Her green and white ensuite, with its original 30-year-old vanity, had been in terrible condition with only quick fixes made to a leaking shower. “It was plain, nothing special. The tiles were falling off the walls and we were gluing them back on. It was marginally functional.”

Then, last January, the home-based dietician began researching the project and consulted interior designer Karen Hall of Circa Interiors and Antiques. By last fall, the family had contracted Channel Custom Builders to renovate the ensuite, investing $25,000 in the project. Before last Christmas, the renovation was complete.

The renovator transformed the small, tired ensuite into an earthy sand and Sahara tile retreat with deep soaker tub, heated floors, undermount sink, granite counter top and dark cherry vanity. “It’s like a haven at the end of the day,” says Thirsk. “If I’m thinking ‘oh God, it’s been a beast of a day,’ then I go light my candles and have a quick tub … It’s a sanctuary.”

Interior designer Tammy Ringstad, of Robert Sweep Interior Design, says ensuites are evolving into more of a retreat, larger and warmer than their predecessors. “Many are trying to evoke a hotel/spa resort feeling through their colour materials and layout. Lots of comfort factors are being considered. As always, lighting in all layers of task, general and ambience must be planned. There are many great sources in town.”

Splashy upgrades
In Calgary’s new home market, SAM-Award-winning Morrison Homes shows what's popular in ensuites in its elegant Aberdeen and Leighton showhomes in Auburn Bay and palatial Ainsworth in Wentworth Estates. Home­buyers see the pos­sibilities first-hand, including his-and-her sinks, separate glass showers, skylights, optional doorways to the laundry and access to second bedrooms—all from the ensuite. The Aberdeen and Ainsworth boast such hot buttons as the two-way fireplace, a growing trend.

“Ensuites today are all about luxury, but not losing sight of form and function,” explains Krista Kerth, director of marketing, Morrison Homes. “This luxurious ensuite (in the Ainsworth) also boasts a two-way fireplace for ultimate in relaxation.”

Home builder Jayman MasterBUILT, in Calgary and Edmonton, similarly values its ensuites. “The ensuite is ranked third most important feature in the home,” says Renny Wong, marketing co-ordinator at Jayman. “Our ensuites have several features that allow our clients to have the most comfortable experience possible.” Among those are the “comfort-space shower” with a larger-than-average tub, shower seating area, low-flow toilets and double sinks. Via an exten­sive upgrade list, buyers can choose, granite counter tops, heated floors and steam showers. The most popular choices, Wong says, are second shower heads, body-spray systems and hand shower fixtures on tubs.

Vanities fair
Douglas Cridland Interior Design specializes in high-end residen­tial reno­vation projects. “(In ensuites, we’re seeing) long rectangular sinks with two faucets, sliding screens and doors and combining toilets and showers in one wet area,” says interior designer Rochelle Hunter.

The designers, she says, suggest more contemporary directions like tiling the entire room in irregular tile shapes, choosing quality plumbing fixtures and handheld showers. In 2008, Hunter predicts the biggest trend is more furniture-like floating vanities in tradi­tional and contemporary styles.

Calgary’s Designer’s Choice Kitchens & Bathrooms has one of the city’s most extensive selections of vanities. “We’re finding wall-hung and freestanding vanities in contemporary and traditional with storage and integrated lighting are popular,” says owner Jim Rafferty. “(It’s no longer) the idea of cutting down the kitchen cupboards and shoving them in (the ensuite.)”

Consumers are more sophisticated in their tastes; they want built-in storage for items like hairdryers, he says. In vanities, wood and darker espresso shades and cleaner, contemporary looks for smaller loos are current bestsellers. One green bathroom vanity option is the RICHLITE Surface, an environmentally-friendly counter top that works with undermount and vessel sinks.

Five years ago, Rafferty first observed the emergence of the ensuite. He points to changing demographics of the two-child family no longer needing the extra room in a typical four-bedroom home. Many consumers, he says, are converting extra bedrooms into large luxury ensuites.

“The days of the one fitted shower head are over,” says Rafferty. Now consumers are choosing more multifunctional shower systems with sliding bar and multiple showerheads. Steam showers, heated floors, air tubs instead of jets, heated tiles and towel bars and half-way shower doors are also very popular, he says.

“There are no fixed trends nowadays. People renovate more and they’re individualistic in bathroom and kitchen remodelling.” In his 25 years in business, Rafferty has seen a wide range of concepts. One of his favourites is the ensuite/workout centre with an exercise bike, TV and shower. “It’s the simple things in life that enhance your life. You start your day and you finish your day in your ensuite.”

