Where to place water filtering/ionizing systems into an existing home?

Kitchen sinks and bar sinks are the most popular locations.  But will it fit in those locations?First of all, it is important to point out that the ‘faucet’ part of the system fits into any regular faucet hole in your counter.  There are two things to look for: 1) an available faucet hole, or an area available by a sink to create a new faucet hole. 2) space in sink cabinet for the filtering/ionization system.

Faucet holes can be made available by a) removing an existing faucet b) changing the existing faucet that has the spout and handle in separate holes to a newer faucet that has the handle attached to the spout c) removing a soap dispenser d) removing an existing filtered water faucet e) changing the existing faucet that has a separate hole for the spray f) drilling a new hole

The space needed in the sink cabinet is 5 1/2” wide x 14 1/8” long x 14” high. 

A typical sink cabinet has the sink and plumbing located in the center of the cabinet, leaving the sides as potential areas to place this system.  There may be a garbage disposal that is occupying space in the sink cabinet.  Installation of the system is EASY with the clear instructions provided.Box fits in sink cabinet  

Retail price is $4995.00 (call me for discounted pricing.)  Considering that bottled 9.0 alkaline water sells for $3.00 bottle and massages cost around $95 (are you buying large bottled water and carrying it home?) and that this system successfully filters out all contaminants AND has the option of producing Alkaline water, this investment is well worth the money spent.  This is a household ‘appliance’ that has far reaching health benefits for your entire family.

My Green Toilet Water 2.0

OK, we’ve been here before, February of 2010 to be exact.  That is when I announced my big plan for harvesting the rainwater from my roof, putting it through a filtering system and using it for flushing my toilets.  All disguised as a waterfall.  A good idea, I thought.  Well, back in 2010 I ran out of money to finish the project and the tanks have been sitting my back yard since.

Much has changed in the last four years and Seattle is on board with rainwater harvesting.  (If you remember, rain barrels used to be the only option.)  In 2013 the city of Seattle created a program called RainWise where large rain barrels (called cisterns) are encouraged to be used for watering your gardens, and/or directing rainwater to the sewer or conveyance channel.  There are REBATES available for homeowners who participate in this program and live within a specific area.  There are some requirements:  a minimum of 400 sf of roof area must be directed to one cistern, you must used a licensed bonded contractor from the list of authorized contractors, etc.  These are easy requirements to fill and I encourage everyone that qualifies for the rebate to participate.   In fact, even if you do not qualify for the rebate you should participate.

My project was always a bit more comprehensive, the big tanks have to be placed under ground and I will have meters to monitor the water useage, etc.  It helps to remind everyone why I am doing this in the first place – because it makes me crazy that we use treated, drinkable water to flush our toilets.  Many of my home projects wind up being more than the initial design….the gutter waterfall has turned into a rockery waterfall/small pond, and I’m thinking about building an ADU (attached dwelling unit) that incorporates the harvesting system.  Hopefully, with the help of the city of Seattle I may be able to start this project up again!

Going Green, Christine       

Who do you shower with? I shower with Marble!

I shower surrounded by marble and I love it.  There is something both peaceful and elegant when showering in marble enclosures.  Natural stone triggers our body to relax, as does landscape pictures, and other symbols of nature.  Marble also gives a sense of elegance that ceramic tile just doesn’t have. Marble Tiles, Bellmont Cabinets

Marble is relatively low priced (compared to granite) and polished marble tiles can be used on the walls of your shower.  When having a marble tile shower enclosure installed, I request that my installer uses a very small grout line, just a hair.  That way we see more of the natural material and less grout.

 One extremely successful option that I recently explored is using entire slabs of marble on the walls of the shower and adjacent walls.  With few to zero seams, you really will not ever have a ‘grout problem’ and the result is spectacular. Marble Slabs An easy way to go about this is to visit a ‘stone yard’ and look at marble slabs.  There will be a wide variety of selections and with it, a wide variety of prices.  But some of the most beautiful stones are the most ‘common’ ones and many of those are in the lower price section.  Stone slabs come in different thicknesses.  3 cm is for counters, 2 cm can be used for counters OR shower walls.  Some slab yards have 1 cm slabs that are specifically for walls.  These are even lower priced because they are very thin.

