Nothing is more luxurious in winter than a warm bathroom. Happily, almost anyone can achieve this luxury without sacrificing period style or overrunning your budget. So many of the more desirable options are completely affordable. For instance, plug-in electric towel warms are under $150, and overhead rain shower fixtures begin at only $60. A good pressure-balanced mixer can be had for as little as $200. However, if you have money to spend, you can find luxuries such as jetted pedestal tubs and steam shower systems that will set you back a few thousand dollars.

If you’re in the market for a towel warmer or radiator, they come in two basic styles: the traditional round tube shape and the flat-panel “Euro” style. If your bathroom is cramped, one option is a tubular towel-warming basket, which can be mounted to keep your towels hot and within easy reach.

Every towel warmer generates heat. But surprisingly, many of the hard-wired versions are powerful enough to be considered radiators. Even the inexpensive electric models that put out 100 watts or so are a wonderful addition to your bathroom. Not only do they dry the towels, but they also reduce dampness and mildew in the room. The more powerful hard-wired electric or hydronic towel radiators will easily heat a larger space if they’re sized and placed properly. If you’re worried about safety, neither version gets too hot to touch. Electric towel warmers only reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas hydronics range between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how hot you keep the system. These radiators provide your very own zoned heating.

Visit your local dealer to help find the perfect unit for your space. You need to consider variables such as the amount of tile or stone, the type and location of existing heat sources (steam radiators or forced air), and the number of windows. For those of you will really tiny bathrooms that won’t even fit a small towel warmer, you can probably find room along the baseboard to put a couple of horizontal radiator panels.

When it ultimately comes down to it, it’s the water in the bath or shower that’s most important. Especially if you are upgrading the shower anyway, be sure to install a pressure-balanced or thermostatic mixing valve. If you’re looking for something inexpensive and simple, consider a pressure-balance valve, which keeps the water pressure in the shower constant, preventing sudden fluctuations in water temperature, as often occurs when the toilet is flushed, for instance.

If you want your water a more precise temperature, than a thermostatic valve is a good choice. This valve actually mixes hot and cold water together, bringing it within one degree of the setting. These valves regulate fluctuations in the incoming water pressure as well. *These truly luxurious valves go for at least $1,000, although you can certainly spend more. Whatever your décor, many of these mixers are available in suites that include period-inspired shower heads and cross-handled knobs or levers. Higher-end valves even come with memory settings, allowing each family member to choose and record a preferred shower temperature.

If you can’t get enough humidity in winter and you love your shower, a steam shower is another great option. You’ll probably need a major retrofit to install one. The generator needs its own space, and usually modifications need to be made to accommodate the steam shower doors. But on the plus side, a twenty-minute steams uses very little water: only about two gallons. But be prepared. A basic system (including generator, steam head, and temperature controls) starts at about $3,000. If you’re going to add an extras such as stereo speakers, light or aromatherapy packages, expect that price to be higher.

Are you one of those people who prefer an old-fashioned tub for your bath? Prices for reproduction roll-top designs with claw feet start at about $1,000 for either cast iron or the more environmentally friendly acrylic. These deep tubs are the ultimate soaking paradise. They also come in double-ended styles to accommodate two (or multiple children). You can specify claw feet in the style and finish of your choice, so your new tub will complement any décor. If you’re looking at high-end options, you can find custom-made tubs in copper, steel, marble, and even teak.

If you’d prefer a traditional tub that also accommodates a water- or air-jet system, your best option is a pedestal or Roman tub. Strategically placed jets will turn any bathtub into a home spa. And don’t worry, the skirt will conceal the tubes and motor. A fully equipped air-jet tub isn’t cheap. Expect to pay upward of $4,000.

Leon Tuberman owns and manages a furniture store that specializes in American made solid oak furniture like an oak night stand and elegant Amish crafted dining chairs.  For over six decades they’ve offered the best in wood furniture that’s built to last a lifetime at affordable prices.

