With the examples of hydrotherapy –spa and thalassotherapy– there is no doubt that the benefits of water are well-known in our society. Thus hydrotherapy applications are a must in bathrooms in order to float occupants to relaxation and the comfort they seek there today. This space, once summary, may now benefit from all the technology and the know-how decorators have to offer for more comfort, environmental respect and a new appropriation of the space adapted to the desires and needs of its guests. As the response to customer needs is an integral part of the hoteliers’ vocabulary, the attention they pay to suppliers of these new bathrooms has reached its peak in recent years.
The bathroom is, etymologically and conceptually, linked to the history of the bathtub. Made of tin, zinc or wood, in the 19th century, the latter was considered a piece of furniture that could be found just about anywhere in a home: from the bedroom to the living room or even the kitchen. At first lacking running water and a drain, it was later hooked up to plumbing and placed in its own room where it was joined by other related installations such as sinks and toilets. The room became the bathroom as we know it today and used for bodily hygiene and care. Today, these two concepts remain paramount along with wellbeing. However, the bathroom continues to evolve in terms of how it is used, and it is opening back onto the rest of the home and growing increasingly accessible.
Wellbeing is part of this evolution. While it may take on different connotations from one individual to the next, depending on economic, social or simply health situations, it must first and foremost offer a calming sensation and encourage a positive outlook. At a time when everything appears accessible from home, wellbeing is also finding its way into the home and the bathroom through products that respond to consumer demands.
Considering contemporary challenges alongside ecology
Social and environmental responsibility are part of this quest for wellbeing and bathroom products and must integrate these new criteria. The environment has become one of the main themes under consideration today and may be applied by choosing non-polluting raw materials. The firm ADA takes this aspect into consideration in its strategy by using renewable natural materials to preserve the environment. Its new Fair Trade line, targeting hoteliers, highlights the special attention it pays to the quality of raw materials and the notion of fair trade that gives producers in Africa, Asia and South America access to minimum wages during harvesting. Thus, “Fair trade, which promotes the working conditions of producers, is well perceived by hotel clientele. More than a concept, the particular choice and source of raw materials perfectly integrates the effort to achieve an ecology-related balance while allowing a disadvantaged population to gain access to better living conditions by buying products that are equitably negotiated,” declares Marie Charoy Sales manager ADA France. Concern for the social and ecological environment may also appear in the form of attention to water consumption and recycling. Thus the appearance of the first touch-free electronic faucets, that detect movement, allowing water to run only for the necessary lapse of time, and thermostatic mixers, that take the guesswork out of finding the right temperature, thereby reducing the water flow time needed to find it manually. Finally, in this era of recycling, reusable waste water, or “gray water”, can be filtered for reuse, enabling savings that are good for the environment (in France, 137 liters of water are consumed per person per day). The environment, the origin of products and even the social condition their producers thus become integral to the development of bathroom products, and hotel suppliers now make this a criteria of quality.
A restful and healthy place
Body and mind care are also an integral part of the notion of wellbeing and one of the current trends is to bring some of the advantages of spas and thalassotherapy right into the bathroom. The importance of the bodily benefits is thus more present in the room. The manufacturer ADA offers the collection DermaCare which cares for those suffering from certain pathologies, by offering gels, shampoos, lotions and soaps that are certified by the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF). Thus, “With the innovation DermaCare, hoteliers may safely offer wellbeing products even to their most sensitive guests,” declares Marie Charoy. The bathroom market presents itself as a developing sector focusing on products that are more environmentally responsible, equitable, and also accessible. Everyone uses bathrooms and suppliers have understood this, particularly since new regulations were adopted that are transforming the bathroom market. Whether they are specialized or not, manufacturers are seeking new solutions in order to make these spaces comfortable for all their potential users: children, adults, senior citizens, and those with reduced mobility. The AFISB bien vivre label, from the French Association of Bathroom Industries, brings together 40 sector professionals, in different areas (bathroom ceramics, bathtub and shower, faucets, furniture and accessories), takes into consideration the need for accessibility of people with reduced mobility, those who are disadvantaged because of their size, and people traveling with young children. In compliancy with French and European standards, this label makes the effort to turn the bathroom into a space for wellbeing where individuals may resource themselves. Several adapted products are available on the market such as washbasins with remote controlled motorized lifts that may be adjusted to the right height. Another innovation is the horizontal shower found in spas that makes it possible to shower while reclining, thanks to shower bars distributed around a raised marble table where the user lies down. Although it is not highly developed in the hotel industry overall, this system has been perfected by the German company Dornbracht, which received the prize for the best product in 2012 from the Society of British Interior Design (SBID) for its Horizontal Shower, which has found its way into certain thalassotherapy hotels, in a space dedicated to care. This product is adaptable to bathrooms.
