August 19th, 2010
Between Bluetooths, Blackberries, homework crises and household disasters, finding time to relax has become a chore in itself. And as 10-hour workdays become the norm, it’s more important than ever to give our minds and bodies a chance to truly find peace – even if it means putting “relaxation” on the schedule.
Thankfully, the spa world is embracing this challenge, and, with a little creativity, is making tremendous efforts to accommodate our often-taxing lifestyles and provide easy outlets for relaxation. One emerging trend is the one-stop-shop approach to relaxation. More and more, spa services are popping up in typically un-spa places, like hair salons, nail salons, airports, and malls. In fact, these days you’d be hard pressed to get a manicure and not have the option of adding on a hand or back massage. And no longer does your stylist just do a wash-and-cut, without offering a relaxing scalp treatment, providing the opportunity for a few blissful moments without the hassle of changing locations.
Spa design trends are also making their way out of the spa and into everyday locations. Hotel rooms, airport lounges – even restaurants – are infusing their aesthetics with spa features, from hot towels to cucumber water to white noise machines, in an effort to distract from the stresses of the day in small doses, even if you can’t make it to the spa.
It’s so important to find time to relax and give your mind and body a chance to rejuvenate. So even amidst the chaos of the week, try to make relaxation a priority…and know that you don’t always have to look far for an opportunity to bag some bliss.
Massage Treatment
Tags: relaxation
Posted in Spa Reflections - Experiences, Rituals, History | No Comments »
August 11th, 2010
They say cleanliness is next to spa-liness, right? (Oh wait…that might not be the saying after all.) Well, regardless of the actual phrase, this one’s true too. The time you spend in a spa should be as clean as possible. After all, no one wants their pores open to the world in an environment that’s less than spic-and-span. This explains why so many people are opting to install home spas over renewing their memberships to outside organizations, where luxury might run high, but so does the germ factor. So to keep your home spa running shipshape and sanitary, we have some squeaky clean tips.
Clean from within. When designing your home spa, choose elements that keep things clean from the inside – like a ThermaSol steam shower with PowerFlush technology, an inner-tank cleaning system you can activate from an in-shower control, to keep things clean while you steam. When the cleaning happens from the inside, all you have to worry about is the surface stuff!
Be kind to your spa. The best home spas are often constructed from the most sensitive textures, which is why you should never use hard scrubbers or abrasive brushes or cleaners in your home spa. Opt instead for natural-based cleaners and organic compounds. And don’t overlook the basic stuff – there’s almost nothing that a little water and baking soda can’t clean (without damaging your beautiful surfaces).
Spa and Re-Stock. It sounds like a pain, but the best way to keep your home spa at its absolute cleanest is to tidy as you go. Every time you steam, or use your home spa, do a basic rubdown of surfaces, floors, mirrors, and fixtures. It’ll keep germs and soap scum from building up, and ensure that the next time you need a boost you won’t need to wait a minute before heading into the lap of luxury. Keep towels and soaps restocked too, for a real spa-within-your-home experience. It’s keen to be clean!
Tags: cleanliness, Home Spa
Posted in Health Beauty Fitness, Home Spa | No Comments »
August 4th, 2010
Sometimes, doesn’t it seem like everything is changing? We watch television on our computers, check stock quotes from our pocket, and eat desserts with weird things…like bacon. Turns out, the structure of our homes is changing as well, and that which was once hidden from sight has now assumed a starring role under our roofs. Like the home spa – a feature once evicted to the basement, tucked away in a bathroom, or, even banished to the outdoors – is now taking its rightful place front and center for all to access.
Good design trends deserve most of the credit for the public emergence of the home spa. Tacky wood paneled saunas have been usurped by stunning, modern steam shower stalls, adorned with gorgeous glass fronts and laden with up-to-the-minute perks. Sleek digital control panels that manipulate everything from time and temperature to light, sound, and aromatherapy have replaced outdated thermostats and unappealing switches. (And by the way, when did you ever have aromatherapy in your sauna?) Now styled with an architectural eye, the home spa has truly gone from a thing of utility to thing of beauty – and it’s time to show it off!
