BATH
Of all the spaces in the home, the bath is the most intimate. Squatting, scrubbing, brushing, soaping—bathroom ablutions are primal at best. Choose clean tile, concrete, and porcelain to help obscure the fact that here we perform our most human functions. Toilets rarely strike an attractive silhouette and, unless properly executed, the necessary lines and fittings that bring water to the room can turn an attractive minimalist space into a cluttered den of porcelain and galvanized pipes.
Symmetry in the bathroom is essential, as it is throughout the home, but the size difference among the sink, shower, toilet, and tub can create design dilemmas. Focus on balance, scale, and insurmountable design challenges (such as a fully lined concrete shower cell with a central drain positioned in a corner of the room, not the center, without a graded floor) that are sure to send contractors into an apoplectic frenzy. And never forget the simple beauty conveyed by a crisp white towel artfully slung over the (rarely used) tub.
The Bath Checklist
Here are the essentials of a modern bathroom.
Aim for clean lines, hard edges, and nothing on the counters. If a double-sink vanity is mandatory, opt for square sinks with aggressive faucetry.
2. BATHTUB
Unless you are assured a Philippe Starck tub, forgo the vessel completely.
3. FLOORING
Present a poured concrete floor (see Beauty Underfoot, page 21).
4. TOILET/BIDET
Power, porcelain, performance: These are the guiding principles for choosing the ultimate seat. Toilets can cost thousands of dollars; allocate funds accordingly.
5. HARDWARE
Choose industrial full-width drawer pulls of the variety used for mechanic’s tool chests; German manufacturer Häfele makes an astronomically overpriced version.
6. MIRRORS
Eschew frames in favor of seamless edges. Alternately, eliminate mirrors entirely.
7. Shower
Tile, concrete, more tile, and stainless steel. Don’t bother with curtains or glass doors; part of modern living is accepting that you are as much a design element as the rest of the accessories in the home, and bath time is no exception.
8. FAUCETRY
For a shower, water tiles are effective and unobtrusive. However, if a wall-less stall is in order, opt for a prison-style nozzle that juts from the ceiling with deliberate hostility.
9. LINENS
Aside from a crisp white towel draped over the tub, the bathroom is no place for any plush textiles. Forget bath mats, washcloths, and curtains of any sort. If you cling to the notion of a conventional bath mat, opt for a sheet of woven bamboo.
10. LIGHTING
Recessed lights work best in such a minimalist space. Vanity lighting can be worked around a custom mirror design so that the bulbs are as unobtrusive as possible.
11. STORAGE
Medicine cabinets need to be built into the wall, else they command too much attention. Towels, toilet paper, and cotton swabs should be hidden in the most discreet corner cabinet.
Royal Flush
The “porcelain throne,” the “can,” or the “john”—it doesn’t matter what you call it. What matters is that you choose something other than the ubiquitous high-back, gush-flushing toilet. In recent years, high-minded designers have taken the utilitarian toilet to new heights. Italian industrial designer Alberto Del Biondi’s toilet and bidet series Nerocarbonio, made entirely from carbon fiber (being brittle, perhaps not the best material for such a utilitarian piece), comes to mind as a device whereby form finally trumps function. Scientific advancements include toilets coated with caustic chemicals that obviate the need for cleansing scrubs, retractable plastic wands that shoot out to freshen your most private parts, and remote-controlled heated seats. Here we’ve selected two revolutionary spa-quality models that also skirt pesky environmental gallons-per-flush regulations, for voiding your bladder and bowels in style.
KOHLER FOUNTAINHEAD
This model from American manufacturer Kohler features a mechanized lid (and ring—industry code for the seat) that lifts and lowers. However, the Fountainhead requires the user to touch a panel to activate the device. It also offers a unique tool for the more health-conscious among us: The bowl is illuminated by what Kohler calls “integrated lighting” for inspecting eliminations. It’s an experience designed with the individual in mind—overall, a clever play on the Ayn Rand novel of the same name.
STARCK FOR DURAVIT
Parisian designer Philippe Starck has pimped his über-moderne style for everything from acrylic furniture to watches to yachts. Naturally, bath accoutrements weren’t far behind. His SensoWash Starck toilet for Duravit isn’t particularly imaginative— just a basic pot. However, he’s taken the built-in bidet one step further with settings that are disturbingly self-explanatory: “Ladywash” (a gentle sweep for the gentler sex), “Rearwash” (when a wipe won’t suffice), and “Comfortwash” (a moving jet that might just double as a personal massage). After a customized shower down below, a jet dries with warm air.
CASE STUDY #2
“Modern offspring are expected to function independently from birth—bath time is no exception.”
We have to replace beauty, which is a cultural concept, with goodness, which is a humanist concept.
PHILIPPE STARCK (1949– )
The most famous contemporary product designer, this Frenchman has merchandised himself to the hilt, putting his name on everything from motorbikes to toothbrushes. A partnership with Italian furniture maker Kartell has produced his most well-known pieces. He lives in four different cities (traveling from one to the next on private jets), is onto his fourth wife, and has four children by three different women: two sons, two daughters. He claims to have chosen his children’s names (Ara, Lago, Oa, and K) at random using a computer program.
Notable Works: Louis Ghost Chair. Bubble Club chair. Musée Baccarat, Paris.
Accessory after the Bath
If concrete floors and walls aren’t possible, the next best option is to choose shiny white subway tile. While the rectangular shape necessitates that the tiles are laid horizontally (don’t fall prey to the current trend for laying vertically) you can add personality and interest by customizing the grout width.
ONE-EIGHTH INCH
Works best in homes in coastal, liberal-minded communities with independent health-food stores and yoga studios. We’ve found that the wide expanse of grout isn’t prone to mold because these types of homeowners rarely bathe.
ONE-SIXTEENTH INCH
Renovated industrial spaces often need to be retrofitted to include shower areas. Use a standard grout width of one-sixteenth inch to highlight the anachronistic placement of a new bath in an old warehouse.
LESS THAN ONE-SIXTIETH INCH
Opt for minimal grout, with tiles nearly laid edge to edge, if you live in a high-rise apartment or one of those temporary live/work spaces that city planners plunk down in “emerging” neighborhoods. These types of buildings are invariably stuffy due to shoddy HVAC systems, which can lead to toxic mold.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATION
Maintaining a modern bath means avoiding displaying or even owning items that overtly hint at our base animal instincts. We suggest clean white plastic toothbrushes without any labels or extraneous bristles, Marvis toothpaste in a shiny silver tube, glass water carafes, and the clean graphics of Dr. Bronner’s castile soaps.
Items to avoid
Kleenex
Colored towels
Embroidered towels
Patterned towels
Garbage bin
Wicker baskets
Scale
Toothbrush holder
Floral shower curtain
Geometric shower curtain
Linen shower curtain
Curtains of any kind
Toilet bowl brush
Soap dispenser
Bath mat
Laundry bin
Cosmetics
Night-light
Mouthwash
Washcloths
Female hygiene products
Clock
Bathrobe/slippers
Toilet paper
Blow-dryer
Air freshener
Mirrored jewelry tray
Hairbrush
Personal photographs
Loofah
Sink skirt
Magazines
Prescription medications
Plush toilet lid cover and matching mat
Kleenex box cover
Decorative shower rings
Glass urn filled with bath beads
Oriental rug
Radio
Electric shaver
Scented candles
Ashtray
