5 Bathroom Innovation Award concepts to make it into production

Read article : 5 Bathroom Innovation Award concepts to make it into production

Product design awards have a tendency to yield amazing, ambitious but unrealistic concepts, however every now and then works that showcase great innovation reach the production stage.

There have been a few success stories coming out of the Reece Bathroom Innovation Award (BIA) over the past seven years that underpin this trend.

Here are five successful products from the awards that are on the market or being developed for production.

The ‘Halo Shower’(2005)

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2005, the competition’s inaugural year, Reece awarded its professional BIA to Duncan Ward for his ‘Halo Shower’ design.

The Halo innovation came from its effective redirecting of the droplet array coming from the shower head. This was achieved by inverting the standard rain head shower design which increased the diameter of the droplets and gave the user a sensation of water immersion akin to being in a bath.

The Halo was quickly picked up by manufacturer Phoenix Tapware and has since been sold in Reece stores nationwide.

 

 

 

 

The ‘Eaux Eaux basin’ (2011)

2011 professional category finalist, Joel Roberts designed the Eaux Eaux basin which has since been picked up by Romanian manufacturers. The all-encompassing design consists of a rolling crest trough which acts as its catchment area, spout and splash back.

In use, the spout expels water which completes the basin cycle through an entire crest with a clear blade of water. Eaux Eaux’s lean body is hollowed to embody and eject the water without a hint of fixturing, evoking a playful yet mysterious nature.

The base is secured into a recessed counter top and the stainless steel cast body is coated with a soft touch paint to maximise its tactility.

The Fl’eau Bath 2012

Joel Roberts was also featured in the 2012 BIAs with his Fl’eau bath design a finalist in the professional category.

Fl’eau is a freestanding bath created from a single surface corian body and since 2012 has been picked up by a Chinese manufacturer and will be on show at USA design and trade shows this year.

The Koeda Intuitive tap mixer (2012)

Designed by 2012 Student category winner ShanShan Wang, the Koeda intuitive mixer tap subverts the traditional mixer tap controls. The dial control mixer tap has been picked up for production since its award and will be manufactured in two versions; a non-electrical and electrical version.

The Koeda utilises a modified progressive cartridge that provides an innate dial control. By rotating the dial in a clockwise motion, water temperature gradually changes from cold to hot. Water pressure flow will progressively increase as the dial is rotated further - ensuring users are less likely to accidentally turn up water flow and waste excess water.

Koeda is handcrafted in porcelain and features an aerator that manages the directional flow of the water and softens the water’s texture. A slight bump angled at a 15 degrees incline in the faucet also minimises excess splashing.

A series of six LED lights, efficiently powered by two lithium cells, change from a light sky blue to a warm orange and finally to a dark searing red, indicating the mix of cold and hot water.

The Wind Rain Fire (2013)

Wind Rain Fire was designed by Chris Connell and was awarded the 2013 Professional category award. 

The design features a flush-mounted shower head combined with an extractor fan in one single unit and Connell has hinted that the design has attracted manufacturers’ attention since its win. Connell says he is currently in discussions with manufacturers and believes the Wind Rain Fire will be available on the market in the near future.

By incorporating the shower head and extractor fan in one unit, the Wind Rain Fire eliminates the issue of another appliance on the ceiling and also minimises trade and fit time. The unit places the extractor at the closest point of steam which Reece suggests will minimise foggy mirror and condensation build up on wall surfaces. The shower/extractor is operated automatically by the touch sensor on the shower mixer unit.

Apart of the design also includes an 800mm wide by 80mm strip rail towel-warm. The long flat surface is heated by an internal element incorporating an inbuilt fan, gently blowing heat down the surface of the towel drying the towel much quicker than a conventional towel rail.

The 2014 edition of the Reece BIA will also guarantee another manufactured project with the winner of the professional category promised a prototype model by Omvivo, one of Australia’s leading vanity unit manufacturers.

See our coverage of the awards for information about entrant criteria and the judging panel.  

Images courtesy of Reece. 

Make Your Bathrooms Inspiring With Beautiful Shower Enclosures and Frosted Glass

Read article : Make Your Bathrooms Inspiring With Beautiful Shower Enclosures and Frosted Glass

When designing a home most individuals focus on comfort and style.

