Clean uncluttered lines and fluid harmonious shapes are the classic trappings of today’s modern bath.

To begin the process of remodeling and renovation of the bath space (guest, powder or master), the first thing to do is evaluate the space boundaries. While your original bath was probably nice when the home was initially occupied (if you aren’t in new construction), now it is likely seriously dated.

Designers suggest the time had arrived to embrace a refinement of scale. For sophisticated homeowners’ with a desire to transform the master bath, for instance, (from entryway to dressing area) into a naturally relaxing and personalized therapeutic retreat, decorplanet.com is perfect for you. There are a number of fine-tuned choices to make, including sourcing for the latest color, material and finish trends in addition to the product mix. Review the offerings on decorplanet.com and you’ll see exactly what’s hot in the marketplace now. Let us be your guide and resource.

Luxury Bath Suites Get Noticed

While mix-n-match certainly has its place design-wise, some manufacturers are offering product suites that embrace the “hotel to home” standard of luxury, putting emphasis on the “coordinated look.”

Our product offerings allow you to create a product suite that will enhance your décor to the nines. You’re the decider — choosing which products will best fit your “suite.”

Those in the know, recognize that suites are the latest story in contemporary bathroom styling. Here’s an idea for your consideration based on our product selection for a modern budget-minded suite pairing (think guest or powder room):

Bath Vanity: $299

The uber-hip Cristallino is designed with Italian panache. It has sleek and innovative appeal is based on a number of elements:

• Glass Bowl
• Stainless Steel Accents
• 1 Wall-Mounted Storage Shelf
• Chrome Faucet

Toilet: Demeter Dual Flush Toilet $289

A fantastic modern design dual flush toilet. This toilet gives you two flushing capacity options.

Assorted Bathroom Accessories

Choose a package of accessories with modern design nuanced in a number of product configurations. We’ve opted for the Magnifico Series for this suite. Products in the series come with Quadruple chrome finish and tempered glass (where apropos).

• Round magazine wire basket: $67.76.
• Glass toilet brush set wall model: $51.04.
• Towel Ring: $29.82
• Make-up mirror, wall model: $109
• Bath towel rack with towel bar: $111.39
• Shelf with railing, 21 inch: $122.41
• Glass soap dish, wall model: $14.57

In essence, this budget-minded concept suite is still chock-full of a top-notch product line-up that’s both good-looking and well priced with a minimalist/modern sensibility to it too.

Your total for all of the above? A little over a $1,000!

And just think — it’s modern, original, functional and smart. It’s also a huge convenience to purchase from one source. That’s right, count on decorplanet.com, we’ve got the goods. And be sure to check out all our high quality bathroom vanities.

For today’s savvy consumer, bath design is more about relishing than rushing. It’s a trend that’s growing thanks to high drama and sanctuary retreat-like baths bandied about on television design programs and found in luxury hotels where consumers escape for weekend relaxation getaways.

As such, bathrooms have become the dream projects of choice (for both remodelors and new home builders). One significant reason is the caliber of product choices. A definite must-have is glass mosaic tiles used on an entire wall or as accent pieces. In addition, residential steam showers reign. Today’s showers have it all and then some — steam, multiple showers and sprays, even dry heat. While faced with space and/or existing plumbing restrictions, customers are choosing zero-clearance walk-ins with all the special features that make a product more desirable, such as his-and-her showers with two entrances, personalized settings and heated seating. Our Ariel Platinum DZ963F8 Steam Shower is the height of upscale trends all the way — from its wooden floor boards and luxury nozzle with acupuncture massage and rainfall ceiling shower to its glass enclosure and decorative lighting. It’s got it all for just under $3,000.

Face it; bottles, gadgets and grooming products overflow from today's bathrooms. Bathroom storage is more of a priority than ever. The cabinets of old don't cut it because they're boxy and uninspired. Furniture for storage is today's look, and it's often a necessary addition when you work in smaller bathrooms where you simply can't add a lot of cabinetry. Furniture-style vanities from contemporary to antique at Decorplanet.com fulfill this niche beautifully. Such pieces are also used to create a visual center point. For instance, we love the mid-sized Raffinato (priced at less than $900) with its dimpled chrome sleekness. It offers storage with a large medicine cabinet coupled with extra space underneath the striking gray glass countertop. We’re also big fans of the modern lines of the Radioso model, akin to sophisticated boutique hotel bath cabinetry. It offers mega storage with a European style set-up composed of cabinets above head and to the side as well as beneath the sink and countertop area. For less than $1,200 it’s a winner (plus it comes in a variety of colors, including pale mint green, sky blue and soft turquoise). More like a dresser with loads of drawers, Model RGN021 features a fully functioning top drawer that contains storage on both sides of the bowl, center drawers that are fitted around plumbing and large bottom drawers for towels and linens. This stunning unit (with carved rope detailing) is priced at less than $900. All three are options outstanding.

