Home bathrooms are undergoing a renaissance as they merge with the spa aesthetic, growing in size and amenities. Showers are getting bigger and so are bathtubs. Homeowners are expanding master bathrooms by knocking down walls to adjacent unused bedrooms to devote several hundred square feet to self-care.
There are many ways to make your bathroom feel more like a room of rest, whether or not you have space to expand it to fit its new role:
Lighting
What may seem like a small change could actually make a huge difference to your bathroom’s atmosphere. Install a dimmer for the lights. Having options between “Hello, wake up and see every imperfection on your face!” and pitch black will make it much easier to relax in the tub or while you’re dressing up or winding down for the day. Suspending a chandelier that sends calming white light in all directions could be part of this process or a later upgrade.
Mirrors
Flat mirrors extending across a wall are losing favor as designers and homeowners gravitate toward the beauty and variety of framed mirrors that come in limitless shapes and styles. Gold frames give your face and the whole room an enhanced glow, especially useful for all those all-too-common windowless bathrooms. Natural wood frames add a touch of the outdoors that often isn’t found in bathrooms.
Storage
Consolidate your storage in elegant cabinets and drawers under the sinks and counters, next to the toilet and anywhere else you can fit then in. Woven baskets are ideal for containing your supplies while adding more organic materials to ground your space. Medicine cabinets seem to be staging a comeback as we maximize our storage space; replacing wall-mounted versions with recessed ones will open up the room a little bit more.
Textiles
This is where it’s nearly impossible to go over the top. Think spongy, thick towels hung up on the towel rods or installing a rack or shelves to accommodate extra towels. Lay down fluffy rugs in front of the shower, bath, sinks and other key spots on the floor to keep your feet warm and protected. Shower curtains are being shoved aside by glass and plastic doors, but if you still use them have fun choosing some luxe fabrics.
Aromas
Scented candles and essential oil diffusers aren’t just there to cover up other odors; they give you emotional and physical healing as they calm your olfactory nerves, relieve headaches and have many other impacts on the body. Aromatic soaps, fresh herbs and potpourri can all add to the atmosphere.
Furniture
If the only seating you have is on the toilet, bring in an ottoman, bench, whatever can fit to provide a more appealing alternative. Think big if you have even more space — a beautiful antique dresser can solve any storage issues you have, a vanity or dressing table makes self-care so much easier. For the ultimate in luxury, bring in a massage table!
