The Hospitality Industry and the Home Design industry are inextricably related. It is hard to say if what consumers want at home is the driver of the newest Hotel, Spa, and Hospitality design, or if Home design follows the trends in Hotel design. Given that hotels are remodeled and updated on an average every seven years, it is crucial for the industry to stay ahead of trends so that the looks can withstand all those years of wear.

 

Looking at hotel bathrooms and spas in particular, hotels have found the nitche that easily can place them in the Green realm. Spas, the fastest growing industry in the nation -until the economy tumbled in October of 2008-, are a natural fit for Green design, given that holistic and natural products are a defacto expectation in the industry.

 

In a nutshell, hotel bathrooms are commanding at least 30% more area than they were in the past, and the expectations for bathrooms in luxury accommodations are anything but standard. Most noteworthy is that bathrooms and spas are going Green. These trends are already permeating  home bathroom design. With plenty of green products in the market ranging from recycled paper and concrete countertops to dual flush toilets and low flow shower heads, turning your bathroom into your personal spa is not only within reach, but also the green way to go.

 

The Hyatt Key West Resort & Spa did a multi-million dollar "eco-renovation" , including the addition of an eco marine-inspired spa, featured in the November issue of Hotel Design Magazine. The choice of materials and colors is reminiscent of the spa/master bathroom retreat in our Casa Concept. Both projects include a serene choice of materials, including our CASA Concept 100% recycled glass mosaic tile in the color Seafoam, which gives the wall texture and is reminiscent of the pale green waters of the Caribbean and the Florida Keys. It is worthy to note their use of porcelain tile in the 12x24 inch format for the walls. This is the newest large format for tile and stacking it with small grout lines is the modern way to cover walls.

 

It is expected that small green remodeling projects will dominate the home construction industry during the few years that it will take to get our economy healthy again. Bathroom remodels will continue to be at the top of homeowners' dream lists. Now, you too can do an eco-renovation to your bathroom, and turn it into your personal spa.

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