Open shelves and wall cabinets are increasingly popular. The variety of items offered on decorplanet.com (nearly 25) is in keeping with this design orientation. Quadruple chrome finishes paired with high durability tempered glass shelving is stylish, functional and affordable. See decorplanet.com’s open shelving under Accessories in the Shelves category on our web site.

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy bathroom design trend is the blurring of the line between the bathroom itself and surrounding spaces. This is manifested in several ways: first with the emergence of transition spaces, such as morning kitchens, juice/wine bars or small supplemental laundry areas, which connect the wet and dry areas; and second, by creating seamless, door-less transitions between the bathroom and the master bedroom or closet.

Consumers are tearing down the walls and making the whole space feel like a retreat. The introduction and evolution of technology — plasma screen and two-way mirror televisions, complex lighting control systems and built-in surround sound and auto-fill programmable tubs — further bridge the spaces. Without a doubt, the advancement and marriage of technology with bathroom features and functions will continue to create some wonderful toys for now and in the future. On decorplanet.com you’ll find innovations-plus every time you check us out, including tub combo steam shower units such as AmeriSteam ASP 216 with an integrated Whirlpool tub (with a capacity of 66.05 gallons). Priced at less than $5,000, this is a high-end item that can’t be missed, especially for the ultimate at home spa bathroom design. Impressive, it even includes an underwater spotlight.

The biggest change in bathroom design is really the homeowner’s expectations and desire to have very strong design. It used to be 'just make it look nice,' but now it needs to be a really unique, beautiful, well-designed space. It's not just the things, it's the look and how everything integrates — and this rings true across all price-points.

Today’s style-driven kitchens are always proving that appliances and accessories are now — perhaps more than ever — smart, stylish and efficient. We can’t hear it enough: Kitchen spaces are all about the marriage of beauty and practicality. So what exactly is grabbing the attention of homeowners? Not just cabinetry that maximizes storage space and access, but also the fact that the European minimalist look is still maintaining its push. Sleek lines continue to be the order of the day.

Keeping up with the trends, the 16 range hoods offered on decorplanet.com (both wall mounted and island mounted options) certainly fulfill this design perspective. Kitchens have systematically become cleaner visually, with far less clutter. The latest advancements in technology and design have brought the range hood to the forefront of kitchen décor. This integral piece of kitchen equipment has been significantly and brilliantly reinvented.

Evidence of this fact can be found in the Cavaliere (Model 218D) in two sizes, 30-inch range hood and 36-inch range hood. This wall mounted range hood is composed of only the highest industry quality #304 Stainless Steel 19 gauge coupled with clear tempered glass. This clever combo (glass and stainless steel) adds light and modern elegance to your kitchen decor.

Both of these range hoods are well priced at slightly less than $500. Since wall mounted (wall-chimney) range hoods are fitted where there are no cabinets, they provide a strong focal point. If you want to create a professional kitchen vibe where gourmet cuisine is the norm, these hoods are the design solution you’ve been looking for.

Vents serve a useful purpose in the kitchen as they draw stale air filled with grease, odor and moisture out of the room. Critically, the range hood's noise level, power and efficiency are crucial to its performance. Homeowners seeking new range hoods are looking particularly for products that provide able and effective smoke removal capability under all cooking conditions. It’s been proven that proper ventilation produces great IAQ — Indoor Air Quality — to protect people from unhealthy indoor pollutants, according to the Home Ventilating Institute.

If a range hood purchase is in order, we’ve got a couple of key factoids:

The days of noisy range hood ventilation are long gone.

Significant advances have been made in manufacturing. Thankfully, range hoods today are 50 percent less noisy compared with those from just a few years ago. Experts advise that the noise level should not exceed 2.5 sones on its lowest level (this figure is in keeping with all range hoods sold on decorplanet.com). For example, the Cavaliere model’s noise level is pitch perfect at low speed: 0.4 sones. That’s quality for you. The Cavaliere offers a motor that is a dual chamber/dual centrifugal/ 218W upgraded low noise version too. FYI: a sone is the amount of noise emitted.

Additional range hood design advances now make your life easier.

Coupled with air output and noise levels, range hoods now include dishwasher-friendly aluminum grease filters, making clean up a snap.

Halogen bulbs make a BIG difference.

