Freestanding Tubs

Clawfoot cast iron tubs will never go out of style, but the builder-quality jetted soaking tubs seen in many homes are getting a little tired. Often built into tiled surrounds, these behemoths are just as ugly as they are difficult to clean. This year, more people will go for reasonably sized freestanding bathtubs in interesting shapes to make their bathrooms feel more spa-like. Translucent tubs and Japanese-style soaking tubs are standout options, like this striking red tub from Cassa Design.

Cozy Colors and Bold Prints

Painting the entire bathroom white can go a long way toward making it feel fresh, but there’s a serious downside in all that visible dirt. It’s also kind of boring. Cozier, warmer color schemes will replace this outdated trend in 2023 to make the bathroom feel more comforting. Olive green, peach, and rich earth tones are among the top colors that will gain popularity this year, along with boosting the personality factor through wallpaper.

Modern stick-up wallpaper is much easier to put up and take down than its predecessor, and it’s available in virtually every print and color you can imagine on Etsy. For more traditional styles, you can’t go wrong with William Morris. This dark botanical print is from Etsy seller Los Angeles Wallpaper.

More of Your Personality

Bring warmth and personality to your bathroom with decor like antique furniture, window treatments, oil paintings, and other statement-making pieces. Some people are even adding rugs (just not too close to the toilet, of course). The idea is to decorate the bathroom more like you would the other rooms in your home instead of keeping it so sterile. Bringing in elements that really speak to who you are will not only make your bathroom more interesting to look at, it’ll also make it feel nicer to be in. Large artworks and a textural vase do just that in this bathroom by designer Sean Anderson.

Artistic Tile

Textured, decorative tile will be a hit in 2023, along with mosaics and other custom patterns. Try mixing and matching tile patterns, finding handmade options that feel really unique, or creating eye-catching geometric patterns. Terrazzo continues to be on the rise, bringing in a lot of fun speckled textures while remaining easy to clean. It often comes in large-format sizes, too, so there’s less grout to deal with. This gorgeous installation was created by designer Jamie Drake in collaboration with Cheryl Hazan Mosaic.

Mix of Old and New

Bathrooms where everything is brand new and matchy-matchy can feel a little soulless. On the other hand, you also don’t want it to feel like a time capsule. Go for a sweet spot in the middle by mixing old and new elements. For example, an antique commode is a great replacement for a vanity from a big-box store. Ornate mirrors and lighting also pop in small spaces. Here, designer Andrea Schumacher turned an old chinoiserie cabinet into a washstand with the addition of a marble waterfall top.

Statement Stone

Big slabs of statement stone also rank among this year’s top bathroom decor trends. The more dramatic, the better. It might come in the form of a bespoke vanity top, a backsplash, shower walls, or even flooring. Natural materials are preferable if possible, but you can get a similar look with materials like travertine and eco-stone. This dramatic wall is made of Elite Stone’s Calacatta Borghini Imperiale paneling.

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A new video from UK bathroom supply store QS Supplies illustrates 500 years of “evo-loo-tion” in 90 seconds flat. Starting in the year 1520, this brief history of the bathroom tracks major developments like sewer systems, running water, toilet paper, and the introduction of matching accoutrements. Though this UK-centric history is limited to the Western world, ignoring earlier advancements of sewer systems and bidets across the globe, it’s still an interesting glimpse at how this essential space has changed over time.

1520-1620: You Only Bathed Alone if You Were Fancy

For much of human history, people had little choice but to embrace their natural funk in between rare visits to a public bath, and it wasn’t uncommon to relieve yourself just about anywhere outdoors. The whole reason perfumes were developed (and considered a luxury) was to combat the general stench of body odor and human waste in the streets. If you were among the upper classes, you at least had a scented handkerchief to hold to your nose when necessary, and by the 16th century, you might have been lucky enough to have a bathtub at home, too.

During this period, the wealthy enjoyed freestanding wooden bathtubs filled with water heated in a cauldron, often placed near a fireplace for warmth. Castles were newly equipped with “garderobes,” which were basically upper-level turrets with holes in the floor that emptied into cesspools, moats, or just the ground. A jug and basin were used to wash your hands afterward.

1620-1720: Chamber Pots and Slight Tub Upgrades

A hundred years later, many people in cities were doing their business indoors. Now in widespread use, the chamber pot introduced a lot more convenience, whether you had an outhouse or not (but it was supposed to be for number one only). Wealthier people moved on to commodes, which were boxes with a seat and lid covering the chamber pot to reduce odors. Tubs also became more common at this time due to concerns about catching diseases in public baths, but the inconvenience of hauling and heating water meant you had to at least share the water, if not the tub. Many bathtubs from this period were also lined with steel to help keep them warm longer.