The home is an extension of the resident’s personality and needs to project their personal style.

It is also the space one seeks maximum comfort in to relax after a long day. While a lot of people focus extensively on bedrooms and living rooms to balance these two concerns, they often forget about the bathroom.

The bathroom is an important part of one’s house but is often dismissed with the same structure.

However, with modern innovations in the field of design, there are now several stylistic options that can transform your bathroom and enhance its beauty.

One such revolution has been caused by toughened glass solutions that are aesthetic and resilient, making it the perfect element for a bathroom.

Luxurious shower enclosures

A common concern in many bathrooms can be seen in the shower area.

Most bathrooms have a shower curtain separating the two units which is hardly adequate to limit water spills.

Further, soon after it has been fitted, even the finest shower curtain turns wrinkly and spotty giving your bathroom an old and unkempt look.

Also, with the water spilling into the rest of the bathroom, there is a constant messy look that isn’t very appealing.

Instead with a glass shower enclosure now even your bathroom can look like a luxurious hotel style space.

These modern enclosures work wonderfully to enclose the shower area while also adding style and glamour to the space.

Further, due to the reflective properties of glass, it can make even a small bathroom look bigger and more open.

Clean and mess free

A major benefit with a material like glass in the bathroom is also its ease of maintenance.

Any water droplets on the glass can simply be wiped down by a squeegee or soft cloth to leave it sparkling and clean for years to come.

Also with modern enclosures that are fitted well, one never has to worry about water spills in any other section of the bathroom.

Privacy and artistic solutions for every individual

Along with style and glamour, a bathroom also mandates privacy solutions. With modern glass, this can be achieved in a classy manner easily.

Frosted glass doors on the shower enclosure are among the most popular solution to accommodate privacy with good aesthetics.

This obscure and cloudy glass solution works wonders to block the view while still allowing for slight transmission of light.

Thus, the unit stays completely private while also maintaining the reflective brilliance of glass.

For the artistic individual, one can also opt for a unique pattern or design on the glass as well.

An intricate design can add creativity to the space while also blocking the view.

Sturdy shelves for all your products

Along with a good shower enclosure, individuals also need space to place all their products.

Options like wood and metal aren’t the best idea as they can rot and corrode at an extremely fast pace while also increasing the risk for termites and bacterial infestation.

Further, plastic trays or something similar can ruin the aesthetics of the whole space.

Instead, residents can opt for colourful and durable glass shelves made from lacquered glass.

This stylistic solution works wonders as shelves, cabinet doors or even counters for all your bathroom essentials.

Further, it is highly durable and resilient and doesn’t get affected by the heat and humidity in the bathroom.

With these innovative glass solutions individuals can completely transform how their bathroom is structured and maintained.

No longer does one have to wait for a vacation and hotel stay to experience a magnificent bathroom with stylish shower enclosure, but can enjoy them in the comfort of their home.

For individuals concerned with safety in association with glass solutions, modern advances take care of that too.

All these solutions are made from toughened or tempered safety glass that is five times stronger than regular glass.

The manufacturing process involved in creating these solutions changes the internal chemistry of the glass solution rendering far more durable and resilient to impact.

A leading glass supplier in your city will be able to provide you with additional details on these products as well as help you pick the perfect solutions to uplift your bathroom.

Make a home studio – in your bath! – The Fujifilm Blog

Read article : Make a home studio – in your bath! – The Fujifilm Blog

Written by Roger Payne

The time had come. I’d been trying to justify keeping my X100Sand X100T for some time but, in reality, since T had arrived, S had been spending increasingly lengthy spells in the cupboard. So, with a heavy heart, I decided to sell. The obvious route was on eBay, so I cleaned the camera up and took a couple of snaps before preparing my listing.

My initial shot (above) was very typical of the sort of image you see on eBay – lit with flash from the front, it hardly shows my lovely X100S in the best light, while the background is distracting. I didn’t think it would appeal to buyers, so I decided to try an alternative tack and headed upstairs into my bathroom…

Admittedly, this isn’t the most obvious room in the house to start taking product pictures but, in reality, it’s got a ready made studio for product shots – the bath. White, with a nice curve, the bath bounces plenty of light around to get even coverage and it has a clean, uncluttered background that won’t distract from the item on sale.