Home Spa
A shift in the way we entertain is also responsible for the home spa’s – literal – newfound prominence. The steam shower is the new swimming pool – infinitely easier to maintain, but still the perfect centerpiece to share with company (and won’t monopolize square footage in your backyard). And the centralization of our lives (which now revolve around an all-purpose kitchen-family-room-media-center hub in the middle of our homes) has encouraged general domestic transparency, which isn’t good news for that old hot tub out in the shed. Bringing the home spa into the main of the house is just another step in organizing our homes around our priorities – comfort, luxury, health, and togetherness.
So don’t shy away from bringing relaxation to the forefront! Show off your home spa like the star it is, and embrace both its powers of health and happiness and its aesthetics. By the way, has anyone seen my laundry room?
Tags: Home Spa, Sauna, steamshower
Posted in Home Spa, Steam Showers | No Comments »
July 29th, 2010
Color is part of everything we do. It determines what clothes we pair together, how we prepare food (think rare vs. medium well) – even whether or not we stop our cars at an intersection! We have an emotional relationship with color, and the hue of things often determines how we feel about them – even subconsciously.
Chromatherapy – the science of healing through color – harnesses our incredible connection with the spectrum of shades, and helps us to achieve optimum health and relaxation through the most basic of all mediums: light. And when the world of chromatherapy meets the world of spa, the possibilities are endless. Imagine using color to relax your mind, the same way that you use water, steam, and temperature to relax your body – all at the same time!
Just as we assign words to objects and names to people, we impart feelings and attitudes onto colors. From our earliest years, we acknowledge reds, oranges, and yellows as “hot” or “warm” shades, and associate them with stimulation or feelings of excitement. (Which must explain why red is so commonly used in food packaging – it’s a color that’s psychologically acknowledged to activate our appetites!) Conversely, blues, greens, and purples are “cool” shades, and are connected with feelings of tranquility, restoration, and an association with nature. Chromatherapy acknowledges these emotional attachments and uses them to our advantage. So if you’re feeling tired, lackluster, or creatively stunted, consider burning crimson candles next to your tub, hanging orange glass prisms from your bathroom window, and scattering gold-tinted gemstones on your vanity. Sounds simple, but that’s how easy it is to incorporate chromatherpy into your home spa routine.
Manufacturers have also taken notice of the increased interest in color-as-restoration, and have made color-based light systems readily accessible in home spa products. ThermaSol’s Serenity Light and Music System uses both chromatherapy and audio-therapy to stimulate your eyes and ears, while relaxing your body. A self-contained 10” module produces high-intensity light with an infinitely adjustable spectrum – ideal for home chromatherapy. This is the pinnacle of relaxation, and will surely take your home spa experience to a whole new level.
Chromatherapy System
Tags: chromatherapy, holistic healing, sound therapy
Posted in Aromatherapy Chromatherapy Sound Therapy | No Comments »
July 27th, 2010
For so many Americans, the notion of “hopping into the tub” is much easier said than done. Those with arthritis, mobility limitations, or anyone who’s suffered from the sneaky side effects of aging (like that new pain in my back I felt this morning) know that your bathroom or home spa needs to be accessible. And thanks to a number of forward-thinking manufacturers, getting older doesn’t mean losing out on a luxurious bath experience.
Forget the days of the clinical, unappealing walk-in bath. It’s true – not that long ago, stylish options for walk-in tubs were nearly non-existent. But today, you can outfit your bathroom with a walk-in tub that doesn’t disrupt your home design. Like Maax Professional’s high-concept collection of ADA-compliant showers and tubs, all of which keep you comfortable and your bath beautiful. And just because you have a new tub doesn’t mean you need to change your design tactics – compliment the wall of your bath with tiled designs as you would with any other tub. Stylish, but most importantly, safe.
The no-step design of a steam shower stall also makes it a perfect bath element for anyone who needs one less hurdle on their way to relaxation. Full floor-to-ceiling doors, like those on ThermaSol’s easy-open steam shower stalls, allow you to walk in to luxury, making it the perfect antidote to non-bending arthritic knees. Not to mention the fact that the health benefits of a steam shower are wondrous on aching muscles and joints.
