Last year, an extravagant mansion in Bel Air was dubbed “America’s most expensive residence” and was expected to sell for a staggering half a billion dollars. However, it only fetched $126 million in the end. While the price is noteworthy, what truly stands out about this mansion is the number of bathrooms it boasts. With 42 bathrooms for its 21 bedrooms, it seems excessive even for the ultra-wealthy.
This raises the question: why would anyone need 42 bathrooms? It’s hard to imagine them all being used.
Perhaps the lavishly wealthy have unique needs and desires. F. Scott Fitzgerald famously remarked, “The rich are different from you and me.” To which Hemingway famously replied, “Yes, they have more money.” In today’s context, Hemingway might have added, “And more bathrooms.”
This phenomenon of excessive bathrooms is not limited to the homes of the super-rich. It has seeped into middle-class and suburban properties as well. It seems to be a symptom of decadence and a wasteful use of resources, but it has become a trend nonetheless.
The popularity of en-suite bathrooms in the US emerged in the 1980s, a bit later in the UK. The trend may have been influenced by business travel and the standard of individual bathrooms in hotels, as opposed to shared facilities.
In the past, boarding houses and subdivided London lodgings often included a washbasin in the corner of each room. However, the concept of an en-suite bathroom can be somewhat unsettling. I associate a toilet in a bedroom with a prison cell, those stainless-steel pans without seats tucked away in the corner.
Modern apartment buildings typically have deep floor plans, resulting in large, windowless areas in the center. Some of this space is utilized for services and lift shafts, while the rest is allocated to bathrooms. The current trend of walk-in wardrobes, saunas, and expansive bathrooms is a response to this surplus of space. Gyms, home cinemas, and wine cellars serve a similar purpose in the deep, unlit basements.
However, this trend also presents challenges. Many contemporary bathrooms lack windows, relying on mechanical ventilation that is often insufficient. As a result, steam and odors can permeate the bedroom. Early plumbed bathrooms were deliberately positioned away from bedrooms for this reason.
Real estate agents claim that multiple bathrooms enhance the desirability of a property. Insufficient bathroom facilities can hinder the sale of even the most beautiful homes. This explains why some historically significant and highly protected properties may be undervalued compared to ostentatious McMansions.
Even a century ago, Modernist homes viewed the bathroom as a purely functional space. These bathrooms were minimal in size, fully tiled, and relatively modest, designed for single occupancy. The toilet was often located separately in a smaller, closet-like room known as a water closet. However, with the expansion of bathroom fixtures, such as double vanity units, freestanding bathtubs, rain showers, armchairs, tropical plants, and fireplaces, the bathroom has transformed into something entirely different.
With the excessive number of en-suite bathrooms, one might question the purpose of a “family bathroom”. Nowadays, many luxurious bedrooms even feature a large freestanding roll-top claw-footed bath positioned prominently in the bay window. This level of extravagance is getting out of control.
In London, it’s common to find houses with numerous bathrooms and downstairs cloakrooms undergoing constant renovations. These houses often have blue plastic Portaloos set up in their front gardens for builders to use, adding yet another layer of toilets to the mix.
Interestingly, unused bathrooms can also serve unexpected purposes. For instance, FBI agents discovered stacks of boxes containing highly classified information, including nuclear weapons data, in several Mar-a-Lago bathrooms. These boxes were squeezed between a shower and a toilet, beneath a crystal chandelier.
Last year, Donald Trump even obtained permission to add two more bathrooms to his residence, leaving us wondering what he intended to store in them.
Edwin Heathcote is the FT’s esteemed architecture and design critic.
Stay updated with our latest stories by following @FTProperty on Twitter or @ft_houseandhome on Instagram.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