Using an X-T1 with an XF18-55mm lens, I positioned the X100S at the opposite end to the taps, flicked out the X-T1’s rear screen and used the lens cap under the end of the lens to keep everything nice and straight. The X-T1’s screen is perfect for images like this, although fixed screen X-series models will be fine – you might just have to contort yourself into the bath a little! I chose an aperture of f/11, ISO 1600 and used the two second self-timer for hands-free shooting and took a shot.

Not bad. Considering this was under tungsten light in my bathroom, I instantly had a better image than my earlier front-on flash lit effort. There was, however, a slight orange colour cast as I’d left the X-T1 on the Auto white-balance setting. I switched to the Incandescent white-balance option and took another.

Better. The colour cast has now all but gone, but I still thought it could be improved further – the highlight on the lens and on the handgrip were distracting, caused by the main light above and to the left of the camera as you look at it. To overcome this problem, I deployed a diffuser on the bath over the top of the camera. I had a ready-made one, but you could use a large sheet of tracing paper to get a similar effect.

Hey presto, the distracting highlights had disappeared! But I still wasn’t completely happy, so I tried one more option, leaving the diffuser in place and attaching an EF-42 flashgun on to the X-T1. I pointed the flashgun head straight up so the light bounced off the ceiling and switched the white-balance back to Daylight.

The result is below. Good isn’t it? And you’d never know it was taken in a bath. Naturally, you don’t have to use this idea purely for auction site listings, you could be far more creative, but there’s little doubt that this is a great way to boost the look of items you’re selling. I posted the listing and sold the camera for the price I wanted within a couple of days. What did I use the proceeds of the sale for? To buy an X70, of course!

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Categories: Be Inspired, Macro, Tutorials

Tagged as: bath, fujifilm, home studio, lessons, product shot, roger payne, studio, Tutorials, x-t1, x100, x100s, x100t, xf18-55

Make a splash with a new bathroom

Read article : Make a splash with a new bathroom

Things are getting personal in the bathroom... Gabrielle Fagan reveals three key looks to make a style splash

THERE'S a new wave of styles washing over bathrooms. The tide's turning against the predictable, and embracing a more go-with-the-flow approach means you can mix-and-match furniture and fittings to conjure a space that perfectly suits your taste, as well as your practical needs, whether it's a spa-like haven, a functional family room, or a contemporary wet room.

As designers become more adventurous, sophistication, glamour and individuality rule. And it's easy to achieve a 'wow' factor, thanks to state-of-the-art technology - think TVs, sound systems and light and water shows in the shower - sculptural sanitary ware, and even stunning waterproof wallpaper now vying with tiles for attention.

"The traditional bathroom suite has become outdated and there's a desire for the space to become customised, with people seeing it as a room where they can display individual pieces, as they would art," says Leanne Martin, head of product at Sottini.

"A strong industrial trend is coming through, with steel-effect wall-hung cabinets complemented by sleek brassware and fresh white walls for an efficient, sleek look. Bathroom units raised off the floor, increasing visible floor space, to create an illusion of a larger room, are starring, and a particularly striking 'floating' effect can be achieved, with wall-hung, chunky, unsupported slabs in gloss or wood grain, and slim, curved vessel basins on top."

Soak up inspiration from these latest bathroom looks...

DRAMA ZONE

"If you don't want to reach out and touch the walls, you're not doing it right for 2017. Bathrooms no longer mean matching tiles as far as the eye can see - as a nation, we've become experimental with wall finishes and shrugged off the constraints of the white bathroom tile," says Martin.

"Industrial concrete walls are being paired with textured wallpapers, while tile effects are being created using countless different sizes, shapes, prints and texture options. Even a retro wood finish has made a comeback for a Scandi-chic style statement, and for the really bold, vertical green, living walls, to give a lush 3D impact you can't beat!"

Water, she points out, is a feature in itself. "It's not enough that it drains down a plughole any more. It's all about the spectacle of how it falls in a waterfall-like sheet from a height and disappears out of sight into concealed drainage."

