VAASTU INTERIOR

Vastu Interior for Bathroom

Bathrooms have come a long way from the tiny, dingy little cubicles that our ancestors rushed in and out of as fast as they could. Spending any thought or money on doing up these rooms was considered a sheer waste until very recently. The bathrooms of today are different in quality and style-ranging from the practical to luxurious.

Every individual's idea of luxury differs as do the features they would like to include in their bathrooms. The possibilities are endless: His and Hers wash-basins, bidets, Jacuzzis with underwater lighting and adjustable slide jets with an option of water heated air or both, sauna, steam bath, whirlpool or a reading nook with bookshelves and two comfy chairs! Then there are bathrooms located in a secluded corner of the house beside a glass wall that brings the outdoors with in.

Whereas earlier the sink, WC and bathing area were placed just where they fitted in conveniently, often resulting in the users having to traipse the length of the room to wash their hands, today a lot of thought is given to the placement of each fixture in the bathroom.

Dressing walls in the bathroom is easier, as many material can be used. A simple look requires just a coat of paint or ceramic tiles. However, water as well as soap suds are bound to splash on the walls in the bathing area and if the material is not well-selected, it will leave ugly stains with the passage of the time. Lighting in the bathrooms give the whole space a well-lit look. Fluorescent tube lights are accepted as a rule, but a couple of bulbs fitted near the mirror would produce a clearer image.

The minimum fixtures in any bathroom are a WC, washbasin and shower/tap. But the tempting variety available today both in design and colour offer different combinations. Bathrooms are been given much more attention, particularly in size The budget allocated for decoration of bathrooms has also increased substantially.

New and popular flooring options available today are more in terms of colour than any change in material used. Italian marble and ceramic tiles still hold the market, but the changes seen are in the colours and the ways of laying them. Basic earth shades are being mixed and contrasted with bolder shades to draw attention to the floor. Walls can also sport the new look of plain, patterned, embossed or marbled ceramic tiles which are offset by printed borders.

A variety of WC's are now available in different shapes, flushing styles and the capacity of the flush-which ranges from 5 to 7.5 liters. Wall mounted WCs Re available in two options: standard and concealed flushing apparatus.

Wash basins, with pedestals or fitted into a counter, come in a host of shapes- be it the standard one or the triangular shape that fits perfectly into a corner of the bathroom and avoids wastage of space.

Bathroom fixtures available in the market today have sleeker designs and come in a variety of power-coated colours of deep blue and vibrant red versus the chrome, black and ivory which were popular years ago. The designer taps may vary from a single tap to options like three tap hole basin mixers with pop-up systems and swivel spout mixers.

Acrylic bath-tubs are now available in many shapes- from standard rectangular to the more unusual triangular, D-shape and the rounded variety. Readymade acrylic bath trays, another new entrant, come in the standard size of 3'X 3' or 4'x 2.3' in a square or rectangular shape.

Luxury options like Jacuzzis are popular with those who can afford the steep rise, while shower cabinets find very few takers in the market today. Jacuzzis made of acrylic and reinforced with fiber-glass are available in designs. Saunas are popular because they help the excess fat in the body to melt away.

Bathroom accessories are colour coordinated with the rest of the like the soap trays, bathroom shelves, towel rails, toilet-paper holders, hooks and toothbrush holder. Walk in wardrobes adjacent to the bathroom are also a common feature. A lot of stress is also laid on exhaust and fresh air fans.

The colour schemes popular today are contrasts between a basic earthy shade like a fawn, beige or black, with a bolder colour like a deep maroon or forest green. If bathroom space permits, Jacuzzis and bath tubs find their way in.

Current lifestyles often demand that bathrooms offer extra facilities beyond the purely functional. Besides the now mandatory closet storage, make-up table-cum-dresser, washing machine or even a little nook used as a dressing space, you could find a bed or a dance floor in your private retreat next-depending, of course, on the space available.

Vaastu is very prevalent here, and bathrooms are carefully planned accordingly- from where the WC is placed to the wall on which the mirror is hung. According to vastu, the bigger and better planned the bathroom, the more prosperous you will be.

The east portion of the house is best for constructing a bathroom. The morning rays of the Sun are believed to be extremely beneficial for health, hence proper windows (of course with due provision for privacy) should be provided in the bathroom. The slope of the bathroom floor should be towards north and east so water drains to the north-east side of the bathroom.

A geyser can be installed in south-east of the bathroom. Taps and shower can be in north so the water drains to the north-east. Bath tub can be on the west side with head-side in south. Avoid a door on the south-west of bathroom. A washing machine can be placed in the northwest or southeast portion of the bathroom.

Ideal Bathroom

The ideal bathroom is such which provides the essentials where you need it, when you need it.

The ideal position of the bathing area would be one that allows you to step out of your bath on to dry ground.
Family size has an important role to play in the design and layout of bathrooms. The larger the family, the larger the bathroom in terms of square footage and storage space.
Plumbing fixtures should be comfortably spaced, with storage facilities and furnishings well arranged so that there is plenty of free space left for maneuvering.
Tailoring the bathroom to suit the age requirements of all its users is sensible. If toddlers use the same bathroom as the adults, the towel stand could be fixed a little lower so that a child has easy access.
In situations where one bathroom has to be shared by four or more people, separating the WC and the wash basin from the bathing area will allow two people to use different areas of the bathroom at the same time.
A WC should be placed near a window or an outer wall, so that an exhaust fan can be fitted alongside.
The bathing area should be kept away from the windows to protect it from drought.
A dry and free area (unencumbered by fixtures) is needed to allow an adult to dry off and dress after bathing.
Floor should always be skid resistant variety.
A Jacuzzi should ideally be fitted with it's access panel and electric points under the flooring, directly below the tub.
Colour scheme should be according to the age factor. Women prefers soft colours and designs, while children's bathroom sport cartoon characters. The middle income groups there is a marked preferences for pastel shades. The trend should be sober and not flashy.

Useful Tips

Ajacent to the bathrooms and near the kitchen a small washing room for washing clothes and utencils is very convenient.
Bathrooms adjacent to the south-east corner in the east direction is very useful.
The morning sunrays coming from the east side falls on our body after the bath, which is very useful.
The wash basin and shower should be in the north-east, north or the east side.
Heater, switchboard, all other electrical appliances should be in the south-east direction.
If a change room is to be built in the bathroom, it should be in the west or the south direction.
Tub baths in the bathrooms should be either in the east, the west or the north-east.
The slope of the flooring in the bathrooms should be in the east or the north direction.
The mirrors & the doors of the bathroom should be in the east or the north, but not in the south direction.
There should be windows or ventilators in the east or the north. Bath should be taken in the east or the north side.
Clothes to be washed, should be kept in the north-west corner.
The colour of walls and tiles of the bathrooms should be white, light blue, sky blue or any other pleasing light colour. As far as possible dark red or black colour should be avoided.
A toilet in the bathroom is not advisable. However, if it is, it should be in the west or the north-west.
Toilet should never be in the east or the northeast corner.