The introduction of Halogen bulbs give you more light for cooking, but also save you money on your electricity bill.

LED goes multi-purpose.

LED technology and ambient light sensors (that automatically turn on and off) are a plus for both nighttime ambience and safety.

The bottom line in range hoods is that kitchen planning has evolved into something of an art form. So if you’re building a new kitchen or have renovation ideas in the works, the wall mounted range hood could be the best starting place for your next design inspiration.

Playing it safe with neutrals? You’re just like a lot of us. There is, say the color pundits, always a place for classic white. Think touches of brilliance, literally.

What we’re seeing is a modern color story — a level of continuity that is never ending in home décor and on the runways. That’s right, the fashion color palette (more often than not), correlates directly to what’s happening in the home. So … think refined and classic. Elegant colors with longevity are white, black and gray. It’s all about slight nuances in shading, pristine and not quite white and deep, rich tones of black with hints of shining silver (along the lines of faucet finishes). Yes, it is actually that simple.

As for that runway analogy, it really is true. The Pantone Color Institute reports, “Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up a look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.” And, “thoughtful, cautious neutrals provide a dependable backbone.” Now, think about color options in terms of bath sinks, toilets, vanities and more.

Even “biscuit” and “black black” continue to be the choice for plumbing fixtures, according to major bath fixture manufacturers, who once relied only on classic white as the mainstay. These hues have now been recast for vanities too. Add drama to neutrals through accessories, wall color and decorative objects, say the color experts.

To utilize black and white in your bath design, here are a few points to consider:

• Black and white are dramatic on their own, but if you are itching for more hues, add in a textural floor rug in a vivid shade or even a lighting fixture.
• Color shy? Don’t despair. Add color in a small dose (let’s say in the powder room, for instance). You’ll definitely make an elegant modern statement by pairing a vessel sink in powder puff pink (for example) with a black or white toilet.
• Go for a pairing that meshes the color story with ease and sophistication by incorporating sinks with patterns, such as plaid designed vessels or ones with black and white zebra striping.
• Be careful not to create a “polka dot” effect with a black pedestal sink or a white toilet. Mixing and matching is a plus when it looks like it’s been done on purpose, but not when the room ends up feeling like it has yet to be completed.
• Focus on creating contrast. Start with a piece you love, such as a vanity, toilet or tile pattern and take it forward from there. But be careful not to create a black hole with a dark hue that literally takes over, making a small space look even smaller than it already is.
• Black and white is a color story that is limitless. Once you decide you want to use black and white, you’ll be amazed at how many manufacturers have been turned on to the color combo in their design portfolio. Peruse mainstream home and décor retailers as well as online shopping venues and you’ll find vanities, sinks, toilets, tiles, towel bars, soap dishes, soap caddies, magazine racks, and more. You know how it goes, once you think about doing something, it seems to show up everywhere.
• "Sensual minimalism" is a term being used frequently by design firms that embrace black and white for the modern bath aesthetic. The term translates to fixtures and accessories with “soft edges.”
• Upscale restaurants and bars have been incorporating velvety black and creamy white for bathroom interiors. If you need inspiration to redo what you have at home, check out the bathroom the next time you dine or have cocktails, you’ll be surprised with the ideas you just might come up with.
• The spa ambience is achieved through dim lighting and the pervasive use of monochromatic hues. If your bath is doused in this color, maintain the sensibility with your linen choices too, by treating yourself to plush luxury with high-quality white towels.

So if you’re thinking about integrating black and white into your design scheme, then you’re likely already thinking clean and linear. Those two elements definitely fulfill a dramatic design scenario — whether you’re striving for sophisticated elegance or minimalism at its best— the neutral palette is [still] touted for statement making bath interiors.

Now, if the modern color story of black and white is on the drawing board for your new bath or renovation (or if you’ve been recently inspired), check out the latest products on www.decorplanet.com, they just might be apropos for your personal style and provide the color continuity you seek while fitting your budget too:

• Powder Puff Pink Glass Vessel
• Zebra Glass Sink Vessel
• B&W Plaid Glass Vessel
• Black and White Vanities
• Black Mix Mosaic Tile (Sea Rock Series)

Paying attention to HGTV design TV while perusing through a stack of national design magazines? You’re not alone. Our design and sourcing team here at decorplanet.com is comprised of veritable junkies. Join us on any given day, and design with a capital “D” is the focus.

Being design savvy is the newest of hobbies, like collecting boutique wine or playing golf. Really. “Don’t you realize,” said one design junkie to another, “in order to transform my home into a personal retreat I have to watch and read it all!”