LOOK OUT FOR: Mirrors with sensor controlled lighting and de-misting, as well as inbuilt functions linked to music systems, TVs and phones.

TAP INTO STYLE: Wall&Deco's waterproof 'wall papers' include a gorgeous 'Inner Forest' and 'Converatory' (Pictured above) - which looks like a lush tropical landscape - design, from £156 per square metre, West One Bathrooms (www.westonebathrooms.com). Alternatively, make an impact with a monochrome Diver Wall Mural, from £10.63, Purlfrost (www.purlfrost.com).

Sottini's range has bang-on-trend pieces, including a free-standing Ombrone Totem Washbasin, £1,190.25 (pictured below); a Bonamico 70cm Square Vessel Washbasin, £341.55, or a bowl-shape Pioto Vessel Washbasin, £160.43. Achieve that 'floating' effect with a sleek Ippari Console, £546.48. (www.sottini.co.uk).

If you really want to splash the cash for celebrity style, Touched Interiors is the destination to visit: Brass And Gold Plated Black High Gloss Bubbles Bathtub, £29,310, and a Polished Brass And Mirrored Free-standing Washbasin, £14,770 (www.touchedinteriors.co.uk).

For period style, look no further than Heritage Bathrooms, which has a Madeira Cast Iron Double Ended Bath, from £3,750, and an Abingdon Basin & Washstand in Rose Gold, from £495 (www.heritagebathrooms.com).

SERENE SANCTUARY

"The bathroom isn't purely about functionality, or a clinical environment any more. It's a sanctuary that needs as much design consideration as a living room," says Daniel Cook, principal development designer at C.P. Hart.

"It's all about subtle elegance and a beautiful harmony of shades with less 'pops' of colour. Muted consistent tones, such as taupes and greys for furniture and sanitary ware, are increasingly popular colour choices. There's a move beyond white and glazed surfaces and a significant increase in pastel shades of pinks and blues."

LOOK OUT FOR: A refined industrial trend with brushed finish brassware, matt finishes for ceramics, as well as silk/satin glass finishes.

TAP INTO STYLE: Key into colour with Italian-designed items from the Cielo Ceramica I Catini range: Blue Washbasin (pictured below), from £1,580, C.P.Hart (www.cphart.co.uk).

Laufen's slim units in gold would impress: Gold Kartell All Saints Mirror, £504.62 and Rifly Pendant Lamp, £335.27; Boutique Dark Oak Vanity Unit, £1,522.50.

MAKE A SPLASH

"From cars to holidays, and clothing to furniture, customisation is one of the fastest growing consumer trends," says Jayne Barnes, managing director, AQATA.

"The discerning bathroom buyer now wants not only a highly engineered luxury shower enclosure or screen, handmade to fit their space, but also a completely individual customised design to bring their own character and personality into the bathroom. Home trends are being reflected in bathrooms with diverse colours, patterns and textures making their mark.

"Today's shower should incorporate these essential features: easy access (walk-in wet rooms are perfect for this), spacious enclosures and a steam function, as well as power showers and body jets to cater for comfort and wellbeing, and distinctive personal touches."

LOOK OUT FOR: Larger showers as they're being given more space in either a bathroom or bedroom, plus frameless enclosures featuring coloured or tinted glass.

TAP INTO STYLE: AQATA's frameless Spectra Enclosure SP448, from £1,561 (pictured below), and Linneal Shower LNP241, £1,300 (for stockists, visit www.aqata.co.uk). Alternatively, Merlyn Showering has a Twin Panelled Double Shower Enclosure, from £345 per panel (www.merlynshowering.com).

CBB's Sarah Harding and Jemma Lucy kiss and make up

Read article : CBB's Sarah Harding and Jemma Lucy kiss and make up

Tempers flared between the two on Tuesday night's instalment of Celebrity Big Brother over a bottle of wine.

Now arch-enemies Sarah Harding, 35, and Jemma Lucy, 29, appeared to be kissing and making up on Thursday's offering of the Channel 5 reality series as they share a passionate smooch. 

The pair are no strangers to locking lips with one another, having already kissed during a saucy game of spin the bottle earlier this series, despite their ongoing feud.

