Style Guide: 10 Ways to Design a Luxurious Bathroom

Style Guide: 10 Ways to Design a Luxurious Bathroom

Thursday, October 7

Bathrooms may serve basic purposes, but that does not mean it should look drab. 

With the right design and fixtures, you can turn your dull-looking bathroom into a luxurious, hotel-like space. You can take inspiration from high-end hotels and incorporate luxury fixtures in your bathroom. 

Nonetheless, you should consider the materials and finished that you will use. In this guide, we will share with you ten things you can do to give your bathroom a high-end look: 

Install a Rain Showerhead 

Nowadays, you can see rainfall showerheads in hotel bathrooms. That's because they look good, and there is something about the showerhead that makes the space elegant. 

Moreover, a rainfall showerhead produces a relaxing water stream for a complete shower experience. 

Rain showerheads have bigger spun than regular showerheads. Therefore, it has a bigger coverage, and you will not need to adjust your position when showering. 

Put Large Light Fixtures 

A luxurious light fixture can make any of the bathroom space look lovely. 

One of the best tricks is to use large-scale light fixtures. That's because a luxurious bathroom design is not complete without large light fixtures. And doing so can make a massive impact on how the bathroom ceiling looks. 

Make it Spacious 

Regardless of its design, a spacious bathroom will always be inevitably luxurious. It gives a minimalist illusion, and it is easier to clean. 

An easy way of making your bathroom look spacious is to use light colors. Choose an expensive-looking tile to give your bathroom a relaxed and spa-like look. 

Add Plants 

Adding plants inside your bathroom might be the last thing in your mind. But some plants can live and grow inside the bathroom. 

It also serves as an elegant decoration because it can give your private space a pop of color. Plus, some plants are known to purify indoor air. 

Some examples are Orchids, Bamboo, Bromeliads, and Aloe vera. 

Install Luxurious Items 

Luxurious bathroom items can help you unwind and relieve your stress while in the bathroom. 

You can even incorporate high-end, luxury materials and finishes with your lighting and interior design. Thus, making your bathroom comfortable and enticing. 

Keep in mind that the finishes and textures play an essential role in the bathroom's overall design. So, invest in high-quality cabinets, drawers, faucets, etc. create a luxurious-like ambiance. 

Use Classy Containers 

When updating your bathroom's look, it would be ideal if your bathroom accessories have a uniform look. 

Think matching toothbrush holder and soap dispenser. Another example is matching bottles for your shampoo, conditioner, and liquid bath soap. 

Imagine how everything inside your bathroom would appear fancy because everything looks streamlined. 

Use Contrasting Texture 

This might be one of the hardest decisions to make when designing a bathroom. That's because there are many textures and colors to choose from. 

The key here is to pick your desired color palette first and then find items of various textures that can help you incorporate the hues. 

For instance, you are using a black-and-white color palette. You can opt for a black bathroom rug so that it can contrast with the white bathroom tiles. 

Spruce Up Your Towels 

Towels are one of the bathroom must-haves. Aside from helping you dry yourself, a bathroom towel can also make the surrounding look aesthetic. 

Therefore, you must choose the right towel that's rich in design, like ribbon trim, fabric, and embroidered edges. You can also use Turkish towels, which are known to be light and quick to dry. 

Put a Sunken Tub 

A sunken tub is unique in a way that defies the traditional look of your standard bathtubs. 

Surprisingly, sunken tubs are more affordable than the standard bathtubs. Yet, they are considered luxurious. 

With the right environment, the sunken tub shows its desired effect in the bathroom. They are also popular with interior designers because they can easily blend in with your interiors. 

Add Gold and Metal Accents 

According to Janet Ramin, who teaches interior design at the New York Institute of Arts and Design, brass is a staple décor from the 1970s and '80s. Nonetheless, it is making a big comeback in the 21st century. 

For one, it adds a calm yet luxurious look to any gold-toned metal in your bathroom. It is just a matter of using the right shade. 

As San Francisco-based designer Cecile Starin points out, gold and metal accents can make a space look too bright or outdated. For instance, gold accents used to have green undertones that can make an item look outdated nowadays. 

But if the fixtures are brushed in sleek gold, it may look warmer and fresh. Instead of your standard polished chrome bathroom faucet, consider installing one made of rose gold. 

Having a luxurious bathroom design can increase your house's market value and give off a welcoming vibe. From large light fixtures to show-stopping bathtubs, we hope you learn a thing or two on how to design a luxurious bathroom.