1720-1820: The Advent of Mirrors

No longer just for essential bodily functions, bathrooms started to become private spaces for grooming and preening in the 18th century. Instead of keeping their tub, chamber pot, and jug in the living area, people started confining these items to their own spaces. Commodes became common, and in 1775, a watchmaker named Alexander Cummings invented the S-pipe, the prelude to the modern flushing toilet. One of the most significant developments during this period was the increased affordability of mirrors, which were previously very expensive to produce.

1820-1920: Sewers, Running Water, and Toilet Paper

This is the time when bathrooms started to look like something we’d recognize today. Governments decided to get a handle on the public hygiene situation, building sewer systems and running water pipes to most urban homes. That meant the average person could have a flush toilet, a sink, and a bathtub, with water typically heated by a boiler in the basement. Rich people’s bathrooms grew more ornate than ever, with chandeliers, gilded fixtures, exposed pipes, and a nifty new invention called toilet paper (though frankly, we’d probably all be better off if the whole world embraced bidets instead).

1920-2020: The Bathroom as a Self-Care Refuge

Over the past century, bathrooms have become one of the most important rooms in our homes, typically second only to the kitchen in terms of how much money and care is put into their design. Water heaters and electricity transformed them into hallowed spaces where we can preen for hours on end with a full expectation of privacy. Nowadays, smart technology is taking luxury bathrooms up a notch by remembering our preferences for temperature and water pressure, automatically adjusting the lighting, displaying digital information on our mirrors, and even heating the toilet seat.

It’s wild to think of what bathrooms might look like in another 100 years, isn’t it?

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Unveiled virtually at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the pricy bath takes inspiration from shinrin-yoku, or Japanese “forest bathing,” the practice of experiencing deep relaxation in the woods by taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature with openness and intention. The idea is for the tub to provide refuge from all the stress of daily life, immersing you not just in warm water but also in the experience of self-care.

The smart tub stands fairly tall, with a boxy silhouette and a curved void that fills with water from the bottom for a more gentle, quiet introduction to your home spa interlude. In the fullest-featured (and most expensive) version, you can use voice commands and/or the accompanying smartphone app to turn on the tub, set the depth and temperature, activate the atmospheric fog, and choose from static or dynamic lighting options in various colors. The tub’s “experience tower” also delivers essential oils directly into the water if you like, and its wooden “infinity edge” allows water to spill over the sides and be captured and recirculated.

Depending on which features you choose, the price ranges from $6,198 to $15,998, but no version is entirely plug-and-play. Installing the more complex options requires a complete bathroom renovation, including a new floor to install the tub’s grate and circulation system, though the cheapest version lacking the infinity edge is freestanding.

The Stillness Tub debuted alongside other new smart bathroom products from Kohler, including a Touchless Bathroom Faucet collection, the Innate Intelligent Toilet, and two home water monitor products co-branded with Phyn. The faucets offer residential hands-free activation either in an integrated faucet with embedded sensors or via a remote puck that lets you retrofit any existing Kohler faucet.

If you’re wondering what features a smart toilet could possibly have, here’s the brand’s description: “The Innate includes all the comfort, convenience, and cleanliness features that people expect from Kohler’s broad offering of intelligent toilets at a more affordable price. Innate includes a heated seat, auto open and close, intuitive remote, and personal bidet functionality. Further, as many homeowners look for more DIY projects, Innate features Kohler’s easy, ready-lock installation.”

The release of this line is a smart bet amidst a pandemic that has people spending more time at home than ever, feeling more concerned about hygiene, and working on home renovation projects.

“As millions of people around the world spend more time at home, they yearn for balance and seek an escape from the stresses and anxieties of everyday life,” reads the brand’s press rele ase on the collection. “The potential for technology to create more moments of well being, and make it easier to unwind, destress, and find peace, is a driving force behind’s Kohler’s continued investment and product development in smart home technology.”

Availability hasn’t been announced just yet, but Kohler will be holding its own digital event, Kohler@Home, on February 2nd and 3rd, when more news is expected. If you’re a fan of smart home technology and can afford high-end fixtures like these, watch for them to hit the market later this year.

