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When Robert and Barbara Sallick were traveling through Europe 30 years ago, the couple had no idea they'd become movers and shakers in this country's bathroom design and furnishings market. But something clicked as they noticed that Europeans' view of bathrooms differed greatly from those of Americans.
"People really valued their bathrooms," she said of the Europeans, especially the Germans. Americans thought of bathrooms in a utilitarian way, 5-by-7 rooms designed for privacy and utility; Europeans as a place for beautiful fixtures and furnishings.
"We took that a step farther," Sallick said. "Bathrooms should be about a personal space and relaxation. It was a cultural shift, and we took a chance the American public would eventually decide they, too, wanted better spaces and more interesting products for the bath."
It took a while, but the American public eventually did capture the Sallicks' vision of elegant, high-end bathrooms. Last year, Americans spent $23.7 billion on renovating bathrooms or building new ones, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association in Hackettstown, N.J. That compares with $47.3 billion spent on kitchens, but that's only 1.3 percent more than 2003 compared with more than a 7 per cent increase over 2003's bathroom investment.
Not only that, but bathrooms today are larger and downright luxurious, and vie...