathtubs are spacious, there’s a size for every person. It’s great to be able to tailor the tub size to what your needs are. We have vendors where you can literally go to them and sit in their tubs and they’ll measure and put the jets where you need them. Everything is customizable,” says de Jong.
Dim the lights: Nothing kills the mood (or self-confidence) like harsh and unflattering lighting. Indirect lighting softens facial features giving you the “golden hour glow” typically found at sunset. With recessed lighting or a wall-mounted vanity, you’ll achieve that red carpet look without any of the hassle that typically goes along with it, leaving the house confident (compared to the insecurities that bubble up with the overly yellow tones of florescent lighting). And for an added bit of luxury, an elegant chandelier can add height to the room, as well as provide the desired ambient spa-style lighting.
Royal flush: In the age of the smart phone, why not have smart toilets too? One of the showroom’s most intriguing products is the bidet-smart model from top tier manufacturer DXV. It’s an ideal addition for those who desire a contemporary bathroom or who appreciate the luxury of convenience. With amenities like a heated seat, automatic flush system, deodorizer and self-opening and closing lid with sensors that alert the lid to open when you approach it. For those who’d rather see the modern phenomenon for themselves, Ferguson has even installed one in the ladies room.
Hands free: Stay germ free with one-touch or touch-less faucets. It’s a technology we’re familiar with usually in public spaces but many companies are making touch-less faucets a reality for homeowners. But, for those who like the ritual of turning on the water or perhaps the artful look, there are a plethora of faucets ranging from sleek and shiny for those seeking a modern look to vintage to the oh-so glam, statement-making crystal handles. “There is something here for everyone and for every budget,” de Jong maintains. Though for many design buffs, the icing on the cake is that, according to de Jong, the latest form of technology arrived in July in the form of a 3D printed faucet that comes in three different styles, and Ferguson is the first and only showroom in the entire United States that will feature them.
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