Spa Tower: Fusion of Technology and The Past

July 15, 2010 by Kenmore

The Pantheon, Rome
I love to travel. Travel refreshes my spirit, especially when I visit Europe. I love Italy… the wonderful towers of Sienna… the colors of the Italian countryside. In fact, these all played a part in my recent bathroom design for the Kohler Design Center in Kohler, Wisconsin.

I was inspired to create Spa Tower by the Pantheon in Rome, which began as a Roman temple and later became a Catholic church. The Pantheon has a huge coffered and volumetric ceiling. It just feels so spiritual, with its oculus (circular light) opening to the sky.

I wanted to take the spiritual concept of being enveloped and embraced and elevate the idea of bathing to the level of a Michelangelo work of art. When I first saw the space I had to work with, I noticed the 8-foot ceiling. I knocked on it, realized there was space above the ceiling panels, and decided to open the ceiling to a soaring 14 feet.

The Spa Tower at the Kohler Design Center; photos courtesy of Kohler Co.

To me, water is a regenerative substance, making bathing and cleansing a kind of rebirth. I thought it would be neat to install two handheld showerheads, so parents can shower their kids or even the family dog easily, almost like a new-age mudroom! I used waterproof indoor-outdoor fabric to create curtains that separate the shower from the rest of the space.

The entire space is decorated in linen and gray tones – the soothing colors of the Renaissance. I’m fascinated by the fusion of technology and history, looking backward and forward at the same time. So I used Kohler’s DTV™ digital showering system, which lets you choose and set your shower spray pattern, pressure and temperature. It’s a digitized bathing experience inspired by the Renaissance!

There are a few ways you can bring this look into your bath. Search online for an image of the Pantheon and have it enlarged – big enough to fill a wall. You can retile the tub surround in monochromatic tones, or use similar fabric to create a shower curtain. Or how about hanging a map of the world over your tub, and using red pushpins to indicate places you’ve been, and green ones to show where you hope to visit?

If you’re thinking about a kitchen or bath remodel, the Kohler Design Center in Kohler, Wisconsin is a great place to visit. It’s about an hour north of Milwaukee on the grounds of The American Club hotel and spa resort.

Kenmore recommends…

When it comes to iconic design and inspiring details, Kenmore leads the way. For example, have you seen the elegant ergonomic door handles on our new refrigerators? And talk about inspiring – the square “sandprint” door design on our new font-load washers and dryers was inspired by the seamless impression of a handprint in the sand.

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