Renovated Victorian townhouse

Read article : Renovated Victorian townhouse

‘When I first viewed our 1960s home, I couldn’t see anything good about it at all,’ remembers Elaine.

‘The whole house was dreadful. It was stuck in a time warp and everything was dated and falling apart.

‘I thought my partner Paul had lost the plot when he said he wanted to buy it, but once he explained his vision and we had the plans drawn up, I started to feel really excited,’ she continues.

‘It was the first big renovation project for both of us, but we just jumped into it head first.’

Fact file

• The owners: Elaine Avery, 46, a full-time mum and landlady, and her partner Paul Reid, 42, sales director of an insulation company, live here with their daughter Olivia, five, and Elaine’s son, Alexander, 17
• The property: A five-bedroom, early-1960s detached house
• The location: Whitley Bay, North Tyneside
• What they spent: The couple’s bathroom cost around £13,000

The property

Elaine had lived in a lot of places before meeting Paul, so this time she was looking for a ‘forever home’. The house was on a sought-after street and had a large plot, and the couple knew that they could add value by completely reworking the layout. They built an extension to include a large kitchen/diner, garden room and utility on the ground floor, plus two extra bedrooms and a home office on the first floor.

‘We sold our previous home quickly, and so we decided to move into rented accommodation during the five-month project,’ explains Elaine. ‘Around three-quarters of the house was knocked down and there was no water or electricity for a while, so it wasn’t feasible to live there.’

The bathroom

The original bathroom was a world away from the contemporary spa-like retreat that they now have. There was a small bathroom with a separate WC next door, which wasn’t conducive to family life, so the builders knocked down the dividing wall to create one large space. As the staircase was being turned around as part of their renovation plans, they were able to incorporate some of the landing area into the new bathroom. They also took some space previously occupied by the dated fitted cupboards along one wall, and from the extension on the opposite side.

‘The bathroom hadn’t been updated since the 1960s, and had a pink cast-iron bath with matching toilet and basin, as well as carpet on the floor,’ says Elaine. ‘I didn’t like having a shower over the bath and a big, high window near it. It definitely wasn’t to our taste, although my five-year-old daughter loved it as she said it was just like Barbie’s!’

Fixtures and fittings

While Paul focused on the structural side of the extension, Elaine was responsible for the overall look of the space. ‘It was quite hard to visualise, as it was going to change so much,’ she says. ‘I had to rely on the plans, so I found my mood board invaluable. I knew the style I was going for, as I’d looked through a stack of magazines for inspiration, and had an idea of the colours I preferred. Our previous bathroom was beige and cream, but this time I wanted grey, white and charcoal.’

The two essential items on Elaine and Paul’s wishlist were a freestanding bath and a wet room-style walk-in shower. ‘I wanted a freestanding bath from day one, but a modern style rather than a traditional roll-top,’ says Elaine. ‘It had to fit all the way to the floor rather than having legs, so that it won’t gather dust underneath and is easy to clean.’

After visiting various showrooms, Elaine found a beautiful egg-shaped bath at local store Your Home Improvements. ‘They gave me the idea of raising it on a plinth with recessed lights,’ she says. ‘We had plenty of space, and it adds an extra dimension and really showcases the bath.’

The couple were also inspired by the displays at nearby Domani Bathrooms. ‘Although I didn’t buy everything from there, only the basin console and chrome support arms, it gave me lots of ideas, such as having the double basins,’ explains Elaine.

Tile designs

When it came to the tiling, a local tile showroom gave Elaine and Paul advice on which styles would work together. They decided to mix a range of four different designs, with large-format square floor tiles alongside rectangular wall tiles. ‘The tile company suggested a dark charcoal design by the shower and bath, with a stripe to highlight the twin basins, a pale grey everywhere else, as well as complementary mosaic tiles on the floor to demarcate the shower. We didn’t want a shower tray.

‘We were careful to use the charcoal-coloured tile in the right proportions, as we were conscious that it was quite dark. I think it worked really well to have the bath and shower area darker than the rest of the room, as it gives a nice contrast.’

Heating

Polished-chrome radiators and a storage unit next to the basins finish off the space perfectly. ‘I decided to position a radiator under the window and have two towel rails, as it’s such a large room and I hate being cold,’ explains Elaine. ‘I was worried that three heaters might be too many, but it works well and means there’s always a towel within easy reach.’

