Create Your Perfect Spa-Style Bath Design
By McDaniels Kitchens and Bath|Bathroom Design
Each year sees new trends in design, but the one that shows no signs of disappearing is the spa-style bathroom design. This look is all about luxury combined with tasteful minimalism. Incorporating high-end materials and organic elements makes you feel that you’re relaxing in a spa by the ocean.
This statement style focuses on spacious shower enclosures and large soaking tubs where you can either feel revived in the morning or relaxed at the end of the day. If you have the space, a large, open design works really well with spa-style bathrooms, incorporating thresholdless showers and room to move freely throughout your bathroom’s layout. This design approach is also worth considering if you want an aging-in-place bath remodel.
The colors and lighting that you choose set the tone of the space. Deciding on a color palette for your materials also keeps your bath design streamlined and coordinated. Accessorizing in a well-thought-out way effortlessly results in the style you want. Combining a few key design techniques lets you treat yourself to the spa-style bath design of your dreams.
What Is the Best Type of Storage for a Spa Style Bath Design?
Custom storage is the best way to achieve a clutter-free, relaxing bath design. It’s essential to streamline the contents of your bathroom to achieve a calming atmosphere. Assess all the items you keep in your bathroom and decide what is essential. Your bath design expert can help you to configure storage solutions tailored to your needs.
Spa style is about clean lines and aesthetic solutions. Sleek cabinets with flat panel doors are easy to maintain and give you a spa-style vibe. Make sure your cabinets include storage accessories that are compartmentalized to a “T”, which means that everything has a place in your relaxing bathroom design. Incorporating outlets inside this cabinetry lets you power devices and styling tools as you get ready at your vanity. Medicine cabinets provide extra storage and are doubly as effective when you install a mirrored, LED-lit medicine cabinet. They are both functional and bounce light around your bathroom design.
Glass is also highly reflective and glass storage jars are a chic way of keeping smaller items on countertops and shelving. Larger items can be stored in containers that are made of natural materials such as rattan or wood. Texture is important to bring an added dimension to a minimalist design. Open storage needs to be carefully curated and uncluttered to avoid a chaotic feel. Mixing essentials with decorative items on shelves or countertops can soften a potentially clinical bathroom style. It’s important to keep this in mind throughout your bath design as effective storage should not be purely functional, but also enhance your room’s style.
Which Colors Should You Choose?
The devil is in the detail when it comes to taking a bath design from regular to high-end. The main color of a spa-style bath design should be a calming neutral shade. White gives any bathroom a crisp, clean feel, while softer neutrals bring warmth to a spa-style bathroom. You can then layer a restricted palette onto this base color to accent your design. These accents are brought in through pictures, towels, or perhaps in tiling. Wallpaper is another way to introduce a theme, but the pattern should be in keeping with the clean lines of the interior design.
Mixed metals are currently on trend so why not go for this look in your hardware? Choose either a warm or cool group of metals and then pick your favorites. Oil-rubbed brass, hammered copper, and rose gold would work well together while pewter, matte black, and brushed steel could combine to make a cooler look.
The overriding shade you choose for your spa-style bathroom design should feel calming. White fixtures can be complemented with organic materials in a palette that goes from ivory down to dark brown. Picture your favorite high-end spa and use this as your inspiration. Above all, keep things Zen when choosing your color palette.
How Can You Bring Nature into a Spa Style Bath Remodel?
If you’re lucky enough to have a pleasant view from your bathroom then make the most of it. Install a large window to frame the view and let light pour into your bath design. A generous soaking tub should be positioned so you can take in the scenery while relaxing.
An immediate way of introducing nature is with potted plants. Stagger them throughout the design by hanging them, placing them on shelves, and having larger ones on the floor. Choose lush, tropical plants that love humidity, and they will also help to purify the air. The colors and textures of foliage add character to a minimalist design.
Natural materials are very important in a spa-style design. Stone slabs add a luxe feel to your walls. Vessel sinks and flooring also work wonderfully in natural stone. Wood cabinetry is a classic spa-style option, bringing warmth and an organic feel. Hardwood isn’t ideal for flooring in a high-moisture environment, but luxury vinyl planks are an excellent and durable substitute. Natural materials are ideal, but quality substitutes are sometimes necessary to achieve a balance between style and functionality.
