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Designer���s Notebook Photos: Courtesy of Ark Showers, www.arkshowers.com pools of hot water. The heat, buoyancy and massage found in the warm, soothing waters of a jetted tub experience are both relaxing and rejuvenating. And, new shower systems o���er a similar hydrotherapy experience. Both bathing and showering hydrotherapy systems relieve stress. Stress has more adverse effects on health than many people realize. Some researchers estimate that nearly 80% of all diseases are stress related. Stress makes the heart work harder, breathing becomes more rapid and shallow and digestion slows. Physicians and physical therapists also recognize the value of a massage water experience as an ideal environment for rehabilitation therapy. Muscle pain can be eased, fatigue overcome and sti���ness and soreness relieved when relaxing in a hydro massage ( jetted) tub because body temperatures rise, which causes blood vessels to dilate. This results in increased circulation and blood qow, which accelerates the body���s natural healing properties. The reason the healing process is increased is that lactic acid and other toxins are replaced with oxygen, In addition, endorphins ��� which are released during the process ��� serve as the body���s natural pain killers. In the past, such a hydromassage was limited to the bathtub. Today, new shower body sprays can deliver a variety of hydromassage therapies as well. Relaxing in a bubbling tub bath simulates the release of endorphins, the body���s natural ���feel good��� chemical, giving the bather a sense of renewal and rejuvenation. The warm water and soothing massage also can help relieve anxiety and relax tense muscles. New technological innovations have overcome Photos: Courtesy of David Wilkes Builders, Austin, TX; www.davidwilkesbuilders.com. Photo: Paul Bardagjy. ��� An American designer created this restful bathing pool by surrounding a free-standing bathtub with an elegantly proportioned custom L-shaped shelf. effective means of therapy for ailments and pain. Early users of heat therapy also obtained heat from hot stones and coals, open pre and irons. This type of dry heat is used in today���s saunas. The application of heat widens blood vessels and increases blood qow to the skin. Therefore, it relaxes superpcial muscles, decreases muscle spasms and reduces sti���ness of the joints. Some research has also shown it can block pain receptors for some individuals. Moist heat appears to be more effective in treating pain than dry heat, as the moisture allows the heat to penetrate more deeply into the muscle. As the blood qows, local tissue metabolism is enhanced. The improved blood qow lowers concentration of pain-producing toxic metabolites. This has led to the greater popularity of steam shower systems. ��� Here are two examples of a shower screen installed in a bathroom featuring a bathtub/shower combination pxture. Note how both bathrooms ���feel��� big because the vanity ���qoats��� o��� the qoor. the troublesome reality of ���air baths��� where the air was cold: BainUltra���s Geysair heats the air so there is a true feeling of warmth when the air bubbles touch the skin. 26 | Kitchen & Bath Design News February 2013 THERMOTHERAPY Heat has always been used in various forms to provide therapeutic benepts. Sunlight, heated sand and heated water were initially used as an BATHING SPACES The space provided for showering and the shape of bathtubs are also changing. In addition to covering water experiences and therapies, a dramatic new collection of bathtubs was seen at last year���s EuroCucina Fair in Milan that enhances the visual experience of the bather. Freestanding bathtubs are popular but they are problematic ��� there is no place to stow a book, or keep a bar of soap handy. European bathrooms combine the sense of a freestanding bathtub with some type of attached partial platform that pts against the wall or in a corner. SURFACE INNOVATIONS Innovations in surfacing materials are being driven by printing system upgrades and computer-driven pattern possibilities. Natural marbles and g ra n ite s, sol id su r face products and quartz-based surfaces are often speciped for bathrooms. Ceramic tile and natural stones are also popular choices and well understood by practicing designers. However, in the surfacing industry, the ability to use inkjet printing technology, partnered with computergenerated s Designer Alert! There are pattern revolutionary variations, is changes taking now creating place in the ceramic surfaces that tile industry that look and feel make ceramic products an ideal like natural surface in place of products, natural stone. and that are consistent, easy to care for and simpler to install. In addition to pattern, textures on surfaces are also moving into the ���3D world.���