Safety Goes Beautiful in the Bath

Bathroom safety is an important issue that doesn’t get much attention from homeowners. Why? Because it isn’t sexy. “We don’t question putting handrails on stairs for safety,” says Ian Crawford of 

Invisia Collection, “but we do question handrails in wet, soapy and slippery places.”

Every year 250,000 Americans ages 15 and up are injured due to falling in the bathroom. An additional 8,000 children suffer fall-related injuries each day — with two-thirds taking place in the bathtub or shower. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the medical cost of these occurrences in 2010 alone was $30 billion.

Many of us would fight tooth and nail to keep obvious-looking safety equipment out of an expensive bathroom, for fear it would detract from the aesthetic. Yet, should we slip and break a body part because there wasn't anything to grab on to, we'd be wishing we'd been more proactive.

Now's your chance. If you're building or remodeling a bathroom, check out these simple but effective safety measures. They'll keep your bathroom 100 percent attractive — and that's a statistic we can all appreciate.

The modern bathroom shown here, by V & Company Fine Builders, features a contemporary grab bar from Julius Blum & Co. that was cut to size.


This bathroom celebrates universal design with numerous grab bars that blend into the background. The toilet roll holder, from Invisia, also doubles as a grab bar. Fold-down benches are a smart way to wash feet or shave legs without slipping. This one, also from Invisia, has a brushed-aluminum frame and a Brazilian walnut seat. It folds up and out of the way to prevent tripping.





Reality check: Bathroom safety applies to every one of us, regardless of age. The good news is that most bathroom falls are preventable.

Crawford's tips to ensure bathroom safety:
• Use nonslip bath mats.
• Remove loose materials from the floor.
• Wear bathrobes that end above the knee.
• Design your bathroom with supports.


Let's talk about those all-important supports. “Support is an interesting problem that we’re hoping to change the culture of,” Crawford says. “Our company has been around for 20 years, but we’ve noticed that even though people need help, they don’t want help.”

In this bathroom a handsome teak bench was used instead of one of those hospital-style benches no one likes to look at.


Crawford’s company and many others are trying to change the stigma of bathroom safety by offering sleeker, more desirable designs that don't look like they belong in an assisted-living facility.

This simulated marble bathroom, created by Bath Xpert, features numerous grab bars, one of which doubles as a soap and shampoo rack.


Kohler, Toto and Plumbing Supply offer metal bars in numerous styles that range from traditional to contemporary. Great Grab Bars & More has bars made of acrylic and teak. Moen sells a line of grab bars, as well as many other toilet and tub safety features.

If none of these companies' products do it for you, you can always go with custom pieces, like the sculptural railing seen in this bathroom designed by Kanner Architects.


This universal design, from By Design Builders, makes aesthetics and safety equal priorities with its stunning vein-cut silver travertine, cast glass and LED lighting.

Grab bars and a folding bench allow everyone to shower comfortably and safely. Also shown here is a shower head from Grohe, which has temperature-control technology, so no one gets scalded.


Grab bars are available in numerous shapes and sizes, allowing their design to work cohesively with any bathroom's style.


Accent rings over the temperature control and soap dish ensure stability at every needed point here.


While traditional towel bars may not be able to bear the weight of a fall victim, the towel bar in the foreground here is actually a grab bar too.


This oil-rubbed-bronze grab bar, from Jaclo, is outlined in tiles to make it look like part of the design, as opposed to an afterthought.


This shower, built by Walter M. Springs Construction, has grab bars from Waterhouse.


To a consumer, bath safety usually conjures thoughts of a hospital-like setting. "In reality,” says Crawford, “there are a host of products that can substantially improve safety and assistance in the washroom without advertising it in blatant ways."

As these bathrooms prove, you can absolutely have a safe and sexy environment all in one.

Your turn: Show us your beautiful, safe bathrooms.

More: Safety Plays With Style in Kids' Bathrooms

URL: Safety Goes Beautiful in the Bath http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-21550.html