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Dirtiest spots in your home and how to clean them

Dirtiest spots in your home and how to clean them

Wednesday, June 30

We are spending more time indoors now than ever, and as we retreat to our sanctuary, it is vital to keep our indoor environment clean and hygienic all day long. However, germs have mastered the art of hiding in some areas—and they are usually not the easiest to clean! This includes our hard-to-wash fabrics which are always vulnerable to deep-seated germs and viruses we call Germumus, or germs, bacteria, and pathogens that appear invisible, but are already stealthily living in our hard-to-wash items. 

When was the last time you cleaned your couch? Six months ago? Last year? Never? Bring on the power tools! Here are some ways to keep them clean and what you can do in between washes to keep common trouble spots around the house germ-free.

Couches and Sofas: We all love being couch potatoes but lounging on a dirty sofa is a no-no. Did you know that the average sofa has 12 times more bacteria than your toilet seat? As they can easily trap dirt, allergens, and bacteria in their soft fibers, experts recommend having them professionally cleaned every 6 months. At home, you can use a hand vacuum to clean debris and dirt from the sofa’s surface. Be sure not to forget the crevices where dirt can accumulate!

Curtains: Cleaning your curtains might be included in your low-priority tasks but they actually accumulate a lot more grime than meets the eye. Just like the couches, curtains can also trap dust and dirt. Schedule to wash your curtains twice or more a year with cool or lukewarm water and mild detergent.

Bed Sheets: Ideally, you should change your bedsheets and pillowcases at least once a week as they can have a buildup of oils, dirt, and sweat from daily use. Compared to the average toilet seat, a one-week-old bed sheet contains 29,000 more bacteria. To clean, check the care label and wash with the hottest water temperature setting indicated.

Carpets: Dirty carpets not only look bad but they're also full of pollutants and grime. Experts recommend having them cleaned by a professional at least once a year or every quarter if you have pets or kids. If you can’t schedule a pro, use a sponge or soft-bristle brush and work a cleaning solution into a lather. 

Area rugs: Unless your area rug is extremely delicate, cleaning your area rug is something you can easily take on yourself. High-traffic area rugs should be cleaned at least every 3 months to not only extend the life of your rugs but also to make sure dirt is regularly removed. Thoroughly vacuum the rug on both sides or take the smaller rugs outdoors and shake them off as much as you can.

Other Hard-to-Wash Fabrics: Any area of your home with high traffic and surfaces that get touched a lot is basically a germ bank. This includes your bags, shoes, pet bed, and even office chairs! You can clean them by vacuuming to remove loose dirt or running the covers through the washing machine (if possible) using the warmest appropriate water setting. 

Regular laundering of fabrics and cleaning soft surfaces with soap and water will go a long way. But if you’re grossed out by all of the germs and bacteria that might be lurking in your home, you’re probably wondering what you can do in between washes to make sure these germ-laden spots are cleaned every day. Unfortunately, you cannot simply shake and pound out deep-seated Germumus. It helps, sure, but it’s definitely not enough. 

As told by our experts, bacteria and viruses grow exponentially in these hard-to-wash fabrics and ordinary punas, pagpag, or vacuuming is not enough to remove them. “We come in contact with bacteria and viruses every day and millions of these linger on fabric items such as mattresses, sofas, rugs, and curtains, and the like,” said Prof. Joel C. Cornista, current President of the Philippine Society for Microbiology, Inc.. “Dusting or vacuuming every few weeks may be helpful but bacteria and viruses can still grow in these items in between your general cleaning days. Exposure to these bacteria and viruses may lead to infections and trigger allergies, and so it will be wise to degerm these items daily.

Fortunately, you need not worry anymore! The NEW Downy Antibac Fabric Spray is your quick and easy solution for the germumus in your hard-to-wash fabrics. It penetrates deep into fabrics to remove 99.9% of germs and eliminate odors, making our homes germ-free and smelling fresh instantly! Use this on your bed and mattresses, sofas, curtains, and even on your shoes and bags!

Using the Downy Antibac Fabric Spray is so easy that anyone at home can do their part in eliminating germumus. Complete your cleaning routine with the Downy Antibac Fabric Spray that gets rid of the dust and bacteria left behind after dusting and vacuuming. Simply turn the spray cap on, position your hard-to-wash fabric 20-30 cm away from the spray, and spray until the fabric is wet. Let it air dry after so you can fully experience the 99.9% Antibac freshness! 

