Bathrooms have been steadily increasing in size over the past thirty years, and today’s average bathroom is twice as large as bathrooms of the 1970s. However, bathrooms can be difficult to expand in existing houses without knocking down walls. With the bathroom consistently ranked either at the top or close to it in homebuyer consumer preference surveys, recent products announcements aimed at the room’s functionality, style and safety may help builders move more product. Ultimately, these, and other products, give the consumer what they want most: choice.

ModernDanish.com’s new line of Power (small) Bathroom vanities for use where space is very limited has placed a whole new curve and design flair on small bathroom pedestals and vanities. This hardwood bathroom vanity designer series is available in the hot and highly desired wenge espresso brown and natural oak hardwood finishes. These wood finishes compliment a wide variety of stone tile and hold any one of their uniquely selected bathroom glass vessel sinks and commonly used in today’s trend bathrooms.

“Many of our customers choose granite stone tops and want the unique touch of a top mount glass or stone vessel sink so commonly used in our market today,” added ModernDanish.com, which has over 300 bathroom sink styles to choose from in a wide variety of materials including travertine, marble glass, porcelain and metal. “The vanity collection mainly feature a wide variety of integrated towel bars in modern brushed nickel towel bars and include faucet and drain complete systems, all designed to compliment narrow limited size restrictions but holding onto the hottest designer trends and finish styles used in current building and remodeling projects.”

In an effort to protect kids and older consumers in the bathroom, the American Valve recently introduced its HotStop Scald Protection Faucets to help prevent hot water burns. The innovative product line offers an effective and affordable way to significantly eliminate the horror stories associated with scolding injuries and deaths. Each year thousands of children and adults are severely injured by scalding tap water. In fact, tap water scalds are the second most common cause of severe burn injuries among people of all ages.

According to h2otstop.com, when hot water reaches an unsafe temperature HotStop quickly reduces the water flow to a trickle to avoid scalding. Once the water in the line cools the flow re-starts automatically, usually in less than 30 seconds. Builders note that HotStop showerheads and tub spouts are UL listed and ASSE 1062 approved, and it installs in minutes.

One last note on bathrooms and the importance of functionality, style and safety: According to the fourth annual Email Addiction Survey from AOL Mail, among the findings… 59% check email from the bathroom -- up from 53% last year.

Published: August 11, 2008

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Peter L. Mosca is president and founder of BAK Communications, Inc. He has over 22 years of communications and media consulting experience, serving a variety of nonprofit organizations, including the CCIM Institute and the REALTOR Association on all three levels – national, state and local. He is the Spokesperson Trainer for the CCIM's Jay Levine Academy and trains hundreds of residential REALTORS nationwide to be effective industry spokespeople. He is consistently ranked as "excellent" by about 90% of those who attend his presentations. While his principal consulting focuses are public speaking and media relations development and content delivery and management, Peter is also the host of the Voice America Network's weekly radio program, "Income Property Investment Talk," a one-hour program that brings the powerhouses of commercial and residential real estate to property investors every Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. Peter is married 17 years to his wife Barbara. They have two children: Ashley, 15 and Kelli, 12. Hence, the name BAK Communications, Inc.