Creating Personal Retreats

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DESIGNER SKETCH

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from UMSL; enrolled in the NKBA Kitchen & Bath program at SLCC at Meramec; 5-year apprenticeship with a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer
Exciting new bath products on the market:  Robern “Uplift” cabinets
Bath retreats are: Personal luxury and wellness retreats

www.thompsonprice.com

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What new trends take luxury bath design to the next level?
Vanities that are designed to look like furniture with lots of detail are on the top of the list. Clever ways to create storage in smaller areas such as cabinets above the bath or shower are also popular.  Trading out old soaker bathtubs and replacing them with full steam showers allows clients to be environmentally (and financially) conscious by saving water that would have been needed to fill a larger tub.  Warm floors are still very popular and are a great way to add ambient heat without increasing the gas bill.

How does a homeowner integrate a home spa into their bath layout?
We have to remember that every homeowner has his or her own definition of “spa.” Some may consider a spa to be the presence of an air-jet tub, while others might consider a spa to be a shower with a steam unit. The most important step to integrating a home spa into any bath layout is identifying what the clients expect for their bath and then apply that to the actual design. If there are multiple users, it may be beneficial to select different vanity heights, multiple showerheads placed at various heights, or an adjustable hand-held showerhead.

How do you incorporate newer technology within the construction of an older home?
Some technology is easy to integrate, and some can be more difficult. Our firm provides lighting control systems, which can create incredibly relaxing and dramatic lighting “scenes” at the touch of a button and work with existing wiring. For clients who want to add a TV or music to their current master bath retreat, wire is fairly easy to pull in, and we have waterproof remote controls available to operate both from the tub or the shower. We have mirrored storage cabinets that have built-in defoggers, as well as outlets and night-lights that all require power; they are best specified during the design stage. Similarly, if we're adding body sprays and rain heads to a shower, larger water lines may be required to accommodate the flow. Additionally, we can turn your existing toilet into a heated, remote-controlled bidet.

How do you incorporate your firm's philosophy into each project?
Our firm prides itself on using a team-based approach with a high level of communication between designers, installers and clients. We always strive to bring new design ideas, products and technology that meet each client's needs.

“We use a team-based approach for all of our design projects.”
– T.J. Price, kitchen and bath designer