Level up your cleaning game by including the Downy Antibac Fabric Spray to your daily cleaning routine to ensure your home smells fresh and is safe from germumus all day, everyday! Together, #LetUsSprayAndProtect with #DownyAntibacFabricSpray!

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Aiming for a world without waste – GROHE launches first Cradle to Cradle Certified products

Aiming for a world without waste – GROHE launches first Cradle to Cradle Certified products

Saturday, June 19

Take-make-waste: This is how most economic processes are currently working. Resources are extracted to create a product which is disposed of after its end of use. This has led to an extensive resource exploitation that is diminishing the remnants of scarce and valuable resources by the minute while also creating a global waste problem. According to the Global Risk Report 2021 of the World Economic Forum, it is high time to fight resource overconsumption: The “natural resources crises,” defined as “a result of human overexploitation and/or mismanagement of critical natural resources,” is ranked as the fifth “top risk by impact” and is expected to become a critical threat within the next 5-10 years. 

GROHE is taking the next big step away from a linear model towards circular value creation by launching four best-selling products as Cradle to Cradle Certified®2 variants. A particular success was that GROHE directly achieved the Gold level with all of its four products submitted for certification. After switching to CO2-neutral production in April 2020 and replacing all plastic components in product packaging with environment-friendly alternatives in 2021, the global brand is once again reinforcing its commitment to a sustainable transformation. 

GROHE has collaborated with strong partners and drawn on the revolutionary Cradle to Cradle® (C2C) design concept which enables GROHE to drastically reduce the use of new resources: a product is designed and manufactured with the intent of using its components in its end-of-life-phase for the creation of new products. 

The C2C concept is an approach for designing intelligent products, processes, and systems by taking the entire life cycle into account: All materials are understood as nutrients in closed biological or technical cycles. The concept differentiates between consumer goods (e.g. natural fibers or detergent), which are biodegradable, and service products (e.g. faucets), that are broken down into their original materials. Therefore, resources can potentially be re-used endlessly, meaning that the C2C approach goes far beyond the conventional recycling of products. Cradle to Cradle Certified ® products have thus been assessed for their use of environmentally safe, healthy, and recyclable materials. 

“There is a massive opportunity for innovation in the building sector, since it accounts more than 50 percent of the worldwide material consumption”, said prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, who developed the C2C design concept together with William McDonough. “GROHE plays an important role in setting a precedent that circularity in the sanitary industry is indeed possible.” 

GROHE’s research laboratory in Hemer, Germany, played a crucial role in the Cradle to Cradle certification process and advanced GROHE’s journey to its first Cradle to Cradle Certified products. 

Three faucets (GROHE BauEdge S-Size, GROHE Eurosmart S-Size, GROHE Eurosmart Kitchen) and the GROHE Tempesta shower rail set are now Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Gold level. Moreover, the sustainable impact of GROHE BauEdge and GROHE Eurosmart is enhanced with SilkMove ES technology, where ES stands for energy-saving. The technology prevents the unnecessary use of hot water by supplying only cold water with the faucet lever in the middle position. In this way, GROHE’s SilkMove ES technology can help reduce a building’s carbon footprint – particularly important in light of the fact that carbon emissions from buildings and construction constitute almost 40% of global carbon emissions.

GROHE has taken a decisive step on its path towards a circular future by achieving its first Cradle to Cradle Certified® products, but the journey continues. Since bath products typically have a long life cycle, GROHE, next to achieving certifications for further products, is already tackling the next challenge by working on take-back processes for discarded C2C faucets in the future.

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LIXIL showcases its four power brands at the 26th Kitchen & Bath China 2021, Shanghai

LIXIL showcases its four power brands at the 26th Kitchen & Bath China 2021, Shanghai

Friday, June 4

LIXIL, maker of pioneering water and housing products, with its four major brands; American Standard, GROHE, INAX, and LIXIL Kitchens, showcased a comprehensive display of the latest technology and innovative products at Kitchen & Bath China 2021. Presenting the latest concepts and designs, the four brands unanimously conveyed LIXIL’s commitment to making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. 