Scroll down for video 

Sealed with a kiss: Sarah Harding, 35, and Jemma Lucy, 29, appeared to be kissing and making up on Thursday's offering of the Channel 5 reality series as they share a passionate smooch

Cheeky: Jemma is also set to strip off completely on screen, flashing her bare bottom and breasts as she paraded around the bathroom

Although apprehensive about their previous steamy clinch, Sarah appeared all guns blazing for the affair as she donned a long-sleeved T-shirt dress with charcoal grey chevrons all over.

While Jemma was sure to display her intricate inkings in a skimpy vest top as she leaned in for the steamy encounter.

MailOnline have contacted Celebrity Big Brother for comment. 

Cheeky! Sam mocked Jemma as she jumped out of the shower unclothed 

Jemma is also set to strip off completely on screen, flashing her bare bottom and breasts as she paraded around the bathroom.

Fans will no doubt be stunned by their antics following the pair's fiery exchanges throughout the summer edition of the much-loved series.

Yet, the pair have turned a corner in their fractured relationship in recent days after the both survived eviction and celebrated by hugging one another.  

Shock: The pair are no strangers to locking lips with one another, having already kissed during a saucy game of spin the bottle earlier this series, despite their ongoing feud

Fans will no doubt be stunned by their antics following the pair's fiery exchanges throughout the summer edition of the much-loved series

Meanwhile, the passionate smooch comes after Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts, 31, refused to defend her 'sexual exploits' with new squeeze Chad Johnson in the Borehamwood mansion. 

With the final around the corner, the singer's former bandmate kept decidedly tight-lipped about her pal's appearance on the Channel 5 show, declining to comment on whether she's watched her. 

When asked if she was watching the show, Nicola told The Sun: 'I don't want to talk about that'. 

The snub comes just as Pete Waterman - who mentored the singer on Popstars: The Rivals in the early noughties - insisted that she is 'nothing' like the girl of yesteryear that he knew. 

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Dressed to impress: Casually-clad for the affair, Sarah donned a long-sleeved T-shirt dress with charcoal grey chevrons all over

Chilled: While Jemma was sure to display her intricate inkings in a skimpy vest top as she leaned in for the steamy encounter

Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts, 31, (Pictured far right) refused to defend her  'exploits' with new squeeze Chad Johnson in the Borehamwood mansion" class="blkBorder img-share" />

No-go: Meanwhile, the passionate smooch comes after Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts, 31, (Pictured far right) refused to defend her  'exploits' with new squeeze Chad Johnson in the Borehamwood mansion

Speaking to The Sun: 'She's nothing like how I knew her. She was one of the sweetest kids. It's a long time ago [when they met on Popstars] - 15 years. 

'She certainly wouldn't have done this 15 years ago.'

The music hitmaker - who produced hits for Kylie Minogue and Hear'say - added that there's animosity between the former bandmates ever since they called it a day in 2013.

No comment: With the final around the corner, the singer's former bandmate kept decidedly tight-lipped about her pal's appearance on the Channel 5 show, declining to comment on whether she's watched her

Make a statement in an oversized slogan T-shirt from Asos

Nicola Roberts has never been afraid to experiment when it comes to style, and this look is certainly a long way from her Girls Aloud days!

The singer was pictured out for the night with Vanessa White, wearing denim cycling shorts (very Kim Kardashian) and a slogan T-shirt, which she sharpened up with a black blazer and some shoe boots.

Her T-shirt is from none other than Asos and features the words 'R.I.P Chaos' on the front. But there's actually a whole lot more going on at the back! Click (right) to find out. It's actually a menswear style, which gives it that oversized fit, plus at £14 you really can't go wrong.

Or since the slogan trend is still going strong, we've rounded up the best of the rest in our edit below.

* PRICES MAY NOT BE AS ADVERTISED

...NOW GET ONE LIKE IT

Keeping quiet: When asked if she was watching the show, Nicola told The Sun : 'I don't want to talk about that' 

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Party people: Nicola stepped out on Wednesday night in London with pal and The Saturdays' star Vanessa White at Corona Sunset launch party

His comments come as Sarah recently revealed she only spoke to three of her former band mates and since claimed Cheryl 'meticulously' managed her recent pregnancy in a bid to get the maximum publicity.

