Comfortable Stations

By Elizabeth Rudulph

In the '80s America obsessed over kitchens: literally billions were spent on preparation islands, cherry-wood cupboards, customized appliance corrals and elaborate Viking ranges. But these days the attention of house-proud homeowners has marched down the hall to -- would you believe? -- the bathroom, which has suddenly become a place to relax, to exercise, even to entertain.

New bathrooms are twice the size they were two decades ago, roomy enough for the family dog -- and maybe a few family members -- to nap between dual pedestal sinks. They have added functions too: many are preferred sites for exercise equipment, paired with a wall-mounted or swivel-based TV. Bathrooms are also showplaces, filled with big-ticket items like stained-glass shower enclosures, halogen lights, fireplaces, even "morning kitchens" with under- the-counter refrigerator and microwave for heating up muffins or evening snacks. Themed decors are popular, with billowing paisley-fabric-covered windows, flower gardens with plants, wicker furniture, and Lucite etched with cloud formations. In researching an upcoming book on baths, fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg even found a bathroom with two tubs, "so that people can talk to each other while they're getting clean."

The new loos do not come cheap. This year Americans will spend $10.9 billion on bigger and better bathrooms, typically shelling out between $7,000 and $9,000 for remodeling or adding new fixtures or furniture. Author David Owen (The Walls Around Us) and his family, of Washington, Conn., "decorated" their funky 1790 farmhouse bathroom with castoffs: a couch, a rocking chair, a bookcase, a table, an old refrigerator used for storage. They even held a cocktail party there. "It's a very comfortable, cozy room," he explains. "When the kids were little and we had company, one of us would have to leave the party for about a half-hour to get them ready for bed. So we took the drinks and moved it all upstairs. We can seat six to eight, including one on the john. There's plenty of room for a party in there." In the '90s there is real meaning behind the term comfort station.

With reporting by Michele Donley/Chicago