How Do You Decide on the Right Fixtures and Fittings?
The toilet, sink, vanity, shower, and bathtub are the main components of any bath design. They ultimately determine the style you want, so it’s essential that you go sleek for a spa-style bath remodel.
Floating vanities and wall-hung toilets open up a bath design by increasing floor space. The same minimalist approach should apply to bathtubs. Flat-bottomed, free-standing tubs are ideal for a spa-style bath remodel. As the focus is on therapeutic relaxation, why not invest in additional features such as massage jets?
Steam showers or rainfall shower heads paired with a massaging shower panel are luxurious options. Ensure your shower is as large as possible or go for a wet room-style shower. You can install two shower heads and include voice-activated controls for music, lighting, water temperature, and pressure. While your bath design should be streamlined, it should also be as high functioning as possible. A multifunctional bathtub or shower, along with a smart toilet, means you can take it easy as your fixtures work for you.
What Is the Most Complementary Lighting for a Spa Style Design?
Lighting is important in a bath design as it needs to be strong enough for performing tasks, and able to be adjusted to feel airy and soft when you want to relax. The only way to achieve this is with a layered lighting scheme that works how you want it to at any given time. It should also be layered in a multifunctional way so there are fewer light fixtures to dominate your bath design.
Dimmer switches provide many options for controlling lighting levels, and you can adjust them from the tub or shower if they’re voice-controlled. If you plan where you want your lighting at the design stage, then you can incorporate it in a way that won’t overwhelm your bath remodel.
Large windows and skylights let in natural light but there are even light fixtures that provide artificial natural light for bath remodels that lack natural light. This light source mimics natural light at each part of the day.
Recessed light and sconces illuminate your design exactly where you need light the most and can be targeted to areas where you apply makeup, shave, and style your hair. Backlit mirrors are very popular as they are both functional and aesthetic, and work especially well in a relaxing spa-style bath design.
What Transforms a Spa Style Bath Design into a Spa Experience?
When it comes to treating yourself to a spa-style bath remodel, you need to include a few key things to make it a sensory experience. The sleek design elements of a spa-style bathroom make for a calm visual aesthetic, but what about your other senses? Organic textures are pleasant to touch and look at. Including speakers lets you enjoy music to pep you up in the morning or help you to relax after a hard day. Use quality soaps and lotions with rich formulas so a little goes a long way. Ensure they have attractive packaging or decant them into your own containers to complement your style. Scented candles look and smell calming, while diffusers release a consistent aroma throughout the day. Oil burners have the benefits of essential oils, which have therapeutic properties. Whatever scent sources you choose, ensure that they work well together so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
How Can You Accessorize a Spa Style Design?
When you are accessorizing a spa-style bath remodel it’s important not to compromise its calm aesthetic. Custom storage and a calm color palette ensure the space feels uncluttered. The design embraces clean lines and sleekness, so you should carefully consider everything that you’re adding to this minimalist approach. Invest in quality towels, rugs, or robes that will be on display, to maintain the high-end feel. The way they’re displayed makes a difference too. If you’re hanging a robe, ensure the hook complements the rest of your hardware. Towels and washcloths can be neatly folded and arranged on a shelf or in a basket. Why not invest in a radiator towel warmer or warming drawer for a luxe spa touch? Soft rugs add texture and warmth and, on a functional note, prevent slips and falls. Drapes, upholstered seating, and lampshades in complementary colors and fabrics also soften a minimalist aesthetic and help to inject your personality.
A spa-style bath design is easily achievable and very on-trend. Investing in this type of bath remodel gives you a big return as it benefits your well-being, but it also boosts the value of your home. Large, open bathrooms with thresholdless showers and connected dressing areas are also perfect choices for aging in place. The sleek design means it is clutter-free and low maintenance, which is also beneficial as you age.
Contact us today to find out how you can transform your bathroom into a luxury spa-style design. Our experienced team is ready to help you with all your home design needs.