The first day of the exhibition witnessed the unveiling of the four booths of the brands followed by a press conference where leaders from LIXIL International (LI) include leader Bijoy Mohan; leader for fixtures Shinji Ito, leader for fittings Thomas Fuhr, and leader for global design Paul Flowers, along with LIXIL leaders from Asia including leader for LIXIL global design team- LIXIL Asia, Antoine Besseyre des Horts, connected virtually with the media and partners. Leader of LIXIL Water Technology- Greater China Adele Tao, along with her team spearheaded the conference revisiting LIXIL’s success in the past decade. 

2021 is an important milestone for LIXIL as it marks its 10-year anniversary. Formed in 2011, LIXIL was created through a merger of five of Japan's most successful building materials and housing companies – TOSTEM, INAX, Shin Nikkei, Sunwave, and TOEX. These global brands are now a part of LIXIL’s brand offerings alongside American Standard and GROHE. Sharing a similar heritage and providing an enriched product mix, these brands enable LIXIL to cater to different consumers' lifestyles and aesthetic pursuits. 

Bijoy Mohan, Leader, LIXIL International said: "While each of our brands has its own unique personality and strengths, together they provide us with an unmatched offering and ability to meet the full scope of consumer preferences and needs. We are proud to bring more innovations to our consumers while celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of the LIXIL Group, during KBC 2021, one of Asia's leading kitchen & bathroom trade shows." 

Over the years, LIXIL has adopted a multi-brand and multi-category strategy in Asia equipping it to cater to the needs of different products for different consumer groups. It is through this reliability provided by a complete portfolio of leading products and quality services, that LIXIL’s combined strengths are widely recognized by our customers and end users. 

“We have learnt a lot from dealing with this unprecedented pandemic and it’s great to see that markets are now slowly getting back on track. The ongoing pandemic has led to a growing demand for better hygiene products and solutions, and with consumers spending more time at home, the demand for home spa experiences have also gradually increased. As a purpose-driven company, we will lead the way in introducing innovative and novel products to meet consumer demand. With China hosting the KBC this year, reaffirms our belief that the industry globally is making steady progress on its way to recovery.” said Satoshi Konagai, Leader, LIXIL Water Technology- Asia Pacific. 

Innovation and consumer centricity are at the core of every offering at LIXIL. The organization continuously observes and gathers consumer insights to understand the deep-seated and even unarticulated needs of consumers. With the new normal, consumers are now paying even more attention to hygiene and wellbeing which has increased the overall demand for products and technologies like touchless faucets and IoT enabled solutions. 

“Our strength lies in being ahead of the curve in innovation. Being a global organization also gives us an edge over others, as we can utilize the best of talent and technology in R&D, design and marketing from across the world. LIXIL has responded to this major macro trend of health, wellbeing, and multi-purpose living spaces by focusing on retail and accelerating development for touchless faucets and flushing, antibacterial finishes, water filtration, bidets, and shower toilets.” highlighted Satoshi. 

Recently, LIXIL opened a new state-of-the-art design facility in Singapore (relocated from Thailand). This is one of the 6 LIXIL design centers across the world and the only one in Asia outside of Japan. LIXIL continues to invest in the Asia Pacific region to enable the overall development of the industry through innovation. 

Key highlights from LIXIL’s brands at KBC include: 

American Standard will showcase “Purposeful Designs for a Comfortable Living”, with shower toilet solutions such as E-Lite Shower Toilet and Smart-Air E-Bidet, which feature purposeful functions for a comfortable and hygienic bathroom experience. This year, GROHE will communicate the message on how the brand is “Shaping the Future of Water” in the industry. GROHE SPA will be launched as an independent luxury brand, showing its first two collections that deliver “Health Through Water” to luxury homes and hotels. 

INAX will present “Light and Shadow, Caring for You Day and Night”, featuring the S600 LINE inspired by Japanese architectural practices to create spaces of unparalleled beauty through the masterful use of light and shadows. LIXIL Kitchen this year, with the concept of Human Fit Technology and Living Fit Design, will create the most suitable for Oriental elegant kitchen, bringing Japanese aesthetics into the Chinese kitchen life. With a full set of high-end series of products LIXIL Kitchens is ready to create a unique culinary art space within your homes.

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Improving the look of your driveway

Improving the look of your driveway

Tuesday, February 2

When was the last time you spent some of your home improvement cash on doing the driveway? Many people think about their landscaping, planting flowers and trees and outdoor kitchen installation, but they don't consider how their driveway could be an eyesore to the rest of the street. Driveways are often neglected, but they don't have to be. Driveways offer more than function, and they're not as pretty as the rest of the grounds of the house.

