Photo Courtesy of Siol Studios/Michael David Rose.
"The biggest problem with hot tubs: They're ugly."
Not our words, mind you; the quote came from a discussion on Houzz, the online community for home design. And that online commenter isn't the only one with the thought — there's also the landscape designer in Carmel, Ind., who says he can help "soften" the appearance of a new hot tub by masking it in a way that "makes you forget what the hot tub used to look like."
These quotes raise a salient point: Looks matter. Especially when the item in question is going to cost a pretty penny.
However, like any other product you can think of, hot tubs have unlimited potential in terms of design. To prove the point, we're taking a look at two distinctly different design trends and how they're reflected in the spa industry. In short, it's something old and something new.
The rustic look embraces a vintage spirit by taking items from the past and using them in a modern context. Mason jars are used as décor as well as for preserves, and exposed lightbulbs lend a steampunk vibe. Upcycling, like taking reclaimed wood and repurposing it, is also popular.
Rustic Influence
Mason jar décor. Exposed lightbulbs. Copper bathtubs and sinks. Reclaimed wood and wrought iron. All it takes is a glance on Pinterest and Houzz to see the popularity of all things rustic. Everything under this umbrella feels warm, homey and inviting, so it's no surprise wooden hot tubs are seeing a surge in popularity.
Of course, wooden hot tubs aren't anything new. The first hot tubs in existence were simply wooden wine vats filled with hot water. Today's wooden hot tubs are a far cry from the wine barrels of old, but still have that vintage charm — along with a few new features.
"We are seeing a convergence of the old versus the new," says Dan Jung, owner and president of Northern Lights Cedar Tubs and Saunas. "As an example, 80 percent of our wooden hot tubs are bought with a Wi-Fi option or Wi-Fi ready. We also have many customers selecting a gas/electric hybrid heating system. Mineral ionizers, ozone and LED lights are also popular."
The appeal of the wooden hot tub isn't just aesthetic. With wooden sides and not too many components, they speak to the beauty of simplicity. With a 4-foot depth, they provide a traditional "soaking" experience that is harder to achieve in acrylic spas.
"Where hot tubs are becoming like cars, more and more sophisticated and harder to diagnose — with more pumps, more of this, more of that — customers I think still appreciate the good, old-fashioned, 'Hey, I bought a hot tub to have a really good soak in hot water. That's why I'm buying it,'" Jung says.
A Modern Touch
There's something about the way modern technology looks. Think about the elegant curves we see on our iPhones. TV screens that get thinner and thinner with each new release. Discreet buttons seamlessly blend in — or don't exist at all in lieu of touchscreens. Now, we're starting to see that aesthetic in hot tub design.
?Bullfrog Spas has unveiled STIL, a hot tub that, like the iPhones and flatscreen TVs before it, is all about the intersection of form and function. According to Jake Ricks, Bullfrog's online marketing manager, the spa is inspired by what's trending in the European spa market.
"Of course each spa buyer is unique, but the typical European spa buyer seems to weigh aesthetics differently than the North American buyer, both in terms of overall importance within their list of wants and in terms of a specific style preference," he says. "European home furnishings in general tend to reflect the very refined and clean look typical of modern design. We aimed to provide that look in a portable spa while maintaining comfort and therapy at a high level."
As such, STIL features headrests that are flush with the hot tub body. The interior doesn't have superfluously contoured seats, but clean lines. The tub marks a clear departure from the standard North American hot tub that's getting noticed both inside and outside the spa industry.
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"The spa retailers we are meeting are extremely interested," Ricks says. "They feel like STIL provides an angle of differentiation and an appeal to a buyer they are missing. We are even being invited to show STIL in trade shows a bit outside of our industry where modern design is paramount. One example is the Architectural Digest Home Design Show coming up in New York City. The invitation to show there just doesn't happen with a traditional spa."
By taking special care in the design of STIL, Ricks notes that the spa is rapidly gaining traction with design-minded homeowners who now see the hot tub as something that can aesthetically fit into their lifestyle.
"The exciting thing is that STIL is also showing a lot of promise in its appeal to a new segment of buyers the entire industry may be missing," Ricks says. "Architects and designers, who are famous for only using portable spas in their designs when they must satisfy a client, are coming to us and asking for it specifically."
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