SEEKING ZEN BATHROOMS

What is Zen Buddhism? Zen, a school of Buddhism, focuses upon the nature of the Buddha. That nature involves a “pure consciousness” and an enlightened mind. Followers of Buddhism seek to achieve “Buddhahood.” Zen, in turn, is a practice of studying the mind and seeing into one’s nature. All forms of Buddhism emphasize meditation. What is a Zen Bathroom? A Zen bathroom rests more on a foundation of architectural design it does on decorative elements. Spaces within Zen architecture flow into one another, rather than being compartmentalized. Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous early- to mid- 20th century American architect, was an early advocate of this idea, and many people have commented on the Zen-like nature of his house interiors. Wright shunned the idea of shut-off rooms in favor of areas within a house that led naturally from one space to another without intervening walls and doors. A homeowner who wants to remodel along these lines can work with an architect and an interior designer to achieve the desired look. How can I make the bathroom in my home more Zen-like? The following are some suggestions which will make your bathroom more Zen-like.* Conceal disruptive features such as unattractive windows with a Shoji screen, an opaque but translucent decorative screen which separates rooms in traditional Japanese homes.* Install a sunken marble bath facing floor-to-ceiling windows looking out upon a peaceful garden scene or trees.* Install an unlighted outdoor bathtub on a backyard veranda surrounded by green plants and a Buddha statue.* Cover bathroom walls with reclaimed Douglas fir planks to give your bathroom a Japanese bathhouse look.* Install a Japanese-style soaking tub with an adjacent bench, separated by a glass panel from the shower which is used before soaking in the tub.* Install a simple white ovoid dish-style soaking tub, a double vanity with ceramic washbasins which match the tub, and an utterly simple shower enclosed on two sides by beige tile, with the other two sides consisting of single floor-to-ceiling glass panes. Install subdued purple ceramic panels with an overlaid image of white flowering plants on the wall against which the vanity is placed.