By placing more focus on your driveway, you can start working on making the rest of your home look great, too. You can also improve the curb appeal of your house at last. Driveways need more than a tarmac covering, they need indepth help from companies like https://www.keflatwork.com/concrete-repair-replacement/ if there are cracks in the foundations. You should think about the design that you want for your driveway, and then you should consider how much value you want to add to your home. It should fit in with the rest of the home and the exterior, and we've got some great tips to improve the look of your driveway below.

Go circular. Driveways are often long and oblong and - well, boring! You can change up the way that you do things simply by ensuring that you choose a different shape. A circular driveway is a popular option and it means that you can turn your vehicle around without having to reverse if you don't want to! These create a luxury effect and can make the front of your home more imposing in a good way. They are also very appealing to the eye, which gives you that attractive look at the front of the house.

Choose gravel. Some driveways are created with paving or tarmac, but for a low maintenance option, look at gravel. You'll get that satisfying crunch every time you drive away, and you can make the house look classy as a result. Pea shingle is often considered to be a great material to use for driveways, and you need to rake the surface every now and then to keep the gravel dispersed correctly. It's still a pretty option and gravel isn't the most expensive material in the world, so you may find it easier to top up when you need it.

Improving concrete. We already mentioned a company you could use to repair any concrete in the driveway, but this is something you absolutely need to do. Consider improving your options with new edging, detailing for interest and simple curves to give it some shape. You can have it upgraded every few years, too, which will offer you more in terms of options.

Add grass. For an injection of color, think about grass for your driveway. Using grass down the center of the driveway can save you a ton of cash on materials and you can use grass around the edges, too, to give it an entirely new look. You can then mow the driveway in the summer months without too much effort put in if the grass is in just a strip.

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5 Facts About Flooring Everybody Should Know

5 Facts About Flooring Everybody Should Know

Thursday, November 22

When I transferred to a new and bigger house, the flooring in the living area is different with the one used in the bedrooms. The granite flooring downstairs I think is easier to clean and maintain compared with the laminated wood flooring upstairs.

You know that flooring easily get scratches no matter what finish you have used while designing. So yes, you know that very well that your furniture is the main culprit in this but you can easily get rid of this. Oh, I did not mean getting rid of your furniture, I meant getting rid of furniture scratches easily, chuckles! Well you can do that by using foam or some soft material as a protector under your furniture where ever it touches the floor. Also, if you like to change your furniture settings very frequently then always remember to lift it up instead of dragging from one place to another.

Here are 5 facts about flooring you should know.

1. Be Aware of Static Charge Building

If you live in such an area where relative humidity is very low then you really need to beware of static charge building in your flooring. Yes, it is very much possible for this build up when your room’s relative humidity is low and you need to be extra cautious for such situation. It is very important to use humidifier and any other such gadget in your home if you think static charge building can take place in your home. 

2. Bamboo Flooring

We know that hardwood flooring is in trend or you might like it but the fact of it being expensive is what many people do not opt for it. But you don’t need to worry as you can have similar alternative which is less expensive and in fact more eco-friendly as well. Yes, bamboo flooring are that alternative and you are going to love it as bamboo gives you the same feel as of hardwood flooring at much lower cost with more eco-friendly environment at your home.

3. Cork Tiles

Okay, another interesting fact about flooring is using cork tiles. What? No, I am not joking. You can really use tiles made of cork and trust me you are going to love them. Tiles made from cork are in fact more sustainable, resilient than others, does not contain formaldehyde and the best part is they are very easy to clean. 

Source: http://www.handyman.net.au/sites/default/files/articles/r-Cork-Floor-main-2.jpg

4. Laminated Wood Flooring

I know that scratches are very unsightly. If you get really irritated with scratches and want to see completely scratch-free floor then laminate flooring is just made for you. It is also not that much expensive so cost is also not a problem and they amazingly resist scratches due to its chemical and physical properties.

5. Vinyl Tiles

Want to do it all yourself and don’t want to hire any contractor? Vinyl Tiles is the answer! Yes, vinyl tiles are the most easily available option if you are not a professional and still want to do it all by yourself. They can be installed very easily by almost anyone and in fact cutting of these tiles is also very easy. They are also more durable than others plus they come in huge variety of colors and designs in local markets so of course you have multiple options to choose.

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