The Ultimate Guide to Turning Your Bathroom into a Spa Experience
The bathroom is the universal go-to place for self-soothing. No matter where you are, it’s the easiest place to sneak off to when you just. need. a minute. That’s because it’s private, it’s intimate, and it’s a place of ritual and self-reflection (quite literally when looking in the vanity mirror). So, why not amp up the aesthetic and turn your restroom into a spa-like experience that’ll have you feeling way better leaving than when you initially walked in? Ahead, are tips and tricks for powder rooms, primary suites and everything in between.
Set The Foundation
The color of the walls is arguably the most important thing to consider when you want to transform any room. The walls are the largest, most prominent surface in a bathroom and will be the foundation for whatever else you choose to do.
You can certainly stick with a neutral palette. Neutrals are timeless and play nice with just about any accessories or finishes you put with them. Now if that sounds boring to you, remember that neutrals aren’t limited to white, black, gray and beige. I say, any color found in nature is also considered a neutral. So, green, brown, blue, and black are also timeless neutrals. Terracotta, purple and pink are also neutrals that’ll add a punch of color. While your’e at it, play around with the hue. Small bathrooms, in particular, can handle rich, saturated color like a boss. But you can also go light with just a hint of color to add interest.
Paint is the easiest, most inexpensive way to add color in an impactful way, but wallpaper…is *chef’s kiss*! Particularly in a smaller bathroom or the water closet of a master suite, wallpaper will pay dividends that you didn’t even bargain for. If you’ve ever wondered why grandma’s house always felt like a hug, wallpaper likely played a part. It not only adds color, but also texture or pattern to the mix which adds depth, ambiance, and a warm inviting feeling that’s simply impossible to replicate with paint alone. Plus, if you’re working with a small space, the price to paper a wall is relatively inexpensive. And whatever route you decide to take, don’t forget the 5th wall. The ceiling. Treating the ceiling adds an unexpected boost of interest you didn’t know you needed!
Make It Inviting
Once the foundation is set, we can quickly move on to the pretty phase of turning our bathroom into a spa experience by adding decor.
There are so many hard surfaces in a bathroom that it begs for something soft. And the handy dandy shower curtain fills that role beautifully. It’s a necessity in most bathrooms that also adds big visual impact. But here’s the key – if your shower area requires a curtain, go long! I find that the standard 72×72 inch shower curtain visually cuts the space in half – and can feel jarring to the eye, and is just uninteresting. To fix that, move your shower curtain rod way up – as close to the ceiling as possible and get a curtain that barely skims the floor. Like this one here.
This helps draw the eye up, making the room look bigger and the vast curtain length boosts the level of softness in the room significantly. Believe it or not, long length curtains are actually pretty easy to find. At 95 inches, my shower curtain was actually too long by a couple of inches when I bought it. But that was easily remedied with some iron on hem tape (my sewing skills are meh, so I went the easy route). Opt for curtains with texture in lieu of pictures or printed patterns for a classic look. I chose a waffle weave fabric which adds a luxe texture and feel without too much visual busyness. I bought mine here. But here are few other options for you to choose from. SN: If you’re up for a DIY, you can make a long length shower curtain by buying 2 of them and sewing the fabrics together. If you want to see a tutorial on how to do this, just comment below.
Two other details that shouldn’t be ignored:
1. Your shower curtain liner should be fabric. Period. The plastic ones are just icky. Fabric liners are designed to keep the water inside the shower area just like the plastic ones, they are fast drying, come in long lengths and can be machine washed. Find one here.
2. If you’re in the market for a new shower rod, get the curved one. It adds a little extra spaciousness while you’re inside the shower without having to renovate. Not rubbing up against a wet shower curtain is pure luxury!
If you have a glass shower enclosure, you’ll have to add softness to your space in smaller doses, but in a more functional way – like a nice robe hung on a hook or neatly placed bath and hand towels. But there’s no need to go out and get decorative towels or a robe just for the looks. Make use of the items you use everyday, just make sure they are good quality (treat yo self!), fit the color scheme of your space and are neatly hung after each use.
Another way to add softness to a bathroom is with rugs. We’ve come a long way from those shaggy 3×5 rectangles and the toilet cozy that were popular generations ago. It’s become more common to go for something more decorative. This means you can venture out of the bathroom section of your favorite store and find a rug that not only fits the task but also fits your taste.
Next, we merchandise. Our bathrooms are filled with all of the soaps, lotions, potions, and sprays that we use for grooming and caring for ourselves everyday. But when left out on the counter and especially in their own packaging – these necessary items can make a space look messy and cluttered which is obviously anti-spa-like energy. Now, I don’t necessarily subscribe to the “decant everything” chant happening on organizer tik tok and social media pages of the like. Getting cute containers for absolutely everything is overwhelming, can be time consuming and just isn’t always necessary. Now, am I prone to choose a particular product based on whether a product’s packaging fits the decor of my home and not because of it’s effectiveness? Yes. Yes I am. You can debate me in the comments on that. But boiled down, your stuff needs to match your aesthetic if it’s sitting out, or it needs to be corralled and/or put away.
Simply use trays, baskets, and bins to corral your items. This neatens things and makes it look much less cluttered, and for items in plain sight, decant. Beautiful bottles come in all shapes, sizes and colors for products of all functions. If nothing else, your soap, hand lotion, body washes, and visible shower items should make their way to a curated set of containers and dispensers for an overall cohesive look.
From here, it’s all about the layers. The number of decor layers you choose is up to you, your style and what will give you the welcoming sense of calm you’re looking for. You can choose to stay minimal and add one or two of the following items, or you may be more of a maximalist and choose it all. Totally your choice.
Plants/ Flowers- If you only chose one additional item to add to your space, I strongly suggest plants or flowers. There’s simply nothing like bringing the outdoors in via live foliage. It adds an unexplained freshness that can’t be achieved any other way.
Framed Photos/ Wall Art – Photography or art pieces can transform this space into a room in the home that’s as inviting as the living room. Except this one is more private, and intimate so it’s giving more sanctuary, less utilitarian.
Books/Magazines – especially the ones you’ve been wanting to read or thumb through, but life just won’t let you.
Candles/Essential Oil Diffuser – You can actually cater to two of your 5 senses by lighting a simple candle. The soft glow of a candle aids in mind and body relaxation and can be used for meditation. Add a beautiful aroma and you’d be hard-pressed to pull away.
Pampering tools – An arsenal of tools from pumice stones and dry brushes, to scalp massagers, and gua sha stones to handle any and every situation.
A carafe – or a vessel for spa water or your beverage of choice.
Be Extra
There are no limits on how far you can go to set yourself up for the ultimate spa experience at home. How about a mini-fridge to keep your skin care chill and refreshing drinks on tap. A warmer to ensure a toasty towel after a bath or shower. A snack tray, a bluetooth speaker, a sound machine, a TV, a chair to relax in or sit and read the aforementioned books and magazines. Heck…how about a masseuse e on standby to give you a much needed massage!
How extra are you? Let me know in the comments.
