When many people think of steam, they often think of a sauna, but there’s a world of difference between the two, says Canadian design consultant Nathan Kyle of Astro Design Centre in Ottawa.
“While a sauna’s heat is dry, steam’s heat is moist, which, in addition to warming the body, provides a number of health benefits,” asserts Kyle, who has worked at the Ottawa-based kitchen and bathroom showroom since 2010. “Steam opens skin's pores to remove harmful toxins, helps to relieve stress and serves as a fantastic decongestant for those plagued by chronic allergies or asthma.”
>> See How a Steam Shower Differs From a Sauna
Despite the well-documented health and wellness benefits of steam, the award-winning interior designer admits that knowledge of steam showers is still relatively lacking in the Canadian marketplace.
“It’s up to showroom staff to inform homeowners about steam and its therapeutic benefits when they walk through the door looking to renovate a bathroom,” says Kyle.
For this reason, the high-end kitchen and bathroom Astro Design Centre has a staff of six full-time designers who are extremely knowledgeable about their products, as well as a working steam room that customers can use to experience the benefits of steam first hand.
Naturally, a customer’s steam options are directly related to his or her budget, but typically steam can be incorporated into a renovation for as little as $1,500, excluding labor.
Kyle should know, having won several awards from the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Ottawa chapter last year, including the People’s Choice Award for a sleek bathroom that created a luxurious spa look with inexpensive finishes, that also included a steam shower from MrSteam.
“In the world of bathroom design today, smaller spaces and busier lifestyles are driving a greater use of showers and fewer bulky jetted tubs,” explains Kyle. “The design trick is to preserve that luxurious spa atmosphere in often tighter quarters, and a steam shower is ideal for evoking images of high-end resorts or lavish day spas.”
According to Kyle, many clients enjoy the interactive steam shower control features and innovative accessories. “My clients love the ability to control and set the steam shower so that it’s primed and ready for when they get out of bed,” explains Kyle. “Some homeowners also have an in-home gym, so the ability to soothe sore muscles with steam after a tough workout is priceless.”
Astro Design Centre offers various SteamTherapy accessories, ranging from an in-shower MusicTherapy sound system to ChromaSteam mood lighting that incorporates a spectrum of relaxing and rejuvenating colors. A customer-favorite, according to Kyle, is the AromaSteam option, which adds essential oils to the steam shower experience, from refreshing eucalyptus to calming lavender.
How To Install the Chroma Light Cable and Light Up Your Steam Room
>> See Hear the Benefits of Steam with AudioWizard™
Kyle recommends steam to virtually all of his clients. He notes that certain requirements need to be met when installing a steam shower, including waterproofing the entire shower, tiling the walls and sloping the ceiling. “If you’re already going through the process of renovating a bathroom, though, I see no reason why not to go the extra mile to install steam,” states Kyle. “You are already installing a shower, so why not upgrade it with a few minor tweaks and enjoy the benefits of steam?”
When it comes to steam shower technology, Kyle is extremely pleased with the MrSteam brand, which the showroom has sold for more than 12 years. “MrSteam is my number one, go-to brand when it comes to steam,” explains Kyle. “Their innovative, feature-rich and user-friendly products are second-to-none.”
Ultimately, Kyle explains that his most important goal is: “To give people a good excuse to invest in their own health and happiness.”
What can be more desirable in the cold Ottawa climate than a hot steam shower? If you're based near Ottawa, we hope you'll visit this steam shower showroom.