<p>Technology is entering the home space more and more everyday for several reasons — to make homes more functional, to reduce energy consumption, or simply, to make homes more pleasant. <br /><br />The bathroom, maybe more than any other space in the house, has witnessed the development of several technologies. Over the last century, the attention given to the bathroom inside the house has constantly grown. This room is no longer considered just a ‘washroom’, it has become an area in which wellness and relaxation are pursued.<br /><br />In this respect, technology has played an important part, allowing faucets and shower systems to offer, together with the traditional water functions, many other luxuries. Nowadays, shower systems offer different kind of water jets like waterfall and mist functions, as well as LED chromatherapy.<br /><br />Colours to de-stress<br /><br />The idea of chromatherapy has been known for centuries. The ancient Greeks believed that light and colours were paramount for human health and could be used to treat several disorders. <br /><br />Chromatherapy is based on the idea that colours release vibrational energies or frequencies on the human body and can correct energy imbalances. It is believed that certain conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, cramps, migraines, high blood pressure etc can be improved using chromatherapy.<br /><br />Each colour on the visible light spectrum has a different frequency or energy. For example, red has a long wavelength and low frequency, and brings warmth and motivation. It is a passionate colour meant to draw out your instincts and self-awareness. It energises the organs and senses and can be used to promote health for people who have cold or exhaustion. Violet has a short wavelength and higher <br />frequency. Violet means serenity and it can improve creative thinking. This colour lends itself to renewal and can aid in addiction, delusions and detoxification.<br /><br />Blue helps improve communication and speech and brings about peace and wisdom. Blue is a cooling colour and could relieve inflammations, itching, fever and headaches. Green is for relaxing and helps with stress and anxiety. It can be used for most conditions in need of healing, including kidney diseases, hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure and more. Yellow represents warmth and optimism. It may strengthen the nerves and improve intellect and critical thinking. It can also aid in digestion and stomach conditions. Orange liberates the body and mind, relieving constraints. It is a warm colour that supports social interaction, enthusiasm.<br /><br />It is thought that our organs and glands also have their own specific frequencies that correlate with the different colours. If a part of your body is sick or has an energy imbalance, the colour with the <br />corresponding frequency is thought to restore the correct energy and improve health.<br /><br />This holistic belief has grown in popularity and can now be found at many leading spas and hotels. Some even incorporate music and aromatherapy into their sessions. Smart solutions for the bathroom are also derived from the way furniture and washbasins are designed. Floating basins and cabinet make it easy to keep the room floor clean; freestanding bathtubs allow to position the item in any place of the room, to make the environment as relaxing as possible.<br /><br />Some luxury...<br /><br />There are also vanities with hidden water supply and discharge hoses to meet the demand of flexibility inside the bathroom. Smart storage is another interesting aspect of comfortable bathrooms nowadays. Modular systems are able to satisfy any sort of arrangement required by the final customer and have been developed to suit different kinds of spaces, allowing the user to change the mix of furniture <br />elements even after years.<br /><br />The offerings of the most complex shower systems include speakers to listen to music and a touch screen to watch videos and control different functions. Touchscreens are another innovation inside 21st century bathrooms. By adopting a technology already familiar to smartphones and tablet users, the shower touchpads allow control of several multimedia functions with a simple hand touch. The final user can benefit from a technology which is user-friendly and satisfying in terms of aesthetics. Watching videos, listening to music and enjoying the different shades of colour lighting are all functions that can be controlled through a touch screen, recreating the spa experience in the shower.<br /><br />The essence of design is the ability to create objects that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. In this respect, technology is one of the main sources designers can exploit to create objects that can fulfill this goal.<br /><br />(The author is director of sales, GRAFF Europe)<br /><br /></p>
<p>Technology is entering the home space more and more everyday for several reasons — to make homes more functional, to reduce energy consumption, or simply, to make homes more pleasant. <br /><br />The bathroom, maybe more than any other space in the house, has witnessed the development of several technologies. Over the last century, the attention given to the bathroom inside the house has constantly grown. This room is no longer considered just a ‘washroom’, it has become an area in which wellness and relaxation are pursued.<br /><br />In this respect, technology has played an important part, allowing faucets and shower systems to offer, together with the traditional water functions, many other luxuries. Nowadays, shower systems offer different kind of water jets like waterfall and mist functions, as well as LED chromatherapy.<br /><br />Colours to de-stress<br /><br />The idea of chromatherapy has been known for centuries. The ancient Greeks believed that light and colours were paramount for human health and could be used to treat several disorders. <br /><br />Chromatherapy is based on the idea that colours release vibrational energies or frequencies on the human body and can correct energy imbalances. It is believed that certain conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, cramps, migraines, high blood pressure etc can be improved using chromatherapy.<br /><br />Each colour on the visible light spectrum has a different frequency or energy. For example, red has a long wavelength and low frequency, and brings warmth and motivation. It is a passionate colour meant to draw out your instincts and self-awareness. It energises the organs and senses and can be used to promote health for people who have cold or exhaustion. Violet has a short wavelength and higher <br />frequency. Violet means serenity and it can improve creative thinking. This colour lends itself to renewal and can aid in addiction, delusions and detoxification.<br /><br />Blue helps improve communication and speech and brings about peace and wisdom. Blue is a cooling colour and could relieve inflammations, itching, fever and headaches. Green is for relaxing and helps with stress and anxiety. It can be used for most conditions in need of healing, including kidney diseases, hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure and more. Yellow represents warmth and optimism. It may strengthen the nerves and improve intellect and critical thinking. It can also aid in digestion and stomach conditions. Orange liberates the body and mind, relieving constraints. It is a warm colour that supports social interaction, enthusiasm.<br /><br />It is thought that our organs and glands also have their own specific frequencies that correlate with the different colours. If a part of your body is sick or has an energy imbalance, the colour with the <br />corresponding frequency is thought to restore the correct energy and improve health.<br /><br />This holistic belief has grown in popularity and can now be found at many leading spas and hotels. Some even incorporate music and aromatherapy into their sessions. Smart solutions for the bathroom are also derived from the way furniture and washbasins are designed. Floating basins and cabinet make it easy to keep the room floor clean; freestanding bathtubs allow to position the item in any place of the room, to make the environment as relaxing as possible.<br /><br />Some luxury...<br /><br />There are also vanities with hidden water supply and discharge hoses to meet the demand of flexibility inside the bathroom. Smart storage is another interesting aspect of comfortable bathrooms nowadays. Modular systems are able to satisfy any sort of arrangement required by the final customer and have been developed to suit different kinds of spaces, allowing the user to change the mix of furniture <br />elements even after years.<br /><br />The offerings of the most complex shower systems include speakers to listen to music and a touch screen to watch videos and control different functions. Touchscreens are another innovation inside 21st century bathrooms. By adopting a technology already familiar to smartphones and tablet users, the shower touchpads allow control of several multimedia functions with a simple hand touch. The final user can benefit from a technology which is user-friendly and satisfying in terms of aesthetics. Watching videos, listening to music and enjoying the different shades of colour lighting are all functions that can be controlled through a touch screen, recreating the spa experience in the shower.<br /><br />The essence of design is the ability to create objects that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. In this respect, technology is one of the main sources designers can exploit to create objects that can fulfill this goal.<br /><br />(The author is director of sales, GRAFF Europe)<br /><br /></p>
