Design for Life: The Biophilic Bathroom

(Page 3 of 3)

July/August 2003
By Carol Venolia 
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Radiance

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The best source of warmth and light is the sun. Bathroom windows needn’t mean privacy loss; a shoulder-height sill will preserve both views and modesty, or big windows can look out onto a protected garden. A wide windowsill allows you to put toothbrushes, sponges, and razors in the sun for natural disinfection by the ultraviolet rays.

For additional warmth, hydronic radiant heat is the most comfortable and energy efficient type. In new construction, you can install heating tubes in the floor or wall, and for retrofits there are self-contained units. Hold onto that heat by insulating the bathroom well.

Knowing nature

Lawlor suggests evoking natural bodies of water by using smooth river stones and seashells at the sink and tub to hold soap, sponges, and grooming tools. “On the walls, hang pictures that honor the grace and beauty of the body. Use photographs and paintings of waterfalls, rivers, and lakes, and water creatures such as fish, dolphins, mermaids, sea horses, and starfish,” he writes. If you’re building or remodeling, consider installing a door from your bathroom into a garden; few things are as primal as outdoor bathing.

Creating a bathroom that marries eros and logos is a radical act. Whether you build new or transform an existing bathroom, dedicate it to the truth that caring for ourselves is harmonious with caring for the earth.

Carol Venolia is an architect, author of Healing Environments: Your Guide to Indoor Well-Being (Celestial Arts, 1988).

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