Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Bathtubs have a tendency to be white. Or off-white. Oh, sure we’ve seen a few exceptions (such as this natural stone granite tub), but people usually play it safe with the tub. They certainly don’t buy solid black, carbon fiber models.

But…this sleek bathtub from Corcel might change your mind.

“A symbol of opulence equal to the gold toilet, this carbon fiber tub sports a sleek, streamlined shape, is best matched with a modern, standalone faucet, and may/may not come from space and make racecar noises, as the movie suggests. Limited to just 51 units worldwide.”

The price hasn’t been announced yet, but if they’re only making 51 tubs, you can bet owning one will come at a premium!

via Uncrate

Vessel sinks are often a choice for high-end bathroom remodels, but you needn’t spend a fortune to get a handsome piece. If you can handle the installation yourself, you can save even more money. The hardware isn’t always included with these sinks, so you’ll have to pick that out yourself.

Take a look at some of the affordable vessel sinks available online:

Tempered Glass Vessel Bathroom Sink

This half-inch thick glass sink costs less than $40 from Best Choice Products (available through Amazon). Purchased directly from the factory to save you money, it features a timeless design that will look good in your bathroom.

Inello Smoke Black Vessel Sink

Another tempered glass sink, this one comes in smoky black with a European style. As one reviewer writes, “Ordered this sink on line with accessories. It arrived quickly and everyone loves it…even the plumber who installed it. It is unique and looks great in my new black and white bathroom…very satisfied.”

Pick it up for $55.

Porcelain Ceramic Vessel Sink

If you’re not into round or glass sinks, there are also a number of affordable options in ceramic and square or rectangular shapes. This simple but attractive model costs less than $60.

When it comes to upgrading the shower part of your bathroom, there are lots of things you can do. For instance, maybe you’re thinking of a new showerhead, something with jets? Or perhaps a steam generator to turn your stall into a mini steam room? And of course you’ll want to get snazzy fixtures and maybe some custom textured glass walls or doors. But what about the drain?

This necessary shower piece is often overlooked, but it’s an additional spot where you can add flair in the bathroom.

The aptly named Designer Drains site has a variety of interesting options, whether you need a square or round drain, a geometric pattern or something inspired by nature. Prices start around $50 and can run as high as $140 for a seahorse-styled drain from their “Oceanus” line, but that may not be a large investment for something you’ll look at every day.

If the idea of an ultra modern bathroom with a technologically advanced toilet makes you giddy with excitement, then you’ll be bouncing up and down at the idea of an INAX bowl.

Available features include:

• Comfortable ATS (automatic toilet seat) with advanced hygiene options that make use of antibacterial technology.
• Automatic flushing.
• Water conservation and energy saving features.
• Plasmacluster® technology that “eliminates disagreeable odors.”
• Relaxation settings that include soft light and music.
• Compact space-saving design.
• Easy-to-care-for design that “cleans the bowl with every flush.”

An INAX high efficiency toilet upgraded with ATS ranges from $1,345 to $1,873.

A hand-held shower can be nice for getting at those hard-to-reach places, but they’re rarely sold in American showerhead kits.

Now you can have it all with the In2ition shower. Available in four- or five-spray options, the two-in-one head offers a three-way diverter that lets you use the entire head at once, the outer core, or the hand-held shower that rests in the center.

The hand shower features two massage options and an aerated “champagne spray” that’s designed to give you the spa treatment every time you bathe. The whole unit looks pretty sleek, too, so it should fit into your modern bathroom.

From Alsons.

While residential saunas don’t usually come standard in homes, lots of folks choose to add this upgrade. Just look online and you can find examples of the numerous health benefits one can receive from spending time in a sauna, and it can feel pretty good too!

We’ve looked at a few of these units before (the one-person 4×4 foot sauna, do-it-yourself sauna kits, and stand-alone outdoor saunas for example), but perhaps nothing so grand as these contemporary home saunas from Kung Sauna.

These luxury units would be a fabulous addition to any modern bathroom.

Since the bathroom is small, at least compared to the rest of the house, it’s often a place where homeowners choose to go for the high-end luxury look and feel. It makes sense since this is the quiet getaway for many families, and a pleasant space can make for a home spa experience.

The beautiful natural stone and woods Bati Bali uses to create sinks, vanities, shower trays, and more is sure to fit in with the home spa concept. The company’s goal “is to provide the user with a series of harmonizing states of cleansing, washing and showering the entire body under spring water and with creatively combining stone and water.”

The Dita Vanity shown below is from their Coralia collection and is sure to offer a peaceful, zen feel in the bathroom.

If you like minimalist but elegant designs, you might want to check out the Simi bath tubs from BathCo.

Part of their Natural Series Piedra, the sleek tubs have wood accents that go with other pieces in the collection (you can also get sinks, shower trays, and cabinets in the same style).

The natural stone of the tub should keep your water warmer longer, and it looks good too (model not included). If black isn’t your cup of tea, there’s also a beige model.

Visit the tub page on company’s site for dimensions and more information.

A vessel sink can make a stunning focal point in the bathroom, and we’ve looked at some snazzy ones in the past. For example…

• The Art Glass Vessel Sink
• The “Blue Fern Buds” Sink
• The Hand-Painted Flower Sink
• The Gingko Leaf Sink

Today, we’re looking at the Blue Galaxy glass vessel sink with matching waterfall faucet.

The hand-painted sink is designed to sit on top of your vanity or counter top where it’s sure to stand out and impress guests. The “Blue Galaxy” features brushed nickel fixtures and comes with all the hardware needed for installation.

$250 via Modern Danish.

If you have a bathroom that’s dedicated to the children’s use, then they might get a kick out of a bath tub designed with them in mind.

FunBath, from American Standard, is a line of temporary units that install easily and fit over your standard 60″ bath tub. The designs range from fire engines to castles to Little Mermaid and SpongeBob decals.

The “FunBaths” offer safety features as well, such as a built-in seat and grab bar. Also, there’s a spray shower, so you can easily bathe your youngest ones without hunching or bending over.

Though temporary, the units are durable and long-lasting. Prices run about $2,200.

More information at American Standard.