So this year, when her family decided to move and buy an apartment for the first time, the two 7㎡ bathrooms in the place they eventually bought were a big draw. Like most new Chinese apartments, it did not include appliances, so Tao and her daughter, Su Min, went shopping recently to choose some.
For a toilet and a sink, they picked sturdy white models with sleek curved lines. Although some of the toilets on sale came with electrically warmed seats, the two passed on them as "a waste of money."
But to replace the nozzle-shower, Tao spared no expense, choosing a stall that cost over US$3,000 and featured a telephone and a computer-controlled water thermostat, as well as massage and sauna settings.
"It's easy to decorate a living room, but this is more personal and more important," said Tao's daughter, a 28-year-old government worker.
The trend seems certain to continue. "With affluence in China, the market is bound to grow very rapidly," Sim said.
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