Bathing in giant tubs that allow you to fully immerse yourself provides "serenity for the body, mind and soul," says Carter Thomas, a designer for Kohler. "Deep bathing is more sensual; it engages all of the senses."

Designers say people are spending more time in their bathrooms. They want bathrooms to reflect their lifestyles and serve as a place to forget the day's worries. "When you wake up, you immediately go into the bathroom," said local interior designer Claude Barron. "Because everything is in there, from the shower to the closet, people don't leave the bathroom until they're ready to grab a cup of coffee and walk out the door."

When they do get time to relax, people are infusing home spas, steam showers and deep bathing into their new oasis. They're moving away from whirlpools, single shower heads and plain lighting, home-interior experts say. Now they want multiple shower jets with massage features, mood lighting and deep tubs that resemble bathing pools.