The bathroom has, in the contemporary home, become, in our view, the most under-designed room. The bathroom is, in most cases, the room that the contemporary renovation industry has been most aggressively over-specifying — with hard surfaces, cold tile, chrome, spa-grade fittings that, in most cases, the wearer does not need. The bathroom is also the room the contemporary wearer is, in most cases, most under-using — a pass-through, not a destination.
This essay is, in part, a counter-argument to the over-specifying. It is also an argument that the bathroom is, properly understood, a beauty ritual space — where the wearer, in the morning or the evening, does the work of being looked at. The bathroom is the room where the lacquered life is, in fact, assembled. The assembly is, in our view, what the bathroom is for.
The five elements below are, in our view, the elements that, in the most consistent way, make the bathroom into a beauty ritual space. They are not, in most cases, expensive — they are architectural. They are not renovations — they are additions. They are not decorations — they are instruments. The instruments are what the bathroom is for.
One — the dedicated bathing mirror with task light
The first element is a dedicated bathing mirror, with task light. The dedicated bathing mirror is, in our view, the most under-installed object in the contemporary bathroom. The bathroom mirror, in most cases, is the only mirror in the bathroom — fixed above the sink. The fixed mirror, in most cases, cannot be moved, tilted, or used while the wearer is in the bath.
The dedicated bathing mirror is, in our view, a separate mirror — on a stand, a suction mount, or a small shelf. It is positioned at the bath — close enough that the wearer, in the bath, can see herself. It is, in most cases, small — a hand mirror that can be held, or a small standing mirror placed on a stool.
The task light is the partner of the dedicated mirror — a small light, a clip light or a small LED panel, that can be directed at the wearer, in the bath, in a way the overhead bathroom light cannot. The task light is the light that, in the bath, allows the wearer to see the work she is doing — the mask, the hair treatment, the bath ritual that the contemporary bathroom does not support.
The dedicated bathing mirror, with task light, is, in our view, the element that most transforms the bathroom into a beauty ritual space — and the one that is least expensive to install.
Two — the single tray for in-shower oils
The second element is a single tray for in-shower oils. The tray is, in our view, the most under-designed bathroom object. The tray is, in most cases, the only object that the contemporary bathroom has for the holding of the in-shower products — the oils, the masks, the cleansers, the apothecary of the shower. The tray is, in most cases, plastic, wire, or chrome — the materials the contemporary bathroom industry has, in our view, most over-used.
The dedicated tray is, in our view, a single tray — one that holds only what the wearer is, today, using. The single tray is the tray that, in the bathroom, most supports the daily ritual — the tray that, in the morning, holds the cleanser and the body oil, and that, in the evening, holds the in-shower mask and the in-bath treatment.
The single tray is, in our view, teak or stone — the materials the contemporary bathroom industry has, in our view, most forgotten. The teak is water-resistant. The stone is durable.
The single tray is, in our view, the element that most supports the daily ritual — and the one that is most worth investing in.
Three — the hook for the bath sheet
The third element is a hook for the bath sheet. The bath sheet is, in our view, the most over-looked bathroom object. The bath sheet is, in most cases, the largest towel in the bathroom — the towel that the wearer, in most cases, wraps around the body, after the bath or after the shower. The bath sheet is, in most cases, hung on a hook — a hook that, in most cases, is behind the bathroom door, or over the radiator, or on the back of the bathroom door.
The hook for the bath sheet is, in our view, a dedicated hook. The dedicated hook is, in our view, a hook that is positioned at the bath — close enough to the bath that the wearer, in the bath, can reach the bath sheet without standing. The dedicated hook is, in our view, a hook that is strong — a hook that, in most cases, holds the bath sheet when the bath sheet is wet.
The dedicated hook is, in our view, also a hook that is beautiful — a hook that, in our view, is, in most cases, brass or blackened steel, the materials that the contemporary bathroom industry has, in our view, most over-looked. The dedicated hook is, in our view, the hook that, in the bathroom, most rewards the wearer, in the bath, who, in the bath, reaches for the bath sheet.
The hook for the bath sheet is, in our view, the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, most rewards the wearer. The hook is, in our view, also the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, is least expensive to install. The hook is, in our view, also the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, most improves the bath ritual.
Four — the stool for the in-bath treatments
The fourth element is a stool for the in-bath treatments. The stool is, in our view, the most under-installed object in the contemporary bathroom — the bathroom has, in most cases, no place for the wearer to sit, except the toilet. The contemporary bathroom has, in most cases, no place for the bathing rituals that the wearer, in our view, needs — the in-bath treatment, the in-bath mask, the in-bath waiting.
The stool is, in our view, a small stool — teak or stone, low enough that the wearer, in the bath, can rest her arm on the stool, in a way that the arm-only balancing of the bath edge, in most cases, does not allow.
The stool is, in our view, the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, most supports the in-bath ritual — the element that most rewards the wearer who, in the bath, needs a place to rest. The rest is, in our view, what the in-bath ritual is for.
Five — the stack of three towels
The fifth element is a stack of three towels, within reach. The stack of three towels is, in our view, the most under-stocked bathroom object. The contemporary bathroom has, in most cases, one towel — the towel that the wearer, in most cases, uses, in the morning, after the shower. The contemporary bathroom has, in most cases, no stack — the contemporary bathroom has, in most cases, no place for the multiple towels that the wearer, in the bath ritual, needs.
The stack of three is, in our view, three towels — a bath sheet, a hand towel, and a face cloth. The stack is, in our view, positioned at the bath — close enough to the bath that the wearer, in the bath, can reach any of the three towels, without standing. The stack is, in our view, folded — the stack is, in most cases, folded in a way that the top towel is, in most cases, the first towel the wearer reaches.
The stack of three is, in our view, the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, most completes the bath ritual. The stack is, in our view, also the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, is least expensive to install. The stack is, in our view, also the element that, in the contemporary bathroom, most rewards the wearer, in the bath, who, in the bath, needs the three towels.
The five elements are, in sum: a dedicated bathing mirror with task light, a single tray for in-shower oils, a hook for the bath sheet, a stool for the in-bath treatments, and a stack of three towels within reach. The five elements are, in our view, the elements that, in the most consistent way, make the bathroom into a beauty ritual space.
The spa is, in our view, not a luxury. The spa is, in our view, the architecture of slowness. The architecture is, in our view, what the bathroom has, in the last thirty years, most lost. The architecture is, in our view, what the five elements are, finally, recovering.
The recovery is, in our view, the most interesting interior design project the contemporary home can take on. The recovery is, in our view, also the most useful project — the project that, in our view, the contemporary wearer, in our view, most needs. The need is, in our view, finally, what the bathroom is for.