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When Boston-based designers Sally Wilson and John Kelsey of Wilson Kelsey Design were tasked with creating a luxurious bathroom based on artworks from the period between 1875 and 1915, Monet’s water lily paintings quickly came to mind. The duo visited the Orangeries Museum in Paris and took in an oval room designed by Monet himself to house his oversized water lily panels, noting the “modern sensibility expressed by their simplicity.”

“While Impressionism may seem traditional today, at the time it was considered avant garde,” they explain. “The late 19th century was a time of transition and flux. Impressionism was part of the movement away from classicism and realism toward expressionism and deconstructionism. In fact, impressionism was the modern movement of the period. The potential to create visual tension and excitement around that ‘moving away’ was very inspiring to us!”

The result is a work of art in its own right — an ovoid bathroom featuring impressionistic water lily wallpaper, French paneling in the color “Chicago Blues” by Benjamin Moore, a water lily glass tile mosaic, and sculptural golden accents. First unveiled at the 2018 DXV Design Summit in New York City, the bath pays tribute to Monet in both its incorporation of his works and its successful distillation of a mood. Its harmonic contrast of classical and modern elements makes the space easy on the eyes and keeps most of the focus on the artistic features.

“A Monet hallmark is the reflection of light on water, and a bathroom is all about water,” says John Kelsey. “Our goal was to celebrate Monet and his Lily Pad Series within the context of that era’s architecture while adding a modern sensibility and technology via our fixtures, lighting, and materials.”

Who wouldn’t want to sink into this sumptuous freestanding tub designed by Lowell, enjoying Rem Collection faucets with water flow patterns reminiscent of natural waterfalls? The vanities are elegant and understated, and the open-air shower wall has a pointillistic effect thanks to its use of thousands of tiny tiles, all of which were computer-designed and robotically manufactured by Artaic. Another set of dark blue background tiles spills down onto the floor to create a pond effect around the tub.

Concealed doors hide dual gold-lined water closets for a little couple’s privacy, with glass walls between the shower and these closets putting on their own displays of golden light at the flip of a switch. Additional details include hand-painted water lily tables, a modern chandelier with organically shaped lights, sculptural cabinet pulls by Serie Rare, and a ginkgo leaf sconce from Charles of Paris.

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Quick – name two of the most comfortable places to hang out in the outdoors. Hammocks and hot tubs, right? Well, the geniuses behind Hydro Hammock have joined those two bastions of relaxation in a beautiful union that’s sure to revolutionize relaxation.

Hydro Hammocks are made of high-tensile-strength synthetic fabric that can bear the weight of 50 gallons of water plus two adult humans. That means you can find a couple of sturdy trees, get your muscles a little sore scooping (literal) bucketloads of water into the shell, and then relax that soreness away by switching on the portable water heater and lying back in pure suspended bliss.

Or take it along to your cabin in the woods as an adventurous outdoor bathtub. Pour in some bubbles, climb in with your better half, and enjoy a one-of-a-kind couples bath under the stars. The Hydro Hammock can also be used as a liner for dug-out hot tubs in sand or snow. Dig a hole in the ground, line it with the Hydro Hammock, and fill it with water for a simple, portable hot tub.

If you’re flying, the Hydro Hammock and the heater can be checked with your luggage (as long as you aren’t trying to take along the LPG tanks). Currently the heater only comes in LPG-powered form, but electric and solar options will eventually be available. As of the time of publication, the Hydro Hammock is raising funds on Kickstarter and you can pre-order your own for a discounted price.

“The Hydro Hammock works as a Hammock, Hammock Hot Tub, Portable HotTub Liner for sand or snow, Hammock WaterBed, Swinging Pool.. Our Water Heater System heats pressure water added by a garden hose, can draw from a stream or lake, or just recirculate water in the Hammock heating it to your desire. The Water Heater System also works as an outdoor Shower which with a basin and strainer / filter one may take a 2 hour shower with less then 3 gallons of water. Anyone enjoy long showers, or concerned about water bills, water shortages?”

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Do you love the intimacy of bathing with your partner, but enjoy water of different temperatures? With this couple’s tub, you can enjoy both! The Couple Yin Yang Bath from Trautwein takes on the traditional yin yang shape, a sign of duality and completeness.

The tub is a unique way for couples to spend relaxing time together. It features bubble jets, underwater speakers, and colored underwater lights to enhance the relaxation factor. The thin ledge between the two tubs allows each side to adjust its own settings independently, perfecting the experience for each bather.