And delight in bath accessories that lend a helping hand without cramping your style. Like JACLO’s line of modern luxury grab bars that provide support for your body, but are easy on the eye, seamlessly fitting into any modern bath. Or Caroma’s collection of Easy Height Toilets – slim, beautiful, and exactly what you need to make your bath accessible and comfortable. So even if you’re feeling the physical limitations of getting, um, wiser and more mature, know that you never have to feel the aesthetic limitations of an easy-to-access bath.
ThermaSol Steam Shower
Tags: aging in place, steam shower
Posted in Home Spa, Spa Reflections - Experiences, Rituals, History | No Comments »
July 23rd, 2010
While we’re spending our spa time saving our skin, why not save the environment at the same time? The movement towards a greener spa experience has so many positive ramifications – and like most other eco-conscious trends, it takes only small changes to make a substantial impact.
It sounds like the simplest thing in the world but the #1 spa-thing you can do to minimize your environmental footprint is to keep your H2O usage in check. When looking for products for your home spa, keep an eye out for bath elements that emphasize low-flow or water-saving technology – it’s incredible how the most basic of eco-conscious actions can still have such a tremendous effect. Choose products identified as “WaterSense certified,” as they comply with specific guidelines identified by the Environmental Protection Agency to promote water efficiency. And while you’re saving water, keep an eye on your energy consumption too. Products that incorporate green-friendly elements, like ThermaSol’s patented SmartSteamTM technology – a temperature control feature that conserves energy by maintaining even levels of heat, and never using more power than necessary – make putting your green-foot-forward easy and effective.
Going beyond your home spa doesn’t mean leaving the environment behind. More and more, spas are adding “eco-chic” to their resume of services – making your relaxation all the sweeter knowing that you’re doing right by the planet. The Green Spa and Wellness Center in Brooklyn, New York is the first and only full-service luxury green spa in the borough. Recycled materials are used in every part of the center – from paper to paint to construction products – they even are using recycled denim as wall insulation! Dual-flush toilets conserve water, non-toxic cleaning products keep public areas fresh without doing harm to the atmosphere, natural light replaces artificial illumination (supplemented with energy-efficient bulbs, where necessary), and bamboo flooring, an environmentally-friendly alternative to wood, lines the floor of the yoga & movement studio. How green are they?! And never fear, the movement goes west as well. At Absolute Nirvana, Santa Fe’s only eco-chic spa, green is in the air – literally. In addition to using only organic and chemical-free cleaning products, natural skin care ingredients, water-efficient appliances, and cloth hand towels, 80 percent of their electricity is wind generated. Good for you, great for the planet. Looking for a green spa in your area? Check out the Green Spa Network, an organization dedicated to bringing sustainability and education to spas nationwide.
So whether you’re spa-ing at home or luxuriating elsewhere, know that it’s so easy to do your part in helping to protect valuable natural resources, and with no compromise to your experience. Go green!
Tags: green spas, water conservation
Posted in Spa Reflections - Experiences, Rituals, History, Steam Showers | No Comments »
July 21st, 2010
Let’s face it – unless you had the luxury of designing your home from the ground up, or spent a month brushing your teeth at the kitchen sink while construction workers knocked down walls and descended on your W.C., chances are your bathroom isn’t the biggest room in the house. But fear not – a petite loo just might be the perfect size for infusing a lot of luxury into a little space.
LAUFEN mimo compact bath collection
In any compact area, the most important consideration is to make sure that everything you fill a room with is more than just “occasionally” useful. So if you don’t find yourself lounging in a bubble bath three times a week, why not skip the tub basin and opt for a shower stall? Space-saving and efficient, a shower stall can be custom-fit to your bath’s dimensions, and immediately enhances the size of the room. Amp up the luxury by installing a steam shower – ThermaSol has revolutionary steam units designed for even the tiniest bathrooms – and your days of soaking in the tub will be a distant memory.
While you’re saving ground in the shower, why not really free up some floor space and go small with other elements for the bath? Manufacturers have taken note of the shrinking trend in bath design, and have crafted gorgeous collections with a diminutive take. The mimo collection by Laufen is short in stature but huge on style, with smaller-than-norm sinks and toilets that pack a punch without monopolizing square footage. And never fear – the difference in size of the scaled-down versions is virtually unnoticeable in everyday use.