A popular finish for stone is ‘leather’ (it comes in a variety of names).  This finish is not polished, and it is not honed.  It has a textured ‘hand’ which feels very ‘natural’ and ‘unproduced’ AND it is difficult to stain.  Leather finished marble is perfect for a shower enclosure.  It has the beauty of nature and the elegance that only marble brings to the table. 

So, Who do you shower with?  I shower with Marble!

KBIS goes Green

Straight from Chicago’s KBIS---- This year’s Kitchen and Bath Show featured more Green product than I remember in recent history! MANY manufacturers have realized that not all consumers are made of money and that there is a big market for ‘affordable’ remodeling options.

Kohler came out with a new product called the ‘Hydro Rail shower column’  which looks like a hand shower bar, but is actually a ‘plumbing bar’  that allows you to select any shower head and add it to the top of the bar and any hand shower and add it to the bar, without having to re plumb your shower wall.  In other words, you do not have to remove the old valves and add new valves just because you want to change your shower head and/or want to add a hand shower.

Another super cool solution to the hand shower re plumbing issue is solved by Delta .In2ition features a detachable handshower, which can run separately from or simultaneously with the showerhead.  It comes with its’ own diverter allowing you to select the shower head and hand shower, showerhead only or handshower only. The handshower ‘docks’ inside the shower head and is held in place with magnetic force.  There is a pause function to save water while you are lathering as well as the super impressive stretchable hose!

Finally, another great remodeling product is the new flexible drain pipe from Kohler.  PureFlo features a flexible overflow ell as well as a drain ell for easy installation to fit various bath angles.  In laymens terms, it reduces plumbing costs by not having to move the tub drain.   It offers standard 1 ½” OD flexible tubing and you can choose from a number of tub drains and overflow trims to finish off your remodel!

 Keeping Green,

Christine

My latest obsession with water

I just realized something other people may have already known - that I have an obsession with water.  Years ago I pursued a business where I would visit home owners, do an energy assessment of their home focusing primarily on water usage and show how much water they were using and purchasing.  Then I would show them HET (High efficiency toilets) and faucets that use less gpm (gallons per minute) and give a comparison on how much water (and money) they could save by changing out their fixtures as well as educating them on water saving habits.  I really wanted to change our community, one toilet at a time. 

Then I became obsessed with the use of colored light and music in a showering experience.  (Kohler DTV programs colored lights and showering experiences).  I designed a very unique shower complete with a stone garden wall overlooking a waterproof mural of the Spanish countryside on the walls, stone floor mimicking a terrace, preset with colored lights, body sprays, and music (Battlestar Gallactica) to make the ULTIMATE showering experience. 

In 2010 I started my Rain Water Waterfall / rain water harvesting to be used as toilet water project.  I purchased a couple underground water storage tanks and designed (with help) a system to collect rainwater by punching holes in my gutter creating a waterfall in front of my music room windows.  The rainwater would collect in a ‘pool’ that filtered the water and directed it into storage tanks which were to be piped to my home and pumped up to the plumbing wall of my home.  And I would have clean toilet water that had been recycled from my roof.

My concern with the lack of potable water in most of the world directed me into learning about sustainability and becoming a LEED AP.  My family history of manufacturing medical machines that use electricity on our body engrained in me the basic understanding that our body is made of water…. I have been talking and writing about water for a very long time.

So it should not have been a surprise that my newest venture is to design and build and operate a hydro Spa featuring a sauna room, a steam room, a warm ‘floating’ pool with a 12’ waterfall, complete with soft music & lights, in the building that also houses a Wellness Center and a hot Yoga school.  I am REALLY excited about this venture and look forward to the day that I invite all of you to my grand opening!

