Does this give you any preconceived ideas?

My friends in Iowa gave me UNDESIGNING THE BATH, by Leonard Koren, published in Berkeley CA in 1996. Leonard is an architect with an attitude, like a retreaded hippy maybe, and HE is the one who coined the concept of "gourmet bathing."

I rather like it.

The book has many illustrations, B&W, and all of the folks in it are basically nekkid. His idea of UNdesigning the bath is to make it more comfortable, more rewarding to the spiritual side of our natures.

Many of the baths are outdoors, use features present naturally in the landscape, like hot springs or flowing water, rocky crevices or outcroppings or basins.

In some places, you might find a way to create a plain outdoor shower, at least. Think about the ones you've experienced at the beach, or rinsing off after a swim in somebody's pool, even hot tubs are outdoors a lot these days. Maybe you cannot always find room for an INDOOR bath, but don't give up on having one outdoors.

And even if you have to build it inside, it can be a luxury and also not be totally economical. That is one of the things this author points out. Luxury is not always economical of cost OR space. So waste a little more space than you must. Even if you build a sauna or a sweat lodge, give yourself the benefit of a luxurious experience.

The piece that I found most enjoyable in this book was the old clawfoot tub which had been converted to a mudbath, and it was outdoors. The woman in it looked like an au naturelle chocolate covered statue when she stood up.

I do not recommend trying to find the book, it is not much of a "read." But if you think about creating a "gourmet bath" experience for yourself, not just a gourmet kitchen, it could influence your bathroom plans. Give some thought to having fun in the bath.

I learned a long time ago, when I got parrots, that I never before had experienced such joy in getting wet and slinging water everywhere, until the parrots taught me. That's why I truly enjoy my outdoor shower. No worry about mopping the floors afterward.

Ciao