The finished project

The couple’s project went slightly over budget, mainly due to the cost of removing asbestos from the cupboards, but they tried to absorb any overspend by making savings elsewhere in the property. ‘I knew that if I spent a little extra on the bath, then I would be able to sacrifice having a wine cooler in the kitchen for instance,’ says Elaine.

Although the house still looked like a building site only weeks before they were due to move in, everything came together just in time. ‘I admit that I was getting worried, as we had to leave our rented accommodation,’ says Elaine. ‘The tilers were finishing off the bathroom after we moved in, but fortunately we were able to use our en suite for those few weeks.’

While admitting that she would never tackle such a big project again, Elaine loves spending time in her spacious new bathroom. ‘I’m proud of what we achieved, and we got a lot for our money,’ she says. ‘When I look back at the pictures, I can’t believe the transformation.’

Project notes

Elaine Avery shares her tips for designing a new bathroom

What I’ve learnt

‘Using several different suppliers helps to keep down costs. We shopped around to find the best deals, and compared prices online, as well as getting several quotes from plumbers for the fitting.’

My best advice

‘Plan ahead and always make mood boards. For mine, I cut out pictures from magazines, took photos of hotel bathrooms and collected tile samples to make sure that it would all work together. Remember to take your mood board with you when you visit showrooms, too.’

My dream spot

‘I love the deep, egg-shaped bath — it’s so luxurious. It’s great for Olivia as there’s lots of space for her to play, but I love having a long soak with a glass of wine and my Kindle. I made sure we created a recess next to the bath so that I would have somewhere for my glass!’

Favourite website

‘I’ve added houzz.co.uk to my bookmarked list of websites because it has so many fantastic ideas. I find the designs on there very inspiring, and there were so many amazing photographs of the exact style of bathroom I was looking for. I found the idea for our tiled shelving recess on the site — it’s the little details that add wow-factor. It was also helpful for showing how using different shades and textured tiles could give us a contemporary spa-style space.’

Essential buy

‘The walk-in shower area is brilliant. It’s great to have the handheld hose as well as the fixed overhead rain shower as it’s invaluable for cleaning. The discreet shower screens with a barely-there look were also a good choice and add to the wet room feel.’

If I did it all again…

‘…I would perhaps add more lighting over the shower. The space is a little dark as we had to block up one of the windows to build the extension.’  

The costs
Sanitaryware	£5,400
Labour	£5,000
Tiles	£850
Showers and screen	£820
Lighting	£200
Radiators	£650
TOTAL	£12,920

What goes into a spa bath that wins a National 'Contractor of the Year' award? | Articles

Read article : What goes into a spa bath that wins a National 'Contractor of the Year' award? | Articles

It's a matter of record that only one National Contractor of the Year (COTY) award was conferred on a Washington-area company in 2017. The winning project is a spa bath in the McLean home of Sunder and Premilla Raman. The project was ranked the nation's best residential bath in the $25,000 to $50,000 range.

The winning remodeler, Michael Nash Design Build and Homes, is a 30-year-old design build firm which maintains an extensive Lee Highway showroom.

Michael Nash is no stranger to awards for excellence in home remodeling. In recent years, the firm has won several prizes from the “Finest in Family Living” competition sponsored by the National Association of Homebuilders, and about a dozen Chrysalis awards from Qualified Remodeler Magazine, which assess the quality of remodeling projects in a nationwide contest.

More generally, Michael Nash ends the year by submitting work to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry's Washington, D.C. chapter, which has conferred its Contractor of the Year award on Michael Nash projects in one category or the other every year for 30 years. In fact, the full-service remodeler has amassed more Washington-area COTY awards than any company in the award's nearly 40-year history.

Among other things, the COTYs are designed to assess what the remodeler has accomplished within a specific budget range.

“The criteria works well for us,” says Sonny Nazemian, Michael Nash founder and CEO. “Our work culture is oriented towards outperforming the limits of the budget. Yes, you can point to an upscale celebrity bathroom in, say, Architectural Digest that's more luxuriant than anything we've done, but what the story doesn't reveal is that someone spent $200,000 on it. The COTY, by contrast, compares apples to apples, and we are good at stretching the size and quality of what can be achieved in a bathroom within a specific budget parameter.”

