MUMBAI: Bathrooms are all the rage with home owners. With urban consumers going beyond spas and gyms to destress and rejuvenate, bathrooms, which earlier didn't get much attention, are turning into experiential wellness zones. The time and money spent on bathroom interiors and accessories has risen substantially over the past five years, according to industry experts. With bathrooms becoming extensions of people's living spaces, shower enclosures, whirlpools and premium interiors are now garnering greater acceptance. As a result, the sanitaryware industry is growing at 17-18% annually.

Rajesh Mehra, director and promoter of Jaquar Group, told TOI, “When I started my career 40 years back, bathrooms used to come last on the list of people doing up their homes. Over the last decade, bathrooms have gone through a sea change. Consumers are willing to try out new products and concepts. Bathrooms, which used to be utility areas earlier, are now experiential zones. Even people with smaller houses are converting their bathrooms into wellness spaces.“

The Rs 2,800-crore Jaquar group is witnessing double-digit growth from wellness spaces alone. Products like whirlpools are gaining momentum in tier I cities among the premium middle class, which was not the case five years ago. Glass shower enclosures are growing at the rate of 15-20% today . According to K E Ranga nathan, MD, Roca Bath room Products, the average spend per bathroom today is Rs 30,000 for a mid-segment bathroom. Five years ago, it was around Rs 20,000.

“At the top end (luxury segment), the spends have gone well past Rs 10 lakh per bathroom comprising electronic toilets, whirlpools and high-end tiles. Consumers are now purchasing more premium and high-technology products for their bathrooms due to increase in spending power and affluent living standards,“ said Ranganathan.

Given the diversity of purchasing power among consumers, average household spends on bathrooms in the value segment, where the price LUXU range is Rs 5,000-8,000, is growing at around 12-15%.Premium (Rs 7,000-20,000) and luxury (Rs 65,000-2 lakh and more) are growing at 16-17% and over 20%, respectively .

With technology in living spaces becoming more common across the country, consumers are looking for ways to keep their homes “in trend“ by combining luxury with tech. From integrated toilets to digital faucets, the market has everything to spruce up the bathing space. “The market for bathroom spaces combined with wellness is a new trend for this segment in India,“ said Ranganathan, adding that features like thermostatic faucets, integrated high-low sprinklers and chromotherapy are among the several options the company offers to meet individual requirements.

In individual wellness products, people in socio-economic classifications (SEC) A1, A2 and B1 are the discerning consumers. Although early adopters are SEC A1 and A2 customers, the trend goes beyond the top metros to cities like Chandigarh, Pune and Ludhiana as well. Almost 30% requests for wellness spaces, according to Jaquar, comes from such cities.

