I recently came across a book entitled Guy Space, a Guide to Defining a Mans Personal Space. The title intrigued me because being a parent for so long I have totally forgotten what it’s like to have my own private bathroom space. This got me thinking, what is considered a manly bathroom as opposed to a more feminine bath environment. Is this "man’s bathroom space" a new emerging trend? Let’s say you are a single guy moving up in the world, you have a good paying job, a nice car and a brand new house, now you want to trip out your bathroom so you can enjoy your down time after putting in a hard days work at the office. How would you create a bathroom that defines your sex and jumps out and says this bathroom was made for a man?

Well I believe that most of the rudimentary fixtures would be the same, the toilet, the bath tub, the shower and the vanity are pretty much a given. What would set apart a masculine bathroom is more than likely going to be the colors, the textural details and the accessories such as the addition of an exercise area. And just so you ladies know, men like to be pampered too; they just don’t like to admit it. We love to play hard; we love our toys and yes we enjoy our quiet time too, that is if you consider quiet time, splashing soapy water all over the bathroom floor as we scream at the top of our lungs while watching reruns of yesterdays Grey Cup game on our wall hung flatscreen in our bathroom.

Hardwood is eye pleasing and one of the first elements that come to mind when thinking about a mans bathroom. Using wood in combination with ceramic tile or natural stone creates a rustic spa-like atmosphere. Wood and chrome is also a good combination, though using wood in any bathroom will require regular maintenance to remain moisture resistant. The darker woods are more masculine and remember that eggshell, satin or semigloss finishes are better at resisting moisture than regular flat paint.

While there were lots of pictures in the book that were masculine inspired baths, the one that caught my eye was the cabin-inspired bathroom design. I mean what could be more masculine than a square black leather framed mirror with six large weathered gold circular studs outlined with smaller studs along the border of the large studs and mirror frame. Put in a tall black antique looking wide set 3-piece faucet, a wide off-white square shallow set sink on a yellow ochre solid surface (or granite) handsome countertop resting on a wooden black vanity, with a black and grey colored tile backsplash and black ceiling high storage cabinets off the side of the vanity. Add some Old Spice and Axe body spray on the vanity counter to set the mood. This all set against mustard/tan weathered looking faux painted walls. (A special note here is when looking for paint for your bathroom walls, look for one that contains mildewcide). And over the vanity is a stretched cow hide elongated triple light shade with buffalo silhouettes engraved in the shade. I would feel manly just stepping inside this bath, all that’s missing is my cowboy hat and saddle!

Men like their toys so you know they have to have their built in audio and video multimedia system in their bathrooms. Wall mounted flat screen television or mirror TV, in-wall soundtile speakers, chromatherapy in the rain shower head or even in the tub and of course a steam shower with a multi-spray whole body faucet module. And lest we forget the tub-side refrigerator for a cold one or possibly even storing the new fangled organic skin products made especially for men.

And remember, while having all the new fangled toys in the bathroom is great, a simple cast-iron claw foot tub on black and white mosaic tiles can still create a nostalgic mood that is sure to strike a retro chord that can be enjoyed by both sexes. The latest trend of creating personalized space is growing in momentum with each passing day. This question goes out to our readers: How do you define your own personal bathroom space?

Creating Space in Your Small Bathroom is sometimes more important than defining your personal space. This other article may also intrigue you about Minimum Fixture Clearance When You Renovate and this commentary looks at the Changing Space of Our Modern Bathrooms.

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Be Creative and Define Your Own Bathroom Space