Part of this, the remodeler observes, is the design and technical back-up provided by the firm's 11,000-square-foot showroom. Nazemian places a premium on being able to sell finish work materials for close to cost.

Even so, the range of counter surfaces, cabinetry, flooring, plumbing fixtures, lighting solutions on display are without rival in Northern Virginia. Then, too, the company commits to a “fixed price” contract, which means that the quoted figure is binding even when there may be change orders.

The company's greatest value component is its talent pool. The top designers have been with the firm for a minimum of 12 years. There is always a professional in the showroom to talk through ideas with browsers when asked.

Some homeowners say they “discover” the core solution to a previously undeveloped design problem on the first visit. Others take their time, treating themselves to multiple visits, researching online and in magazines, then spending long afternoons in the showroom.

Premilla Raman falls into the later “patient and deliberate” category. Raman and her daughter spent hours poring over selected web sites and magazines – even talking with neighbors who had recently remodeled.

It was on a friend's recommendation that Premilla Raman wandered into the Michael Nash showroom, and began looking at full-sized displays and talking with staff designers.

“There are hundreds of samples; I could wander around on my own gathering ideas and taking notes. There was no sales pressure, but when I asked for feedback, I received immediate assistance and very relevant suggestions.”

Raman's vision called for converting a 210-square-foot production-house master bathroom in their four-bedroom Colonial into an open, free-flowing spa bath loaded with cutting-edge amenities. After occupying the house for 22 years, the Ramans – both seniors – were ready for luxury.

“In the previous floor plan, there was a platform tub in a bay window that absorbed about half of the available floor space, yet the shower was too small,” Premilla Raman recalls. “But once we starting looking at alternatives with the designer, we began to see the possibilities of a much more luxuriant space.”

Still, the larger question was how “successfully” can a dated production-house floor plan be transformed into a flowing postmodern design while sticking to the boundaries of the bathroom's existing footprint? For instance:

“We wanted a larger walk-in design that wouldn't require a built-in curb to keep the water in,” the homeowner remembers. “But weren't sure this was even possible.”

To meet these new requirements, the design team removed the platform tub and introduced a subfloor that raised the floor about an inch. The shower is now lower than before, and the subfloor bevels slightly toward a linear drain, eliminating the need for a built-in lip around the shower.

“Of course, this kind of change demands angles that are absolutely precise,” Nazemian explains. “Water is an absolute judge of whether a shower design works well.”

Tucked behind floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the new shower sits on river rock flooring that connects it visually to a freestanding pedestal tub. There's a small bench at one end, a hand-held shower nozzle within easy reach. Overhead, the stainless steel “waterfall” shower head proffers a range of body sprays with varied temperatures and pressures.

The shower's inside wall is finished in soft Brennero Pearl porcelain accented by a glass tile inseam; cubbies designed to hold personal items are within easy reach.

For a still more leisurely bathing experience, the acrylic tub tucked into a three-window bay presents a restful view of the tree tops. Window shades by Applause can be easily adjusted to screen back light.

For enhanced convenience and privacy, the former double sink has been replaced with a pair of floating vanities, each on a different wall.

Featuring espresso-colored maple and mission style cabinet facings and white quartz surfaces, the vanities present a clean, linear elegance in a room that is refreshingly simplified and spacious.

Is this the nation's prettiest new spa bath?

“We like it,” Premilla says. “Better yet, everything we were promised was delivered. That's a good feeling.”

For information call (703) 641-9800 or visit MichaelNashKitchens.com

John Byrd has been writing about home improvement for 30 years. He can be reached at (703) 715-8006, www.HomeFrontsNews.com or byrdmatx@gmail.com

McLean spa bath wins COTY for remodeler Michael Nash | Articles

Read article : McLean spa bath wins COTY for remodeler Michael Nash | Articles

A spacious master bath renovation in a circa-1990s center hall Colonial has won a “Contractor of the Year” (COTY) award for Michael Nash Design Build and Homes. The recently-completed McLean makeover was named the Washington-area's best residential bathroom in the $25,000-$50,000 category by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry metro DC chapter.