The singer insisted her 'savvy' ex-Girl Aloud band mate deliberately shrouded the baby news in secrecy with boyfriend Liam Payne, 24.

Confiding in Amelia Lily on Celebrity Big Brother on Wednesday, she said: 'With the whole baby thing. She just plans things meticulously. She's savvy.' 

Snub: The snub comes just as Pete Waterman - who mentored the singer on Popstars: The Rivals in the early noughties - insisted that she is 'nothing' like the girl of yesteryear that he knew (Pictured in 2005)

Sarah said of former bandmate Cheryl: 'She just knows how to work it when she wants to, when she wants to be seen she is, and when she doesn't, she makes sure she isn't'

Cheryl, 34, was the hot topic of conversation for the majority of last year and then again at the beginning of this year after she proudly flaunted her blossoming baby bump at various events but never once confirmed she was carrying a child.

She then vanished from the spotlight for three months before she and her boyfriend Liam announced in March that they'd welcomed a little boy called Bear into the world three days prior.

But Sarah is convinced the secrecy was all part of 'savvy' Cheryl's cunning plan to get people talking. Amelia Lily quizzed Sarah about Cheryl, asking: 'She's quite private, isn't she? Cheryl.'

Fame: She found fame with (L-R) Nadine Coyle, Kimberly Walsh, Nicola Roberts and Cheryl as a part of Girls Aloud when they competed on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Pictured in 2009

Sarah replied: 'She tries to be. She just knows how to work it when she wants to, when she wants to be seen she is, and when she doesn't, she makes sure she isn't.

'Like with the whole baby thing. She just plans things meticulously.'

Sarah - who is no longer in touch with Cheryl, Nicola or Kimberley - added: 'She's savvy, I'll give her that.' 

Loosing touch: Sarah - who is no longer in touch with Cheryl, Nicola or Kimberley - added: 'She's savvy, I'll give her that'

  

☆ What Should I Do to Make My Bathroom Stay Clean and Smell Nice?

Read article : ☆ What Should I Do to Make My Bathroom Stay Clean and Smell Nice?

What should I do to make my bathroom stay clean and smell nice?

@SavvyCleaner by Angela Brown

Clean doesn't have a smell - but if we can keep the bathroom from smelling bad, it will be nice.

Of course you can use an Air Wick scented plug in and that will keep the bathroom always smelling nice.

Now for the bathroom cleaning:

The bathroom is the most used room of the house. Everybody who lives there will go in the bathroom several times a day for various reasons. There are different areas of the bathroom that are going to take a beating that you can't ignore.

The toilet, the sink, and the bathtub or shower are all used every day. You'll need to wipe them or rinse them down daily to keep germs and bacteria at bay.

A shower head on a hose is a great investment, you can use it to clean yourself and your bathtub. After your shower, use hot water to rinse down the shower walls, floor and glass doors or shower curtain. You can let them drip dry.

If your plastic shower curtain is nasty, toss it in the washing machine with 1 cup of white vinegar and run for a cycle. Hang it back up and let it drip dry in the shower.

If you have soap scum on the glass shower doors, get a sponge - squeegee combination and hang it in your shower. Keep a pump bottle of Dawn Dish soap in your shower. Once a week, after your shower when the walls are wet, use dish soap on the sponge and wash the shower walls and glass. Rinse with your shower head on a hose. Squeegee dry with the other side of the sponge - squeegee.

The doorknobs on the bathroom doors, cupboards, drawers and medicine cabinet all collect germs. Wipe them down a couple of times a week - and more often if you've been sick.

The mirrors catch toothpaste specs, and fly-away hairspray. Keep a bottle of multi-purpose cleaner under the sink with a roll of paper towels. Clean up the mirrors and vanity after brushing your teeth before bed each night. You'll find waking up to a clean space in the morning makes getting ready for work or school so much nicer.