But if you’re not yet ready for a big bath overhaul, your small space can still benefit from some spacious updates. Make things feel instantly open with a lighter wall color – bright yellows, soft greens, and pastel grays are my favorites in a tiny bath. Opt for open-air shelves or cabinets – it’ll give the illusion of a bigger room, and gives you easier access to your bath knickknacks. And remember to de-clutter! The more you organize, the more space there is for you. So don’t dismiss your small bath just yet! There’s a lot of luxury to be had in even the tiniest of spaces.
Tags: compact bathroom, steam shower, Thermasol
Posted in Home Spa, Spa Reflections - Experiences, Rituals, History, Steam Showers | No Comments »
July 19th, 2010
Thank you to our friends over at Spa Week Daily for asking us to write a guest post on their blog. It’s a guide to hosting a great home spa party – four tips that will ensure your next party is full of luxury and relaxation. Read the full post here.
Home Spa Party
Tags: home spa party
Posted in Home Spa | No Comments »
July 19th, 2010
Architecture is inspired by all types of things – shapes from nature, eras in history, foreign cultures – but the newest trend in hotel design is really getting me steamed. Spa design in hotel rooms is the latest incorporation of the spa-world into our daily lives. A stunning example of this fusion is the Tcherassi Hotel + Spa in Cartagena, Colombia, a first-time collaboration between Colombian fashion icon Silvia Tcherassi and the Miami-based CF Hospitality. Lush, gorgeous rooms (there are only seven of them in the whole hotel) are adorned in lovely pastels, soft wood accents, and hints of glass and mirror, to truly convey the spa-within-a-room aesthetic. Sundecks, soaking tubs, double sinks, and rainshower fixtures are just some of the features available in-room at Tcherassi’s paradise resort.
Tcherassi Hotel Entrance
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: hotel design, hotel spa design
Posted in Hotels Resorts Day Spas | No Comments »
July 12th, 2010
Steam Shower
Steam is magic. It really is. Warm, swirling, and rife with brilliant little pockets of misty vapor – it’s by far water’s most elusive and interesting form. Still fancy yourself a skeptic? Have you tried to iron a pair of pants without the amazing power of steam? Mhmm. That’s what I thought. Steam rocks.
Beyond its abilities as a crinkle-reducer (and, of course, tea kettle indicator), steam first and foremost has incredible benefits for our bodies. After all, steam is simply a reincarnation of the element every health enthusiast would deem The Best Thing Ever: water. And if you know what a little H2O can do for our insides, it’s unbelievable what steam can do for our outsides, and beyond.
By simply stepping into a steam room, you’re immediately exposed to the fantastic healing powers of steam. For your skin, steam instantly opens pores and induces sweating (aka, nature’s toxin-releaser – one of the healthiest things your body can do), leaving skin softer, cleaner, and ultimately healthier. The heat of the room also causes a healthy elevation in heart rate and an increase in metabolism (who knew? A steam room diet!). Circulation and flexibility also skyrocket within minutes of stepping into a steam room, the result of the warm, moist air, which acts as a natural joint-relaxer. Arthritis sufferers and individuals with bone or muscle problems see amazing results from time spent in steam rooms. And despite the thickness of the atmosphere, steam rooms actually hold myriad benefits for our respiratory systems, opening up the lungs and bronchial tubes, and even aiding those with asthma and other breathing disorders, thanks to the temperature of the air and the water vapor. In addition, the relaxing effects of steam can have wonderful effects beyond our physiology – time spent in steam rooms has been shown to increase mental calm, and even act as an antidote to insomnia or other sleeping problems. Adding other elements to your steam experience – such as light exercise or yoga, skin exfoliation, or even aromatherapy – will only enhance the already-amazing health benefits of steam.
Thermasol offers a wide array of steam bath products for the home. Consider turning your shower into a steam shower and experience all the amazing benefits of steam on a daily basis.
So if you thought that a stay in a vapory paradise was just one of those spa activities to knock off your “to do” list, it just might be time to rethink steam, not only for its powers as a force of relaxation, but more importantly, as an amazing tool for your health – mind and body. See? I told you. Steam rocks!
Tags: health benefits, steam bath, Steam Showers
Posted in Health Beauty Fitness, Home Spa, Steam Showers | No Comments »