Flat TV’s, contemporary art, remote controlled curtains, and all things modern can be found everywhere in a typical American home. They may be pleasing to own but too much of it can make your house too “modern” to look at and sometimes dull and boring.

You may remember the times when simple things were beautiful to look at. Today, many people are considering adding a touch of history in their homes. The warmth and homey look of a home isn’t found in modern appliances and fixtures. Even bathroom fixtures are now integrated with state-of-the-art technology. Home bathtubs are integrated with personal Jacuzzis with a large plasma TV and a floating remote control. These things can be great but it just lacks that classical, homey look that a home should have.

Whenever you visit your grand parent’s house, you will notice the inviting look of a simple yet very classic look inside their homes. No plasma television, no remote controlled curtains, simple kitchen fixtures and those great cookie jars. You may even notice that their bathroom is equipped with simple yet attractive fixtures.

Even the bathtub has its traditional look. If you want this in your own home, you may try and consider buying a clawfoot bathtub. A clawfoot bathtub is very popular for people who want to have that classic American look in their bathroom. It is very simple in design and very pleasing to look at.

There are different styles in a clawfoot bathtub. You should consider choosing one that will compliment your bathroom more. There are clawfoot bathtubs that are made from cast iron or acrylic. The style also varies from roll top, dual and dual slipper. You can also choose from different kinds of feet for your clawfoot bathtub like a ball & claw, lion paw, imperial pedestal and skirt.

Choosing what kind of clawfoot bathtub you want for your home is up to you. Basically, here are the things you should know about the two different kinds of materials used in the clawfoot bathtub.

If you are a strict traditionalist and want a clawfoot bathtub to have that original look, you may want to consider having a cast iron clawfoot bathtub. These bathtubs can be painted and repainted to match the décor in your bathroom. Cast iron clawfoot bathtubs are heavy and are not suited for people with bathrooms in the second floor of their house. And, since it is metal, it will not retain heat too long. One advantage of cast iron clawfoot bathtubs is that it can last a long time.

On the other hand, the acrylic clawfoot tubs are light weight and are easier to move and install. It is also perfect for upper story baths because of its weight. Acrylic clawfoot bathtubs are good insulators that can keep your water warm longer.

One disadvantage of acrylic is that it will break down if strong cleaning chemicals are used, like acetate.

You can also install different kinds of faucets for your clawfoot bathtub. Try experimenting or think about what designs you want your faucets to be in your clawfoot bathtub.

If you want your home to have that classical touch, you can start redecorating it in your bathroom. Having a clawfoot bathtub installed in your bathroom can have a pleasing effect with the things around it. With a clawfoot bathtub, you will surely have an enjoyable and relaxing experience while you are bathing.

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of Clawfoot Bathtubs where you will find further tips to spruce up your bathtub.

The shower filter industry is a relatively small but certainly a highly competitive one. Most people understand the need to filter drinking water, but never think twice about bathing in unfiltered tap water. The truth of the matter is, your body has the potential to absorb more waterborne contaminants, such as chlorine and chloramines, during an average 10 minute shower than you would by drinking unfiltered tap water throughout the entire day.

During a warm shower, the pores in our skin begin to open up and become highly absorbent, much like a sponge. Many contaminants, such as chlorine, become extremely unstable in hot water and immediately evaporate out of the water allowing chlorine vapors to also be inhaled directly into our lungs. Although the chlorine levels in our showers can vary greatly throughout the day, one thing is certain. There is always chlorine present in shower water that is maintained by a municipal water supply. Repeated exposure to high concentrations of chlorine has been linked by some scientific studies to cases of miscarriage and certain types of cancer in most countries that disinfect their water supplies with chlorine. In the US, the EPA has recently recommended that all municipal water supplies change their disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramine; a combination of free chlorine and ammonia.