The winning solution successfully converts a 210-square-foot production-house master bathroom into an open, free-flowing spa bath with many cutting-edge amenities. The remodel features a walk-in shower and freestanding pedestal tub artfully situated on river rock flooring. Two custom-designed hanging vanities and several original built-ins provide functional accommodations smoothly integrated into a “transitional style” interior that balances textured surfaces, glass walls and a subtle interplay of colors and tones.

Acknowledging the honor, Michael Nash president and founder Sonny Nazemian, credited his design and production team:

“This is an award about outperforming the limits of a budget,” Nazemian noted. “We collaborate closely with our clients to achieve cost benefits-- exploring creative solutions that will maximize the investment. A COTY always tells me we're doing our job well.”

For homeowners Sunder and Premila Raman who have occupied the four-bedroom Colonial for 22 years, however, the award is also an acknowledgment of many hours researching an ever-evolving catalog of contemporary design styles.

“We didn't add any square footage, yet the bathroom looks and feels substantially larger than its predecessor,” Raman recalls.

“In the previous plan, there was a platform tub in the bay window that absorbed about half of the available floor space, yet the shower was too small. Once we starting looking at alternatives, we were ready for a more luxuriant space.”

Thus motivated, Raman and her daughter spent hours poring over selected web sites and magazine-- even talking with neighbors who had recently remodeled.

It was on a friend's recommendation that Premila Raman wandered into the Michael Nash showroom on Lee Highway, and began browsing and talking with staff designers.

“The showroom is a great resource,” Raman observes. “There are hundreds of displays and samples; I could wander around on my own gathering ideas and taking notes. There was no sales pressure, but when I asked for ideas, I received immediate assistance and very relevant suggestions.”

On this point, Nazemian notes that there are more “decision points” in a bathroom than any other part of the house.

“We've really concentrated on developing an exceptionally experienced interior design staff skilled at helping homeowners discover their personal style,” he adds. “It's our combination of more purchase options and a seasoned talent that gets each new project off to an inspired start.”

For the Ramans, the larger question was: how successfully can a dated, production-house floor plan be transformed into a free-flowing postmodern design while staying strictly within the bathroom's existing footprint?

“We wanted to replace the old shower with a much larger walk-in design that wouldn't require a built-in curb to keep the water in,” the homeowner remembers. “We just weren't sure if this was even possible.”

Nazemian adds:

“To meet the new shower requirements, we removed the platform tub and introduced a subfloor that raised the floor about an inch. The shower is now lower than before, and the sub floor bevels slightly toward a linear drain, so there's no need for a built-in lip around the shower.”

“Of course, this kind of change requires angles that are absolutely precise. Water is always the judge of whether a shower design works well.”

Tucked behind two 7-foot glass walls, the new 3.5-by-7, open shower sits on smooth river rock flooring that connects it visually to a freestanding pedestal tub. There's a small bench at one end, the hand-held shower nozzle within easy reach. Overhead, the stainless steel “waterfall” shower head features a range of body sprays with varied pressures.

The shower's inside wall is finished in soft Brennero Pearl porcelain accented by a glass tile inseam; cubbies designed to hold personal items are within easy reach.

For a still more leisurely bathing experience, the acrylic tub tucked into a three-window bay presents a restful view of the tree tops. Applause window shades can be easily adjusted to screen back light.

For personal use and privacy, the design team replaced the former double sink with a pair of floating vanities, each on a different wall.

Constructed of espresso-colored maple and featuring mission style cabinet facings and white quartz surfaces, the vanities present a clean, linear elegance in a room that is now refreshingly simplified and spacious.

Better yet, the end result fulfills the vision:

“Everything we were promised was delivered,” Premila says. “That's a good feeling.”

For information call (703)641-9800 or MichaelNashKitchens.com

John Byrd has been writing about home improvement for 30 years. He can be reached at (703) 715-8006, www.HomeFrontsNews.com or byrdmatx@gmail.com

Bathroom products – bubbling over

Read article : Bathroom products – bubbling over

10-Feb-2011

The bath and shower products market increased nearly 6% between 2008 and 2009 and manufacturers have tried to maintain this momentum throughout the past year with a diversified offering, reports Julia Wray

The bath and shower products market increased nearly 6% between 2008 and 2009 and manufacturers have tried to maintain this momentum throughout the past year with a diversified offering, reports Julia Wray

Whenever consumers are forced to slash their beauty budgets they are far more likely to opt for a cheaper shower gel than switch their foundation or anti-ageing cream. But despite this danger in the face of continued economic instability, the global bath and shower products market enjoyed another year of steady growth to reach over $31bn in 2009, according to data from Euromonitor International.