The tub is akin to the beds that allow each side to attain a different firmness or temperature. Although couples in committed relationships typically share some of the same interests and desires, there are inevitably some differences. The Yin Yang tub could actually be a lifesaver for those couples who can’t agree on much other than their love of spending time together.

More from the designers

“This new bath tub offers the possibility of bathing together, yet separately. The form of the tub is reminiscent of the Chinese symbol Yin and Yang, which expresses the constant change of the opposites. The tub edge is drawn down in the middle so that the common bathing experience can be intensified.”

“A particularly profound experience of well-being is created by the integrated soundwave massage. The guests are bathing directly in the loudspeaker, enjoying the excellent sound quality and feeling the musical vibrations in every fibre of their body. Regenerating color light in all rainbow colors is enveloping the bather’s body.”

“The Yin Yang provides a massage for two guests with 120 water and air nozzles at the same time. Most finely whirling air and water swirls of the surge bath bring about relaxation, recovery and new power. With the the Hydroxeur® principle, the air is admixed incomparably intense and is stored in the water for minutes (champagne effect).”

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Stepping over the side of a bathtub sounds like the easiest thing in the world to someone who has a full range of mobility, but for those with somewhat less flexibility, it can be tricky or even downright dangerous.

Hence the award-winning Elevated Bathtub by Zhang Jiangpeng & Zou Tao, the body of which slides up and out of the way so you can walk right into the center of the bathing area to enjoy a bath.

Alternatively, users can leave the sides up entirely to take a shower, in which case the elevated enclosure serves as a water shield to keep the spray from spreading around the room.

A simple wall-mounted LED display is easy to access from a sitting or standing position for enhanced usability, and utilizes universal symbols to engage different modes and select between temperatures.

The concept is certainly neat, but the question remains: how long does it take to drain? Waiting for a while after you are done with your bath could be a bit of a downer if you are in any kind of a hurry.

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The bathroom, that sanctuary from the world where you can be all alone for a little while, has infinite design potential. Wall colors and sink fixtures are only part of the story. Kaldewei, makers of unconventional and luxury bathroom designs, have plenty of inspiring bathrooms to their credit.

Showers and bathtubs can take on nearly any form with the use of modern materials, and with a little creative planning they can even escape the dingy back corner of the bathroom where they have historically resided. Free-standing showers – those that aren’t enclosed in walls – are sophisticated and provide a sense of freedom while showering.

Lighting can be a beautiful addition to a bathtub; colored LEDs provide indirect lighting that, depending on the color, can either relax or invigorate you. Some of Kaldewei’s tubs give the illusion that they’re built right into the wall and have a shelf on which to put candles, wine glasses, and other bathtub necessities.

This beautiful Kaldwei bathroom design is truly a masterpiece. The bathtub itself sits in a small pool of water which connects to the exterior swimming pool behind a wall of glass. The ocean is just beyond the bounds of the pool, creating the illusion of water within water within water.

About Kaldewei

“KALDEWEI is a German family company that has been creating bathroom solutions combining modern luxury with sustainable thinking, management and action for over 100 years and which is now in its fourth generation. The company describes this global strategic orientation with the term ‘Luxstainability.’ The KALDEWEI portfolio includes bathtubs, shower surfaces and washbasins made from exquisite steel enamel. This material impresses with its high-quality surfaces, elegant design, lifelong durability and 100 percent circularity.”

“In 2021, KALDEWEI was the first sanitary company to sign the ‘Science Based Targets’ and set out to produce in a climate-neutral way. With the new KALDEWEI Limited Edition nature protect made from CO2-reduced steel, KALDEWEI has come a big step closer to this goal. And partners in the construction industry also benefit from this, because with KALDEWEI nature protect bathroom solutions, construction projects have a significantly lower CO2 footprint.”

The post Bathed in Luxury: 4 Beautifully Inspiring Bathroom Designs first appeared on Dornob.

What could be more relaxing than hanging from a hammock in the shade? Perhaps filling it with water, and luxuriating in a bath within that same relaxing shape from Splinter Works. Perhaps you’ve already seen Hamaca, the company’s best-known suspended hammock tubs made from carbon fiber. But Splinter Works also makes a very similar model called the Pagoda, which can either be hanging or floor-mounted, and a matching sink called the Altara.

A stainless steel tap rises up and hangs over one side to fill the carbon-fiber tub. The luxury bathtub is, in turn, drained through the floor.