One of the reasons for this change is based on recent studies that claim the use of free chlorine can generate what are known as THMs or Trihalomethanes. THMs are created when free chlorine comes in contact with organic material present in the water supply. It is believed that higher levels of THMs are what actually increase the risks of cancer and miscarriages in humans. The use of chloramine may indeed reduce the overall level of THMs in our water, but it must be used in much higher concentrations to be as effective a pure chlorine. Whether chloramine is any safer than free chlorine is the subject of much debate that will require many years of research. Unfortunately, no one knows the long term effects of chloramine on the human body. After all, they’ve been telling us free chlorine was completely safe for the last 100 years.

Removing Chlorine From Shower Water – Fact or Fiction?

There are dozens of different types and brands of shower filters available on the market today. The vast majority of these shower filters rely on what is known as KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) as a means of reducing free chlorine. There are others that combine KDF with some type of activated charcoal (AC) or similar type of supplementary medium. An alternative method of removing both free and combined chlorine involves the use of Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid/sodium ascorbate) in a shower filtration device. This form of dechlorination has been used for many years by the EPA to dechlorinate waste water prior to reintroduction into the environment. Although more expensive, Vitamin C dechlorination produces nearly perfect results without a negative impact on the environment or wildlife. Vitamin C dechlorination has also been used for some time to dechlorinate lab samples and has even been used to dechlorinate water for kidney dialysis patients. Vitamin C dechlorination is all natural, instantaneous and provides near perfect results.

KDF and/or AC are less than perfect choices for a shower filter for the following reasons and are shown italicized. Arguments for the use of a Vitamin C type shower filter are listed directly below them in bold print.

KDF shower filters can only remove free chlorine and its effectiveness is directly related to how long the media stays in contact with the chlorine. Longer contact times simply cannot occur within a shower filter, limiting its overall effectiveness

Vitamin C completely neutralizes both free chlorine & chloramines instantly upon contact

KDF/AC filters have only been proven to remove free chlorine under carefully controlled laboratory conditions. KDF has never been proven to remove or even reduce heavy metals, VOCs, THMs, bacteria or any other synthetic chemicals when used within shower filtration device. Less than perfect free chlorine removal is all you should expect

Vitamin C shower filters are designed to neutralize chlorine and most chlorinated byproducts though simple chemistry. We invite you to perform your own independent tests in your home

Activated carbon filters have been known to promote bacterial growth in a shower filter creating additional health concerns over time. Contrary to popular belief, KDF has never been proven to prevent or even retard bacterial growth in a shower filter

Vitamin C does not promote the growth of bacteria, algae or fungi. The slightly acidic environment within a Vitamin C shower filter discourages the growth of bacteria. This is why cranberry juice or Vitamin C supplements are often prescribed to help speed recovery from bladder & kidney infections by creating an inhospitable environment for the invading organisms

KDF filters are only intended to work with hot water. Carbon filters are only intended to work with cold water & degrade very quickly in fast moving hot water. The combination of the two within a shower filter makes little sense. Shower water must reach optimal temperatures (above 84 degrees) before any protection is observed with KDF, exposing you to unnecessary chlorine vapors

Vitamin C shower filters are effective with all water temperatures; hot or cold and provide complete protection from chlorine & chloramines from the moment it is turned on until the water is turned off

Carbon filters tend to clog quickly reducing the overall flow of water during your shower forcing you to prematurely replace the entire filter cartridge. This quickly becomes very expensive and inconvenient

Vitamin C shower filters perform equally well with any water pressure, low or high and remains constant over the lifetime of the filter

KDF is a metal alloy consisting of copper & zinc which can be released into your shower water and be absorbed by your skin or inhaled into your lungs. The effects of this on the human body are as of yet unknown. High levels of copper, not chlorine, in water has been found to be responsible for “green hair” or “swimmers hair” in some people

Vitamin C is an all natural medium that’s safe for the entire family. There are no known adverse side effects associated with Vitamin C dechlorination

