» By: ARA
(ARA) - ‘Tis the season . . . for turkey, eggnog, sugar plums, mistletoe . . . and holiday guests. While many homeowners will soon be sprucing up their homes in preparation for family and friends, most will concentrate on traditional areas such as dining rooms, family rooms and living rooms. However, they often overlook the one room holiday guests frequent most -- the powder room.

“We all go to great lengths to give our homes a fresh look for the holidays, but the one room that gets the most traffic typically receives the least attention,” said Jennifer Rowell, senior product manager at Creative Specialties International, a leading designer and manufacturer in the bath accessory marketplace. “And because the size of the powder room is typically smaller than other rooms in your home, it allows you the opportunity to be a bit more creative in your decorating style -- allowing you to tap into the warmth of family traditions and nostalgia of the holiday season.”

One of the quickest -- and most simple -- ways to update your bathroom’s style is by replacing the accessories. For less than $75, an entire set of new accessories can be purchased -- including towel bars, paper holders and towel rings. And accessories can really tie a room together and complement any décor.

“When we talk to consumers, we find a vast majority will change the soaps, scented candles, towels and linens in their bath at the holidays,” added Rowell. “Why not complete the look by updating the accessories, as well?”

Choices Abound

In the past, chrome or polished brass were the only finish choices in the bath accessory marketplace. Fortunately, the industry has changed dramatically in the last decade, and manufacturers now offer dozens of finish and style options in bath accessories.

“The bath accessory marketplace has really come to life in the last few years,” added Rowell. “Consumers today have more choices than ever before. From unique styles in oil-rubbed bronze to contemporary designs in brushed chrome . . . dramatic wrought iron finishes and even accessories made in brushed nickel, homeowners have a wide variety of new and innovative design options for the bath.”

With all of the new options, Americans still hold true to a traditional finish. According to a survey by Creative Specialties International and Rooms of America, a consumer research organization, chrome is still the most popular bath accessory finish, but consumers’ second choice, brushed nickel, is on the rise. In addition, other finishes, such as oil-rubbed bronze and wrought iron, are also increasing in popularity with consumers. In fact, non-chrome finishes now represent almost half of bath accessory sales.

Relying on this survey, and other extensive consumer research, Creative Specialties International recently introduced four new bath accessory collections designed to reflect the styles used in today’s bath. Sold under the Inspirations brand, the Stockton, Danbury, Sage and Avery collections each fall into one of three design categories -- traditional, contemporary/casual or country.

Easy as 1-2-3

Once you have selected the right style of accessory to match your bathroom décor, installing the accessories is a snap!

First, position the assembled unit, such as a towel bar, on the wall where desired. Lightly mark the outline of each base. Next, center a mounting bracket within each base outline and mark the hole locations of each mounting bracket.

Attach each mounting bracket to the wall, using mounting bracket screws and wall anchors. A special tip, according to Rowell, “While it’s not necessary to mount accessories into wood studs, we highly recommend it. It makes for a more secure connection and will hold weight more evenly.”

Finally, mount each base on the corresponding mounting bracket, making sure that the base set screw hole(s) are facing down. Assemble a set screw to each base and use an Allen wrench (included in most accessory hardware kits) to tighten each set screw and secure the assembly to the mounting bracket.

To ensure an accessory is mounted in the proper location, some manufacturers, such as Creative Specialties International, offer templates with each product. The template can be hung and taped to the wall, giving the consumer the exact location of where the accessory should be mounted.

As for final words of advice, Rowell added, “The powder room isn’t the first on the list when we think of entertaining, but it can leave quite an impression with guests. Remember to continue your holiday spruce-ups into the bath and you’ll be surprised at the compliments you receive.”

For more information on bath style trends, or accessory products available from Creative Specialties International, write 25300 Al Moen Drive, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070-8022, call toll free (800) 882-0116, or visit www.moen.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content





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Courtesy of ARA Content