“The global bath and shower industry has fared well in recent times, putting in a respectable 6% growth from 2008-9,” comments Euromonitor’s industry analyst, beauty & personal care, Carrie Lennard. “This growth rate was the same as the previous year despite the commodity status of bath and shower, meaning that the threat of trade down to cheaper brands and private label was greater than for most beauty and personal care categories.”

“Bathroom products are usually split into two sections – basic essentials and pampering, or special, products. The basics are everyday requirements at affordable prices – cheap and cheerful to get the job done,” adds Herbie Dayal, ceo of KMI Brands. “The trend is definitely to more luxurious products, with consumers demanding better fragrances, richer formulations, more exotic ingredients and more effective products.”

Bath & shower	31079.2	5.9
Bar soap	12412.2	8.5
Bath additives	3285.3	-2.3
Body wash/shower gel	9172.6	3.1
Intimate hygiene	1493.9	8.4
Liquid soap	3441.6	12.9
Talcum powder	1273.6	3.5

In terms of retail value growth was driven by increased sales in emerging regions such as Latin America (+20.1%) and the Middle East and Africa (+15.1%). More established markets experienced less dramatic expansion. “Western Europe saw just 2% value growth in 2008-9 as bath and shower is a very mature category,” says Lennard. “Growth in body wash and shower gel is expected to be slower than for other regions because household penetration is already high, leaving fewer users to convert from bar soap.”

World	31079.2	5.9
Asia Pacific	8469.3	4.8
Australasia	348.4	6.0
Eastern Europe	2115.9	2.8
Latin America	4438.6	20.1
Middle East & Africa	1770.5	15.1
North America	6030.1	2.5
Western Europe	7906.4	1.8

Standing out

As is often the case with commodity sectors, bath and shower product manufacturers sought to boost their brands’ profiles through a variety of initiatives. Radox ran a competition challenging customers to name its new Radox Shower Smoothie – due out in March.

Meanwhile Original Source (PZ Cussons) sponsored annual UK-based bike challenge Mountain Mayhem; the rationale being that after a muddy day’s mountain biking, participants can clean up with Original Source shower gels.

Other brands put the weight of their name behind CSR projects. Soap & Glory, for example, aimed to educate consumers about the issue of water shortage by encouraging them to take part in a 2-minute Rinse project.

“The earth’s biggest problem will soon stem from a shortage of water,” Victoria Montrasio, Soap & Glory’s global sales & marketing director explains. “Anyone who is able to reach out to a number of people has a responsibility to try to make a difference – I think a lot of companies are doing a great job educating consumers and giving back.” And although Montrasio notes that the success of such campaigns is “hard to judge quantitatively” she describes consumer response to the 2-minute Rinse as “amazing” and says it will definitely be repeated in 2011.

“Many new product launches now carry some type of environmental claim, although it need not always relate to the ingredients,” says Lennard. “Jo Malone’s range of bath products for French Connection, launched in November 2010 (although actually formulated by Malone 15 years ago), features the organic additive Eco Pure in its plastic packaging, which reportedly allows plastic to be fully biodegradable to water and carbon dioxide within a few years.

“And a new line of bath and shower products is set to launch this year called Stop the Water While Using Me (www.stop-the-water-while-using-me.com). Its environmental credentials are that the products are made using natural ingredients, have biodegradable packaging, and are sustainably manufactured. The product’s USP however is that it reminds people to turn off the tap when using the product, in order to help the environment.”

Sustainability was also on the agenda for Trevarno Organic Skincare, which launched a collection of palm oil-free soaps.

“The ever increasing global demand for palm oil means that even ‘sustainable’ producers can be contributing to devastating environmental damage in the continuing expansion of this industry,” explains Trevarno’s manager Richard Cox. “As palm plantations encroach further on forests and peat land this in turn is causing destruction of communities, biodiversity and contributing to climate change. We felt the only solution was to remove palm oil to help lessen the demand for this ingredient.”

Available in Nourish and Revitalise, Soothe and Calm, Cleanse and Protect, and Indulge and Relax categories, the soaps contain a blend of natural butters and oils as an alternative to palm oil.