KDF has the potential to create an unusually high number of free radicals through the same process that is uses to neutralize free chlorine. In the absence of free chlorine, the zinc and copper radicals will attempt to equalize themselves by stealing electrons as soon as possible creating a free radical chain reaction within the body’s cells

Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man with numerous proven health benefits. It is known for its ability to protect the body from invading free radicals

Many KDF shower filters require routine backwashing maintenance to flush out impurities. This wastes several gallons of unusable hot water during each backwash cycle

Vitamin C shower filters require no complicated backwashing procedure. It will perform at optimum levels right up until it needs to be replaced

KDF filters take up to a week or more to produce any noticeable results. Any improvements are directly related to the reduction of free chlorine and nothing more. Most popular KDF/Charcoal shower filters are nothing more than very expensive water deodorizers providing very little protection from chlorinated byproducts

It only takes one shower to know a Vitamin C shower filter is working

KDF/Charcoal media was never intended to be used in a shower filter application. This combination performs very well with slow moving drinking water filters; however, no evidence exists to support many of the outrageous claims being made by some unscrupulous sellers

The Vitamin C Shower Filter is the clear choice for the 21st century

Naturally Skintastic specializes in finding truly effective Natural Products as alternatives to those found commercially. For more information about All Natural Vitamin C Shower Filters, please visit: NaturallySkintastic.Com

It is possible to find a luxury showerhead that does not waste so much water. Even if you do not care much about conserving water, you certainly must care about conserving money – and using some luxury showerhead models can push both your water and electricity bill (the cost of heating all of that water) over the edge. Of course, as aforementioned, it is still possible to have a luxury showerhead that does not waste gallons and gallons of water.

One example is Delta Faucets H20kinetic Technology showerhead. It sounds pretty high tech – and for a showerhead, it is. Sure, this showerhead shoots only 1.6 gallons of water per minute (the industry standard is 2.5 gpm), but that does not mean that it is a wimp when it comes to pressure. In fact, due to a plastic “chip” that is built into each of the four nozzles, you can expect a whole lot of soothing pressure – how so? Well, the chip act similarly to a thumb pressed over a garden hose nozzle. Now imagine that pressure coming down right where you need it.

If you have an old showerhead in your home, it can be using up to 6 or 8 gallons per minute, and yet it may still not have the great pressure and feel of a water-conserving showerhead like the Aqua Helix. The Aqua Helix is the lowest flow showerhead on the market – it amazingly uses only ½ gpm! It has a nozzle that rotates at up to 1500 rpm’s. The Aqua Helix is the invention of Tim Wilson, and it works by accelerating water flow through the showerhead. Just imagine how much you can save (water, heat bill, etc.) by using this low flow showerhead.

Real Goods has a great, “Lowest Flow Showerhead.” It uses an average of about 1.3 gpm. Again, just because this particular showerhead does not waste water, it does not mean that you have to sacrifice the luxury of a good, luxurious spray. An added benefit of this showerhead is that it has a built in “soap-up” valve. You use this valve to turn off the flow when you are soaping up or shaving, etc. It is so much easier than turning off your water completely and then having to find the right water temperature again!

In general, there are two types of low-flow showerheads. Aerating showerheads mix air into the water stream. In this way, you retain the steady pressure and also get a full shower spray – this is the most popular type. Realize, though, that because there is air being mixed in with the water, the water temperature might be cooler than you like by the time it hits the shower floor.

Non-aerating showerheads not mix air in with the water stream. You get a very strong spray – a massaging shower.

These are just three examples of great water-conserving showerheads. There are many other ones out there. Also, realize that if you have a low flow showerhead that you do not like right now, that does not mean that you will not like any other low flow showerhead! Just as with regular showerheads, low flow showerheads can have many different settings and spray patterns – people like different pressures and sprays. Be sure to try out another one before you completely give up on saving water!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on showerheads and bath supplies, please visit Showerheads.