When you have spent 30-plus years building luxury homes across North Texas, you see firsthand how something as simple as the bathroom can be transformed into one of the most experience-driven rooms in the home. Now, we are seeing even more features in more spaces, including home gyms and wellness spaces.
In Episode 4 of Uniqueness… “Built-In”, Mike sits down with two industry veterans shaping that transformation: Amy Burns, our longtime Kohler representative, and Kristen Martin of Ferguson Home, one of our trusted showroom partners. Between all three, they bring nearly 100 years of combined experience in luxury plumbing, fixtures, and home wellness.
Kohler’s “Wellness First” Movement
Wellness is this year’s industry buzzword, but Kohler has been building toward it for decades. Their headquarters, the village of Kohler, Wisconsin — which is also a person — is home to The American Club, an award-winning resort and spa where many of their innovations are enjoyed. The brand views home wellness the way we view custom homes: purposeful, personal, and built to last.
“Lincoln Log Sauna”: Freestanding Sauna
Traditional saunas require carpentry, framing, insulation, and a dedicated mechanical setup. Kohler flipped the script by creating a freestanding sauna system — a pre-engineered, modular unit that can be placed indoors or outdoors.
Think of it as a Lincoln Log Sauna that:
- Slides into a dedicated wellness room
- Tucks into a backyard near the pool
- Functions without an invasive remodel
- Offers the same heat, lighting, and therapeutic benefits you’d expect from a resort sauna
Mike compared it to Legos, Kristen insisted it’s closer to Lincoln Logs, but either way — installation is significantly easier than conventional sauna construction.
Cold Plunge Indoors
Next, we have the cold plunge. Mike is not a fan, but we may have to get him to do it one day.
Kohler’s version — called Remedy — is designed for homeowners who want the benefits of a cold plunge without the ice-filled metal tub athletes sit in on Instagram.
Kristen explains that Remedy:
- Holds water as low as 39°, no ice required
- Uses a built-in chiller to maintain temperature
- Fits in a wellness room, gym, or exercise space
- Runs on a standard plug
- Offers powerful benefits for inflammation, immunity, and recovery
The unit requires circulation space on each side for proper cooling, but otherwise installs like any well-designed home appliance — making it far more attainable than past cold-plunge setups.
Digital Showers: Control Everything with a Button
Showers have gone from one handle on the wall to fully programmable, multi-function systems. Kohler’s Anthem+ digital showering lets Owners control:
- Up to 12 independent shower functions
- Body sprays
- Steam
- Music
- Lighting
- Temperature presets
All of it is connected to the Kohler Connect app, which means you can warm the shower from bed before your feet ever hit the floor.
For large showers and wet rooms — which many of our Owners prefer — digital controls simplify what used to be a wall full of valves, knobs, and labels. Now it’s a clean panel with intuitive icons.
Steam Showers: What Owners Need to Know Before Adding One
A steam shower isn’t complicated, but it does require planning.
Amy broke down the essentials:
- Steam units must be sized to cubic footage, not square footage.
- Any ceiling above 8 feet increases generator size.
- Proper vapor barriers and insulation are critical.
- Linear steam heads are now an option (not just round).
- Auto-flush systems make upkeep easier than ever.
- Essential oils — eucalyptus, lavender — can be used safely in modern systems.
For our Owners, we coordinate with the architect and designer early. Once a shower is framed, changing the ceiling height or vapor barrier approach is not ideal.
Filtration, Smart Toilets & Aging-In-Place Considerations
Wellness extends beyond comfort. It touches health, safety, and long-term livability.
Filtered Showerheads
A growing trend — especially for Owners with color-treated hair or sensitive skin. These remove minerals that harden the water and reduce the lifespan of hair treatments.
Whole-Home Water Filtration
Ferguson recommends whole-house filtration for drinking, bathing, and steam systems. In our region, straight filtration tanks (not salt-based softeners) are most common. Units last 8+ years and self-purge nightly.
Smart Toilets & Bidet Seats
Kohler’s new Leap toilet brings luxury features into an affordable price point. Bidet seats also serve an important aging-in-place role — especially for Owners with arthritis or limited mobility.
For anyone building a new home, both Amy and Kristen echoed the same advice:
Add an outlet near the toilet.
It is inexpensive during framing, but would not be easy to retrofit later.
Biggest Mistake Owners Make: Rushing Their Selections
Kristen’s closing wisdom:
Make an appointment — don’t browse in a panic.
Ferguson Home consultants are experts; they review blueprints, fixture counts, water pressure, drain capacity, and compatibility. Trying to make plumbing selections in one fell swoop rarely works. A dedicated, guided appointment protects budgets and avoids surprises during installation.
If you happen to walk in without an appointment, there is still a candy bowl — Mike can confirm.
Final Thoughts
This episode captures a shift we’re seeing across the luxury homebuilding landscape: wellness is becoming architecture.
Homeowners want heat therapy, cold therapy, filtration, steam, and smarter systems — and brands like Kohler and Ferguson Home are leading that evolution.
For anyone designing a home today, now is the time to think long-term:
- Will your fixtures support aging in place?
- Do you want a total wellness space, or a home gym?
- Do you need steam capability later — even if you’re not adding it now?
- Should your electrical and plumbing be roughed-in for future upgrades?
These conversations are easier early in design, and our team is always ready to walk you through them.
If you have questions about incorporating wellness features into your custom home, reach out:
📲 Call Us Anytime At: 817.748.2669
📧 Email Us At: Info@GarabedianProperties.com