If you use the ceiling fan in your bathroom, you'll collect lots of dust and then it will blow all over the bathroom. Plan to vacuum the floor at least once a week using a vacuum with a hose attachment. The baseboards will collect dust, hair, bugs and toenail clippings. Bathrooms because they are warm and damp seem to attract bugs and spiders. While vacuuming, look for, and vacuum up cobwebs while vacuuming the dust.

Empty the trash when needed even it it's not garbage day. Having an empty garbage to toss stuff in encourages throwing garbage away.

Pull out all the shampoo bottles from under the sink and linen closet and put them in the shower. You won't use almost empty shampoo bottles if they are hiding under your sink. When the bottles are empty, toss them. Do not buy more shampoo, conditioner or shaving cream, until all your other almost empty bottles are gone.

Follow these simple steps to keep your bathroom clean and tidy. You'll find a clean bathroom is an inviting space.

(This first appeared on http://TheHouseCleaningGuru.com)

These bathing products will make your soak plenty of fun and bring the spa to you at home

Read article : These bathing products will make your soak plenty of fun and bring the spa to you at home

If you’ve made the commitment to take a bath, you might be contemplating products that will transform your soak, mimicking the luxurious atmosphere of a spa or the meditative possibilities of a sauna. Or perhaps you're nostalgic for the fragrances and bubbles associated with childhood. Here are few suggestions.

Did somebody say, “Swedish spa”? Open a jar of L:A Bruket No. 065 Bath Salt (Mint) and don't be surprised if you start thinking about the ocean — and seaweed — all fairly appropriate considering the line is based in Sweden, a country known for its saunas, massages and embrace of wellness. L:A Bruket No. 065 Bath Salt (Mint), $35, sportique.com.

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Why you should pass on jumping in the shower and instead take a nice, hot soak in a tub »

The tonic line is part of the Clarins family, and one product in particular —  the Tonic Body Treatment Oil — has inspired some beauty bloggers to write about its usefulness in preventing “the appearance of stretch marks.” One thing we can say with certainty? Its fragrance is phenomenal. Tonic Body Treatment Oil, $60, sephora.com and clarinsusa.com; Tonic Daily Polisher, $41, clarinsusa.com; Tonic Bath & Shower Concentrate, $29, clarinsusa.com.

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics offers a bath box that might inspire memories of grade-school reports on the planets and shooting stars. The Astronomical wrapped gift of bath bombs includes an Intergalactic Bath Bomb, Twilight Bath Bomb, Big Bang Bubble Bar, Ickle Baby Bot Bath Bomb and the Experimenter Bath Bomb. Let the space exploration begin. Astronomical wrapped gift, $39.95, lushusa.com.

If you haven't experienced a bubble bath since you were, say, 6, Library of Flowers might lure you into the tub with the Forest Bubble Bath, although its hints of white sage, Arctic moss and oak bark are nothing like the bubble gum or grape fragrances you might associate with bubble baths of yore. Library of Flowers’ the Forest Bubble Bath, $36, libraryofflowers.com.

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Sometimes a long soak requires breakfast foods. Barr-Co. Bath Original Scent Bath Soak, produced by St. Louis-based K. Hall Designs, has an ingredient list that includes oatmeal, vanilla and milk. (The only thing missing is, perhaps, a cup of Lucky Charms.)  Barr-Co. Bath Original Scent Bath Soak, $32, Khalldesigns.com and anthropologie.com.

For many of us, the post-bath ritual includes lotion. Earth Tu Face, a San Francisco-based company that understands what “made in California” is all about (labels include ingredients and phrases such as “GMO free” and “cruelty free”), offers botanicals to ease dry skin. Rosemary + Salt Lotion, $38, luckyscent.com and earthtuface.com; Jasmine Blossom Lotion, $58, earthtuface.com and otherwild.com.

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Sake is an ingredient used in various soaking products and D.I.Y. formulas, touted for its detoxifying properties. Was sake used in beauty rituals observed by Japanese geisha? Perhaps, but at the very least, 21st century users can count on a fragrant experience. Fresh's Sake Bath is made with ginger root, radish root and peach fruit extracts — in addition to sake. Fresh Sake Bath, $49 and $82, fresh.com.

image@latimes.com

A previous version of this story said Earth Tu Face is based in San Francisco. The company is based in Oakland.