The bathroom enthroned

Forget space. Forget the Internet. The final frontier for many Americans is the bathroom.

After the kitchen, the bathroom is the second most remodeled and redecorated room in the house. According to a recent survey by American Standard, a bathroom-fixtures company, nearly half of Americans have jazzed up their lavatories in the past five years.

These days, some of the most wished-for bathroom accessories make even a gadgetized den seem dull. While 45 percent of homeowners say a skylight would be at the top of their list, 38 percent would first opt for heated tile floors, 32 percent would rather have a stereo system, and 14 percent say that, given a choice, a TV and VCR would be the first additions to their bathrooms.

For others, the bathroom is the rightful domain of certain kitchen appliances - 6 percent say they would put a coffee- or cappuccino-maker in their bathrooms. However, in the true spirit of manifest destiny, 39 percent of Americans remodeling their lavatories say their top priority is to make it bigger.

Of course, luxury comes at a hefty price. But for many, the benefits clearly outweigh the costs. Nearly 30 percent say they would be willing to spend more than $10,000 on a dream bathroom.

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