Dove	Unilever Group
Lux	Unilever Group
Palmolive	Colgate-Palmolive Co
Nivea	Beiersdorf AG
Safeguard	Procter & Gamble Co

Dermatology crossover

Efforts by manufacturers to rise above the competition in a crowded marketplace has led to increased segmentation in bath and shower.

“In all beauty markets there is greater segmentation with more brands addressing different needs – high fragrance, naturals, seasonals, stress, spa and so on,” notes Dayal. “This is very marked in washing and bathing but also true in skin care, hair care and other categories. It implies that there is a steady stream of new products being marketed and innovation is what drives trial and continued growth in our business.”

Recently, such innovation has come in the form of bath and shower products claiming effects more usually associated with skin care.

“A significant number of bath and shower products launched by brands like Dove now make claims such as having intense moisturising or dermatological properties,” says Lennard. “It appears that dermatological bath and shower products may now be moving into the mainstream. Unilever’s Dove VisibleCare line of body washes, for example, claims to visibly improve the condition of the skin within three weeks.”

Indeed, Dove VisibleCare Crème Body Wash products contain a trademarked ingredient, NutriumMoisture, said to address lipid and protein damage. Also addressing moisture deficiency, Johnson & Johnson’s new 24hour Moisture Shea & Cocoa line includes two body washes – an exfoliating one and a radiance version.

For sensitive skins, Imperial Leather (PZ Cussons) introduced SkinKind – a range of hypoallergenic shower products, while Sanex launched Sanex Dermo Hypo Allergenic Bath and Shower Gels.

At the premium end of the market, Elemis (Steiner Leisure) introduced Elemis Skin Nourishing Shower Cream, which contains milk protein to help create an environment to correct skin microflora and regulate skin’s moisture content.

Launched in September 2010, Connock London’s range of bath and body products (including Comforting Body Wash and Soothing Bath Oil) contain moisturising kukui oil from Hawaii.

According to founder Amanda Connock, the oil acts as something of a dermatological panacea. “It is high in essential fatty acids and is very good at penetrating into the skin, so it gives an excellent moisturising effect,” she says. “The women in Hawaii use the oil everywhere – hair, body, skin – and for conditions like eczema and psoriasis.”

Michelin star cleansing

A recent standout trend has been for fruit scented bathroom products and the gourmand tide is showing little sign of turning. Indeed last year it accelerated with even more savoury and spicy notes added to the mix.

Henkel’s Fa launched a Yoghurt Body Smoothie Douche Créme line, comprising four fruity shower gels in a milk-based formula, while Palmolive (Colgate Palmolive) offered Palmolive Nutra.Fruit Shower Crèmes, containing moisturising cream swirled with fruit extracts. KMI’s Beautifully Delicious meanwhile brought a strawberry and pomegranate fragranced line of products and a limited edition apple & watermelon bubblelicious bath & shower gel to the table.

Spicy pink pepper provided the basis for Molton Brown’s paradisiac pink pepperpod bath & shower product, a feminine counterpart to its best selling re-charge black pepper bodywash. And pepper popped up again in Original Source’s Winter Black Pepper and Cardamom Shower Gel.

In fact Original Source took the food theme to another level with its new Gourmet range. Based on experimental flavour combinations, the range comprises Cassis and Cranberry Shower Shot, Lime and Sweet Chilli Spice and Chocolate and Mint Shower Melt.

New from Soap & Glory was The Breakfast Scrub, a blend of oats and sugar boasting a maple syrup fragrance. “Last winter, one of the Soap & Glory team at HQ used to make golden syrup infused porridge oats every morning and Marcia Kilgore, our founder, would always ask ‘what is that delicious smell coming from the kitchen?’ This was the trigger,” Soap & Glory’s Montrasio tells SPC. “The name of course comes from The Breakfast Club movie.”

Other launches were more traditional. L’Occitane brought out an orange blossom and sweet blackcurrant scented Fleur Chérie Bath and Shower Gel, while Yardley and Woods of Windsor relaunched under new management, an autonomous Yardley division. Yardley introduced a triple milled soap and shower cream in English Lavender as well as triple milled soaps in Lily of the Valley, Peony, Iris and English Rose. And Woods of Windsor now comprises Bath & Body Collections in True Rose, Lavender, Lily of the Valley and White Jasmine.