“After the success of the Hamaca suspended tub, the Pagoda bath evolved as a stand-alone piece that doesn’t need walls.  Still offering the playful hammock bath form, but with more flexibility to position anywhere in the room you like. With the continuous curved surface, the spine is completely supported in a gentle curve, creating the optimum shape for kicking back and relaxing.”

Lest you wonder where all the heat goes while you soak, there is a foam core to the carbon fiber shell to provide insulation, keeping the water warm. This layer is somewhat hidden due to the tapering of the tub shell around its edges.

The matching Altara sink has the same playful silhouette. “This wash basin is an exact miniaturization of the hammock bath shape in carbon fibre. When placed in the same scheme, the natural synergy between the two pieces creates a wonderful pattern of echoed shapes in the room.”

Not into black? You can get these unique luxury bathroom fixtures in gold, chrome and other colors, too.

Splinter Works founder Miles Hartwell explains the design: “Struck by the synergy between the shapes of two compelling symbols of relaxation, a hammock and a bath tub, we were inspired to develop a piece that would provide the ultimate vehicle for total escapism.”

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Designed for exhibitionists, or at least people with high-up or few-windowed condos, this bold bathtub design is sure to stand out wherever you put it, but particularly if (as in this image) that turns out to be your living room.

The trend of opening the space between bedroom, bathroom and other master-suite zones is a popular one, but this concept by Alexander Zhukovsky takes a few steps beyond – and a psychological leap up from a conventional grounded bathtub. Filling from the top, it works as either a tub or a shower.

Aside from its striking shape and location, the inside temperature, light, humidity and sound are designed to be custom-controlled so you can experience an isolated, weightless-seeming, bubble-like environment while having views out on all sides.

“Along with changes of the concept of living space organization in the modern world is also changing an attitude towards such as most important part of our house as bathroom. Bathroom for us is no longer a place where we can just wash face, brush your teeth or take a shower. Bathroom space should be seen as a place from which to begin every our day, and is the place where every our day is comes to end. This place shapes our mood at the beginning of the day and prepares us to sleep at the end of the day. Bathroom space becomes a kind of membrane between the bustle of the modern world and the calmness of a home.”

“BATHSPHERE is the concept of space in space. After a hard day’s work and the noise of the city, we find ourselves in a little world of BATHSPHERE. Being inside a glass sphere you can create your own mood. You can simulate rain, change the temperature inside the ball, humidity, light, sounds and even smells. Due to the BATHSPHERE is hanging and consists of glass we can feel a sense of weightlessness.”

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If you think of the most comfortable places to relax, a hammock and a warm bath are probably near the top of the list. UK design studio Splinter Works combined the two into what might possibly be the most relaxing bathtub ever. This luxurious suspended hammock tub wastes far less water than the average soaking tub, but fully submerges your body in an ergonomic position.

The “Hamaca” vessel is suspended from two walls via brackets and doesn’t touch the ground at any point, contributing to the illusion of a hammock in the bathroom. A tall, elegant curved faucet is mounted in the floor to cascade water into the tub.

A floor drain carries away the bathwater through a drain in the tub’s bottom after you’re finished soaking. However, you don’t have to hurry out of the tub – a foam core between the layers of carbon fiber insulates the water and keeps it warm much longer than a conventional tub.

More from the designers

“Our collection features our trademark combination of strong lines and sculptural forms, and includes our original black carbon hammock bath, Hamaca. The ergonomic shape and variable depth of our baths means they use less water than a standard bath, despite their generous and elegant proportions.”

“The Hamaca bath tub elevates the immersive comfort of soaking in a hot bath and combines it with the peaceful experience of kicking back in a hammock. Created in carbon fibre, Hamaca is incredibly strong and stays completely rigid, even when full. Unlike most baths, with flat bottoms and steep backs, Hamaca’s continuous curved surface offers an unprecedented level of comfort that encourages long, luxurious bathing. Filled using a floor-standing tap, waste water is released through the base and discarded through a floor drain positioned directly beneath the tub.”

“Hamaca’s generous size gives you the luxury of an immersive soak but it is only deep in the middle, where you need it most. The ends are shallow and supportive so, unlike most baths, there are no unnecessarily wasteful areas. The maximum capacity is 200 litres (44 gallons). This is around half the volume of comparable, luxury ‘deep’ tubs.”

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Maybe long ago, when bathrooms were little more than tiny wooden huts in the yard, they could get by as purely functional spaces. But the modern home calls for bathrooms that are relaxing and comforting as well as functional. Using a smooth mineral composite material called Minacor, German manufacturer HANSA International makes some of the most distinctive basin/faucet pairs in the world.