While technology and innovation go hand in hand in developing accessibility, the technology of leisure has also found its way into the bathroom through screens, music and light, bringing 2.0 into its space.
Wellbeing is part of this evolution. While it may take on different connotations from one individual to the next, depending on economic, social or simply health situations, it must first and foremost offer a calming sensation and encourage a positive outlook. At a time when everything appears accessible from home, wellbeing is also finding its way into the home and the bathroom through products that respond to consumer demands.
Considering contemporary challenges alongside ecology
Social and environmental responsibility are part of this quest for wellbeing and bathroom products and must integrate these new criteria. The environment has become one of the main themes under consideration today and may be applied by choosing non-polluting raw materials. The firm ADA takes this aspect into consideration in its strategy by using renewable natural materials to preserve the environment. Its new Fair Trade line, targeting hoteliers, highlights the special attention it pays to the quality of raw materials and the notion of fair trade that gives producers in Africa, Asia and South America access to minimum wages during harvesting. Thus, “Fair trade, which promotes the working conditions of producers, is well perceived by hotel clientele. More than a concept, the particular choice and source of raw materials perfectly integrates the effort to achieve an ecology-related balance while allowing a disadvantaged population to gain access to better living conditions by buying products that are equitably negotiated,” declares Marie Charoy Sales manager ADA France. Concern for the social and ecological environment may also appear in the form of attention to water consumption and recycling. Thus the appearance of the first touch-free electronic faucets, that detect movement, allowing water to run only for the necessary lapse of time, and thermostatic mixers, that take the guesswork out of finding the right temperature, thereby reducing the water flow time needed to find it manually. Finally, in this era of recycling, reusable waste water, or “gray water”, can be filtered for reuse, enabling savings that are good for the environment (in France, 137 liters of water are consumed per person per day). The environment, the origin of products and even the social condition their producers thus become integral to the development of bathroom products, and hotel suppliers now make this a criteria of quality.
A restful and healthy place
Body and mind care are also an integral part of the notion of wellbeing and one of the current trends is to bring some of the advantages of spas and thalassotherapy right into the bathroom. The importance of the bodily benefits is thus more present in the room. The manufacturer ADA offers the collection DermaCare which cares for those suffering from certain pathologies, by offering gels, shampoos, lotions and soaps that are certified by the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF). Thus, “With the innovation DermaCare, hoteliers may safely offer wellbeing products even to their most sensitive guests,” declares Marie Charoy. The bathroom market presents itself as a developing sector focusing on products that are more environmentally responsible, equitable, and also accessible. Everyone uses bathrooms and suppliers have understood this, particularly since new regulations were adopted that are transforming the bathroom market. Whether they are specialized or not, manufacturers are seeking new solutions in order to make these spaces comfortable for all their potential users: children, adults, senior citizens, and those with reduced mobility. The AFISB bien vivre label, from the French Association of Bathroom Industries, brings together 40 sector professionals, in different areas (bathroom ceramics, bathtub and shower, faucets, furniture and accessories), takes into consideration the need for accessibility of people with reduced mobility, those who are disadvantaged because of their size, and people traveling with young children. In compliancy with French and European standards, this label makes the effort to turn the bathroom into a space for wellbeing where individuals may resource themselves. Several adapted products are available on the market such as washbasins with remote controlled motorized lifts that may be adjusted to the right height. Another innovation is the horizontal shower found in spas that makes it possible to shower while reclining, thanks to shower bars distributed around a raised marble table where the user lies down. Although it is not highly developed in the hotel industry overall, this system has been perfected by the German company Dornbracht, which received the prize for the best product in 2012 from the Society of British Interior Design (SBID) for its Horizontal Shower, which has found its way into certain thalassotherapy hotels, in a space dedicated to care. This product is adaptable to bathrooms.
While technology and innovation go hand in hand in developing accessibility, the technology of leisure has also found its way into the bathroom through screens, music and light, bringing 2.0 into its space.