Spa inspiration

“Unless you live on your own and never go out, taking a bath may be the only part of the day you have all to yourself. So you want the experience to be as enjoyable as possible. You don’t necessarily want to jump in the shower and scrub yourself with a cheap soap that is likely to destroy your skin’s natural pH,” asserts Anna Doyle, founder of new natural spa brand occo.

But as tempting as a relaxing bath may be, consumers appear to have slashed both their me-time and their budget as bath additives took the biggest drubbing of any bathroom product sector, dropping 2.3% to $3,285m.

As Brid Costello, research analyst, Mintel International Group, explains: “The fast pace of modern lifestyles makes showers a more viable alternative to bathing for many people’s daily personal hygiene routine and brands are responding to consumers’ bathing preferences by offering shower products that are often at once convenient and experience oriented.”

Despite the trend leaning towards quick and convenient in 2010, however, those consumers seeking tranquillity were able to choose from several new launches designed to maximise the pleasure of bathing.

Inspired by ancient Norse rituals, Arran Aromatics created new bath, body and home fragrance collection Eydis, built around a clover, gorse and honeysuckle scent.

Looking further east for inspiration, spa brand Rituals introduced a Tao range, which includes three bathroom products: Wai Wang body exfoliating cream, T’ai Chi shower foam and Wu Wei calming cream bath.

Doyle’s occo also offered a spa experience from home. It launched with 65 skus – including bath and body washes – divided into six ranges named after the locations in Croatia which inspired their fragrance.

According to Doyle, the brand fills a niche for true spa products that are easily accessible. “I wanted the brand to be equally positioned through spas and in-store retail,” she tells SPC. “A lot of products sold in spas are treatments rather than lifestyle products and a lot of retailers have products with the word ‘spa’ on the label, but they’re not true spa products. I felt there was a gap in the market for a genuine spa brand that people could enjoy at home.”

The association between Turkish baths and rose petals was exploited by Lush which launched Turkish Delight, a smoothie shower soap containing rose absolute, rose oil and rose water. Lush also updated its cult bath ballistics (oversized, essential oil-based bath bombs) by adding a top layer consisting of ballistic mixed with shavings of bubble bar to create a foam trail.

Dead Sea Source (KMI) also introduced bath bombs (ginger scented in this instance) as well as a monoi-based product line.

Alternatively, Beiersdorf launched the ultimate in convenience: Nivea Double Effect Shower & Shave. Recognising that that many women like to shave in the shower, Nivea’s new product contains avocado oil, which ensures that the foam sticks to the skin allowing the razor to glide across to remove hair effectively.

And Lennard believes such products will have a competitive advantage moving into 2011.

“The potential for value-added body washes and shower gels remains strong as consumers continue to show a positive response to the most recent product innovations,” she says. Other product categories can expect a less prosperous year. “The bath additives industry is set to contract by $251m as time poor consumers continue to opt for showers. As a result of this habit the main growth in the industry will come from body wash, which is set to see nearly $1.5bn absolute growth by 2014.”

So to stay afloat in the bathroom products market manufacturers would be wise to follow their customers and focus on shower.

Swatting bugs
“Liquid soap sales have been particularly strong since 2009, driven by the H1N1 scare,” Euromonitor’s Carrie Lennard tells SPC. “Starting with the initial H1N1 outbreaks in Mexico in April 2009, sales of hand sanitisers skyrocketed, leading to 6% global growth in liquid soap over 2008-9.”
Manufacturers reacted quickly to the initial swine flu outbreak resulting in a wave of new products with antibacterial and antiviral claims, a trend that continued in 2010 with launches like Dettol’s No-Touch Hand Wash System, which senses users’ hands and dispenses antibacterial soap without them having to touch a potentially germ-infested pump.
The popularity of such products was highlighted by a recent poll commissioned by the American Cleaning Institute and the Personal Care Products Council in the wake of calls by special interest groups to ban the use of antibacterial agents in personal care, which revealed that 74% of US consumers used antibacterial soap.
And renewed swine flu fears over 2010’s winter months mean hand sanitisers will remain a good investment for manufacturers in the near future. “As there are still numerous highly publicised deaths due to swine flu, the scare is set to continue to mark the category out as holding major long-term growth potential for the duration of the flu outbreak,” confirms Lennard.