The HANSALATRAVA starts off with a faucet that presents water proudly to the world rather than simply streaming it straight into a basin. The flat faucet looks more like a sculpture than a bathroom fixture as it allows water to cascade down into the elegant basin. A basin which features no central indentation, but rather guides water down on a gentle slope. Both parts of this pair introduce shapes and design elements never before utilized in bathroom fittings.

HANSA refers to the HANSACANYON faucet as having “radical linearity.” Indeed, its 90-degree angle looks harsh until the eye drifts up to the open channel at the top of the fixture. Colored lights illuminate the water there, telling you at a glance what the water’s temperature is. The water falls on a gentle curve into the subtly warped slab below that is the matching basin.

Embracing curves and contrasts seems to be the inspiration behind the HANSAMURANO faucet and basin. A lighthearted, almost playful, approach to design pairs a transparent glass disc on the rounded faucet with a perfectly circular water basin and indented rectangular body. The shapes and elements seen here are not new or groundbreaking; they are simply used in new and groundbreaking ways to create a singularly lovely fixture.

“Tap turned on, water flows: Well, yes, but a modern faucet is much more than that. For instance, it can be operated both manually and touchless. It can be used as a shower or it can be adjusted via Bluetooth. This makes today’s fittings not only very flexible, but especially creative. With useful details, intelligent technology and strong design, the multifunctional fittings from HANSA offer exceptional levels of comfort at your washbasins and enrich your life. Plenty of space for your hands, room to manoeuvre, optional touchless operation and an economical use of our most important resource – water. HANSA faucets fits perfectly to your needs. “

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For some of us, showers are sufficient, but if you want a more spa-like experience, or at least a full bathtub, space can be a serious factor in urban settings.

Designer Dominik Chojnacki has a vision for a fold-up tub that provides the amenities you want but that takes up the same space as a shower.

Potential problems of this prototype, though, are clear: drainage when you tilt it up, robustness of the mechanism and of course … why doesn’t it double as a stand-up shower when not being used as a tub? Still, a neat concept nonetheless.

The post Fold-Up Bathtub Concept Designed to Save Space in Style first appeared on Dornob.

Designers have a difficult time making walk-in tubs look anything but, well, ugly. There are a lot of requirements (like size) that lead to a default solution that seems clunky in an otherwise-nice bathroom space.

This solution by Su Pin Chia works around these issues in a few interesting ways. First, its strong horizontals and divided sections break up the monotony of the megalithic form. Second, when not in use, it is simply much smaller since the sides can remain down rather than up. Finally, the use of two materials – one hard, one soft – make it seem more like two elements than one.

So how does it work? Instead of folding up, it fills up – the sides are inflatable via the water-propelled jacuzzi mechanism already built in. Whether it would work in reality is a good question, but the concept is quite cool regardless.

The post Sleeker Inflatable Solution Reinvents Basic Walk-In Bathtub first appeared on Dornob.

Small-space living often necessitates compromising on style, functionality, or both. The Subaco line of tiny bathrooms from Japanese company Spiritual Mode is rich in style but doesn’t skimp on function – and manages to cram it all into an impressively tiny footprint.

The sub-compact bathrooms can include tubs, toilets, sinks, and perhaps even laundry and/or kitchen facilities in an area no bigger than 2 square meters. Although definitely not large enough to be considered luxurious, the bathrooms offer just enough room to take care of necessary hygiene tasks.

The designers user vertical space in their designs as well. The bathrooms can be lofted to allow for a second level, giving a bit more space (and a fair dose of minimalist design cred) for those essential functions without taking up more precious floor real estate.

From Leibal:

“The SUBACO line of micro bathrooms from Spiritual mode caters to small space living without compromising on design & function. These compact bathrooms offer customizable options which include sinks, toilets, stand up showers and even pint sized tubs.”

“The idea behind the model is that the bathroom is a ‘necessary only’ place in the household, and that the space it occupies should appropriately reflect that ideology. The designers at Spiritual mode wasted no space by making their models no bigger than 6.5 square feet. I think that these bathrooms in the city would be ideal because although large, luxurious bathrooms are nice, they are only usually found in the suburbs ,where space can be dispensed without sacrafice. Workspace, along with living space, is what is most important for any urban apartment, and in that regard  the SUBACO line hits the nail on the head.”

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