In normal day-to-day life, conversations about the bathroom are often considered taboo, but in the design world it’s one of my absolute favorite topics!
The bathroom is typically where you first start your day after crawling out of bed, and where you last end your day before slipping back beneath the sheets. It is a space to renew for the day ahead, and wind down from the stresses of everyday life. And for those with families or roommates, it’s often one of the only rooms in the house where you can truly get alone time.
This is why it’s important to make sure your bathroom is a calming, welcoming and relaxing space. There are several ways to update your bathroom to get the same luxurious atmosphere you get when staying in a hotel or visiting the spa.
Bathrooms aren’t like other rooms in your house, where you can rearrange the furniture to suit your mood and needs. In addition, the materials used in bathrooms are mostly smooth surfaces. Because of these somewhat fixed design elements, your attention to detail has to be very strategic in using a mix of visual textures.
The first step – and also easiest – is to invest in the fluffiest white towels you can find. Some of the materials I recommend are bamboo, Egyptian cotton or Pima cotton. They will give you the most luxurious feel and also be the longest lasting in terms of wear and tear. The color white is classic and will provide a crisp, clean look to tie the room together.
In order to maintain serenity in your bathrooms, it’s important to keep clutter to a minimum. I know, I know — this is easier said than done! But it’s also important to make sure that you’re not just knocking everything off the counter into a drawer. Invest in some baskets or other organizational dividers so everything has a proper place. This will help eliminate stress in the morning and save time from hunting for that certain lipstick or perfume. But clutter doesn’t just pertain to your makeup, toothpaste and lotions. You don’t want to go overboard with flowers, candles or decorative soaps on your countertops either.
One area of the bathroom that often gets overlooked, but plays a key role, is proper lighting. There are four different purposes to consider when choosing bathroom lighting. First, you’ll want general overhead lighting. Second, there should be additional vanity lighting for applying makeup and styling hair. A third option is to bring in mood or ambient lighting — like with a dimmer — for when you’re soaking in a relaxing bath. Finally, you could install some statement lighting, like a chandelier or sconces.
Additional upgrades to enhance your bathroom experience could include installation of massaging shower heads, a steam shower, or heated floors. You also could change out the mirrors to feature ones with a unique shape or frame.
But luxury doesn’t need to be relegated to just your master or main bath. I’ve included images below of two powder rooms that also exude elegance. In the first, the accessories — tall formal mirror, oil painting and chandelier — all elevate this smaller space into a room that will make guests feel pampered, even for the short time that they are there.
This second powder room showcases a more casual luxury by using the status look of the navy grasscloth, even onto the ceiling. Side sconces are used here again, and of course the design is topped off with an amazing mirror and chandelier.