These beautiful, balmy late-summer days here in Maine bring the urge for water – to drink (lots), to paddle in, to splash with, to dive into, to take a shower under …

Speaking of showering (and with apologies for veering from the sublime to the you-know-what), lately I’ve been pondering the importance of a well-appointed bathroom. Let’s face it: the room is a necessity. So why not, if we’re lucky enough to have the option, make it into a pleasure too?

One of the most respected names in this regard is Waterworks, a company known to produce some of the finest bathroom accoutrements out there: great designs, beautifully made. Check out their website, and you’ll get the gist. But of special interest is that Waterworks has put together some collections that carry a lower price tag than much of their product, which puts them within reach (so to speak) of more of us – hooray! Click here for more information. I’m glad to see Toto represented in their line-up too – perhaps some of the most well-designed and price conscious product available.

Lighting is possibly more important in bathrooms than anywhere else. Along with the fixtures and fittings that one associates with them, Waterworks provides equally elegant lighting and accessories suitable for damp environments, and even surface finishes; their new Grove clay tiles are unusual and luscious.

But to revert to the thought about creating pleasure out of necessity … if all of these glamorous options are simply not “in the cards”, I think an upgrade of light fixtures, the installation of a towel warmer (some of them really are good looking!), or a switch to a lovely big “rain” shower head can make a noticeable difference. Just a jazzy shower curtain and big, soft towels artfully rolled/hung will transform the “feel” of this intimate space. If nothing else, some nice soap and candles (if you’re in the mood) are small, thoughtful luxuries that are often all you need to feel indulged.

By the way, in case you’re interested, the tranquil water pictured in the first photo is the view (captured with my iPhone while on an evening stroll) from a waterfront path in beautiful downtown Portland, Maine. I kid you not…it’s in the heart of the city.

Sometimes in Life, however, the waters feel a bit choppier (as seen from my little sailboat, below); that’s when you need a comfy bathroom to retreat to!