Keeping Green,   Christine

The Urban Spa

The private Urban Spa is the most recent of trends in our community.  Whether it is a reaction to the stress that we experience exponentially, or our desire to pamper ourselves, we are seeking relaxation opportunities for our lives.  Many of us are creating private 'spas' in our homes to fulfill those needs.  Remodeling a bathroom into your private urban spa is not necessarily more expensive than a normal bathroom remodel.  You just need a few key items to ensure your relaxation.   Here are some basics:

To create a peaceful, relaxing area you should a) select natural materials for the flooring, walls and counters b)  allow the textures from the natural materials create pattern and interest c)  select colors that are soothing (no fire engine reds) d) select fixtures that have simple lines (no ornateness)

Options for your home spa:  a)  heated towel warmer (this can double as the towel rack) b) steam shower (steam shower fixtures are available through Kohler) c) heated flooring d) music (sound system) e) tubs with heat, jets or bubbles f)  large open showers with body sprays, rain shower heads and hand showers g) bench to lay down on both in the steam shower and outside the shower  h) sauna  i) foot massager  j) foot baths (yes they exist! see MTI's foot bath) k) specialty shower enclosures l) aroma therapy & light therapy (available through most tub & shower manufacturers - see Kohler DTV electronic interface

As with any remodel, the key to success is planning. Call me and we can create your eternal relaxation spa!  Chiao!

Bathing in Style in a 60x32

I have found that people either love to take baths or really don't like or use bathtubs.  For those who love to take baths, it is often a therapeutic, ritualistic experience.  Steamy hot water, bath oils or salts, scented candles, music, a good book...There are thousands of wonderful bathing options that help you achieve this experience, but when limited to a 60" x 32" area (the typical size of an existing bathtub), those options become limited.  Here are some ways to create the Personal Spa Experience that you have dreamed of in your 60x32  space.

Select a tub that allows you to personalize your options.   MTI Whirlpool tubs (left, Andrea 6) allow you to select water jets, air bubbles, heated (inline heaters), aromatherapy, chromatherapy, pillows, factory installed hand held showers, non slip bottom, integral grab bars in many finishes, stereo speakers, integral arm rests and a removable teak seat to use with the arm rests.  The teak seat is great if you are like me and like to sit slighting above the tub floor.  MTI also offers a teak seat that is attached to the wall and can fold down. 

 If you recall my foot surgery experience, you'll remember my new found appreciation of bathroom fixtures that use 'universal' design concepts.  This means designing for people of all ages and abilities.  In my case, I asked 'how do I safely get in and out of the bathtub while standing on one foot?'  The first option is a seat or bench that acts as a 'transfer' area. (The drop down teak bench is a good example)  It is a bench that is easy to sit on (because it is at chair height), allowing you to swing your legs around into the tub.  This is the safe way to enter the tub, from a seated position.  The next step in the transfer solution is to sit down into the tub.  Since the tub is presumably filled with water, it can be very slippery so a carefully placed grab bar is the safe solution.

While there are tubs made specifically to 'walk in,' (SafetyTub), that fit within our 60x32 space, they look fairly institutional and you still have to 'walk' in, stepping over the curb, through a fairly skinny opening to sit down on the seat.  The plus side of this tub is that it has a ONE MINUTE drain feature.  Which means you will be shivering for only one minute while the hot water drains.  It also features all the bells and whistles as options, aromatherapy, different hydro massage options, etc. 

There is a new third option available.  It is the Kohler Elevance Rising Wall Bath.  Basically, the bottom of the tub is at chair height, the side of the tub slides down, allowing you to easily transfer and sit in the tub.  You swing your legs into the tub, raise the 'wall' and voila! You are in the tub and seated safely.  The tub has a nice design and offers a bubble massage and integral hand shower option.  The grab bars are integral to the tub, and Kohler boasts that the tub will drain in under two minutes. Upside, it provides a safe way to bathe.  Downside, it is only offered in white, it is 33.5" wide and we lost most of our hydrotherapy, chromatherapy and aromatherapy options. 

These are the latest bathing options for your bathroom remodel that stays within your existing space and layout.  Talk to you soon - I am going to take a long, hot bath!