Speaking of reading and watching it all, we know how important the bath is. We’re experts at it! Nowadays, it is the consummate feel good space. The luxury bath market has gained a significant share of consumer dollars over the last few years. But something else important has happened recently — a sub-set of the luxury bath market is now going (and growing) stronger than ever — it is luxury for less. This means accessing top quality look-alike designs that echo the high falutin’ (and high-priced) items that are both aspirational and inspirational.

Lucky for you, this is exactly where decorplanet.com steps in. What you see here is all about top quality, the latest designs and the hottest trends. We’re one of the most affordable solutions to finding value-priced bathroom vanities, sinks, faucets and even bath accessories.

If it looks deluxe, homeowners want it.

Elements that enunciate the space as the ultimate sanctuary are being shipped from our warehouse daily —from detailed faucets, fittings and accessories to vessel sinks and stylized pedestal sinks, double sink vanities, contemporary vanities, decorative medicine cabinets, mirrors and more.

Seeking double sinks with high style: Check out the Unico, a contemporary baroque style vanity, with a rich espresso finish, this double sink vanity (with the latest in clear glass vessels) is classic and striking. It’s a favorite among design aficionados.

So is the chic and minimal, Fiamma, a glass bathroom vanity that’s idyllic for a small space with big style. It’s also got plenty of masculine loft appeal. The combo of chrome hardware and deep green hues is a winner.

And as for Cortese 32" vanity this classic is special too. Curvaceous design, glass shelving and a waterfall faucet coupled with a rich chocolaty finish is in keeping with what you’ll see in gorgeous estate homes.

So, if you haven’t realized it yet, you’re as much a luxury consumer as the next guy. For one thing, luxury consumers yearn for specialness in their experience. Because luxury is tied up with creature comforts, consumers who achieve a luxury lifestyle are unwilling to make do with less or give up continued luxury. Rather than exclusivity, the luxury consumer values the ability to express a personal point of view, an attitude and uniqueness. That’s you, right?

So get ready to really multi-task. Watch design TV while flipping through those fave design magazines and let your new (and on-going) source that can’t be beat be decorplanet.com

Despite being a petite space, designers believe all bets are off when it comes to the powder room. Here, all indicators claim the vessel bowl as king. By sheer virtue of its size, the powder room doesn’t have the same demands as a master bathroom where durability and clean-ability are priorities. Many designers have alluded to the fact that they tend not to specify vessel bowls in master baths, but will do so with gusto in the powder room, where it’s all about the “wow” factor. Even still, function-wise, keep in mind that some vessel bowls have a countersunk bottom to allow for complete draining. You get the best of both worlds with this niche: function and beauty.

The bowls on decorplanet.com that make a huge decor impact but won’t break your budget are numerous. Consider thick, tempered-glass vessel sink with rounded upper edges. Here are just a few options:

• Blue Clam Glass Vessel Sink: $99
• Seafoam Glass Vessel Sink: $109
• Goldfish (Koi) Glass Vessel Sink: $109

Imagine any of the above items in your home. Now picture the following scenario happening: Guests close the door (to the powder room) and start turning things over, even checking labels because they are curious about how you did it! That’s the best impetus for pulling out all of the stops.

Let decorplanet.com be your guide to “pulling out the stops” since it leads us to several big trends in vessel sinks, which include:

• jewel-tones
• color changing fiber-optics
• fractured surface materials to reflect light.

Through the use of creatively designed vessel sinks (i.e., seated above the countertop), designers are able to add rich colors into the powder room. On decorplanet.com, we showcase several a colorful bowls for your decorating pleasure, including:

• Copper Ripple Glass Vessel
• Lime Glass Vessel
• Gold Dust Glass Vessel
• Orange Glass Vessel Sink

Shapes are intriguing too. Not all are what you might expect. For example, one of our favorites is the Concentric Square Glass Vessel Sink for $109.

The future just might hold even more compelling uses of materials. There’s a chance we’ll even see welded steel making a resurgence, in vessel bowls. Shallow, wide basin sinks are definitely popular right now, as are the waterfall like faucets that go with them.
Spa bathrooms have led to more refined materials, reports designers in the know. Rectangular shaped porcelain sinks in soft pastel spa tones lead the pack right now.

So now that you’ve got your vessel, time to choose a faucet. Here are our rules for doing so:

• Select counter-top mount faucets since these are designed to purposefully be higher than your standard faucets, or
• To save space, choose wall-mounted faucets.

Check the faucet product category on decorplanet.com to guide you in your decision making process. We suggest you review vessel faucets. The list is a sub category of bathroom faucets on our web site. Decorplanet.com makes it easy for you with photos and size detailing too.