Water, water everywhere: showered in advances
Are you researching and planning an ensuite project? The more informed you are, the better choices you will make in products, materials and services.

New Home Living asked major suppliers KOHLER and TOTO about their latest ensuite products. Here’s what they said:

KOHLER
Fountainhead Suite
“Everyone is looking to create a haven in their home that is ideal to help them transition throughout the day. Whether that is from a restful slumber to a cheerful face to confront the day, or from a suit and tie to running gear as a means to unwind from a long day at the office,” says Mary Reid, vice-president of industrial design for KOHLER. “Feeling in control of one’s own life is fundamental to relaxation. ”

The Fountainhead Suite furniture pieces and components combine to provide users with innovative storage within reach, integrated power outlets, touch-activated light solutions, inspiring water delivery and durable, luxurious materials.

For example, the suite offers three above-counter options in Greek Thassos marble and KOHLER cast iron. The French door style departs from the traditional pivot and by-pass door styles. The furniture, including varied vanities, comes in blanche, a lightly-grained maple with light stain and truffle, a richly-grained ash with dark truffle stain.

DTV II
“With the DTV II, showering is not just about water anymore. This new product takes the shower to an unexpected and uncharted level of performance with an all-encompassing sensory and com­pletely integrated experience,” says Michael Wandschneider, senior product manager for Performance Showering at KOHLER. “And best of all, the DTV II controls all of these elements at the touch of a button.

The user-friendly digital control panel brings four media together—water, sound, light and steam—to provide a perfectly tailored and choreographed showering experience.”

The DTV II is the next generation of the DTV custom showering exper­ience, an easy-to-use, custom, digital hydrotherapy system. This enhanced edition adds music, ambient lighting, chromatherapy and steam to give the bather a complete sensory experience.

Homeowners can create personalized showering experiences by programming customized settings, while couples can each program (and call up) their customized showering experiences. The DTV II can feed up to eight showerheads, hand showers or body sprays.

Latest in luxury loos
“Technology is deeply embedded in bath culture as it is in the rest of our lives, “ says Lenora Campos, public relations manager, TOTO USA. “The trend toward developing the master bath as an in-home spa retreat is being inflected by the wired world in which we live.”

“The convergence of innovation, design elegance, precision engineering and unparalleled performance makes the new high-tech, luxury NEOREST Bath Collection not only beautiful, but also intuitive and intelligent.”

Making light of bath time
Among the latest in luxury must-haves for spa-like ensuite, the NEOREST Programmable Airbath by TOTO accom­modates two bathers with auto-fill, water and temperature settings, headrest pillows and water cascades draping a constant flow of warm water. Homeowners can set the water level and temperature, and the bath stops automatically when it reaches its temperature and depth.

The system's 15 jets, target body pressure points to relieve tension and stress. In addition to the water massage, the Airbath offers chromatherapy, which uses light to stimulate psychological and physical responses. The chromatherapy colour palette contains clarifying white, stimulated pink (love and attraction); three cool, calming colours—lavender (inspiring and creative), indigo blue (serene and peaceful) and aqua blue (self-assured and calming), and balancing green. The NEOREST Shower Tower has an oversized rainshower, moveable hand shower, and body sprays all with one-touch button control.

Best seat in the house
What’s a high-end ensuites without cutting-edge toilet techno­logy? New in loos, TOTO’s high-tech NEOREST collection was designed to complement the NEOREST 600, sometimes called “the first toilet of the 21st century.” The “aware” toilet/washlet combination is known for its technological advances. The NEOREST’s lid automatically opens whenever an individual approaches it. By touching a button on its sleek wireless remote, the NEOREST’s seat automatically rises and a water-saving 1.2 GPF flush mode engages.

TOTO’s renowned Washlet technology, transforms the tradi­tional toilet into a warm-water personal cleansing system. The toilet seat’s multi-task functions provide gentle front and back-aerated warm water spray, which can be regulated for preferred water pressure and temperature. Other features include oscillating and pulsating spray massage, heated seat and warm air dryer all governed by TOTO’s “Fuzzy Logic” energy-saving system.

Today’s brainy bathrooms are interactive spaces where a fixture’s value is not determined by the fact that it can do its job, but by how much we enjoy our experience with it," says Campos.