25 Spa-Inspired Bathroom Ideas for a Restorative Retreat
Give us all of the serene and calming spaces for unwinding.
Whether you're rethinking a powder room, half bath, or primary bathroom, the updated space should be welcoming and calming, no matter the size. From getting ready in the morning to unwinding at night, your bathroom is a place for your personal rituals, and it should be designed as such. There's something about a spa bathroom that evokes the most relaxed state of mind, but depending on your bathroom's size, layout, and your design budget, the aspirational environment of a serene spa can be hard to achieve. That's where these ideas come in.
Color palettes, material choices, and soft goods are the three primary elements of a bathroom, and each of them work together to create the space's overall mood and feeling. If your instincts lean more minimalist, there are ways to incorporate color that are soothing rather than busy or loud. Use pastels rather than primary colors, and incorporate dimmable lighting to create ambiance. Paint and a dimmer are simple updates you can make to any bathroom. If you're looking at a bathroom renovation, think about adding heated floors for a truly luxurious environment.
A spa bathroom is much more about the feeling it evokes rather than specific design elements, which means there's no exact formula. This can be tricky, but it also means that no matter your interior design style, you can achieve a spa bathroom in your own space. For the ultimate inspiration, we've gathered the 25 best spa bathroom ideas to peruse while you plan your redesign.
For more bathroom inspiration:
- The True Cost of a Bathroom Renovation
- The Best Ideas for a Luxurious Bathroom
- How to Maximize Space in a Small Bathroom
Double Up Your Shower
Make room for two in your oversized shower stall. This space includes a central rain showerhead as well. Luxurious bathrooms are all about options, so don't limit your self-care to just one shower setting.
Turn Your Tub Into a Sculpture
If you have plenty of square-footage to play with, why not opt for an oversized bathtub that looks more akin to a Tuscan estate's garden fountain than your traditional stall and tub combo? This space by interior designer Lauren Liess incorporates a showerhead as well for total functionality.
Go Monochrome
Calm the senses by streamlining the color palette. Here, Lauren Liess opted for a complete sage green hue from floor to ceiling for this open concept bathroom.
Add Drapery
Bathrooms deserve window treatments too. Mirror this Jeffrey Dungan–designed space and incorporate drapery for a more pulled together and intentional feel.
Extend Your Stone
The backsplash of this vanity set-up by designer Regan Baker extends along the adjoining half-wall to make the different bathroom zones feel cohesive.
Take Inspiration from Your Locale
This Maui bathroom is full of warm, tropical elements inspired by its island surroundings. Designed by Breeze Giannasio, the natural materials play together to create a homey, soothing atmosphere.
Incorporate Artwork
Artwork in a bathroom can be tricky because of the moisture and humidity. However, large-scale works bring an air of glamour and five-star hotel energy into the space. It's worth investing in the proper framing to bring your bathroom to life.
Add Greenery
Not only do plants help to purify the air and thrive in the moist environments in bathrooms, but they incorporate nature into the space. With a bevy of houseplants, the feeling you get from a hike can be infused into your bathroom.
Related Story: The Best Bathroom Plants
Choose a Bold Tub
High-end spas have the privilege of being bolder with their design choices because their clients don't have to live with it every day, eventually growing tired of the design. However, if boldness is what you crave, opt for a non-traditional tub like this gilded option.
Paint the Ceiling Black
Don't neglect the fifth wall in your bathroom design. A darker color on your ceiling can help to cocoon and ground your space. It will also help to ground your body, as you unwind after a long day.
Related Story: The Best Ceiling Design Ideas
Build-In Your Bathtub
Rather than leave your bathtub bare, take the detailing one step further and install millwork to the front of the tub. This built-in look, like designer Robin Henry achieved here, immediately elevates the space.
Install a Chandelier
One quick way to add spa-like elegance to your primary bathroom is by swapping the lighting. We love this intricate brass chandelier. If this isn't your style, opt for an oversized fixture you love to bring in more glamour.
Float Your Sink
To free up visual space and streamline your bathroom's design, choose to float your sink rather than have a pedestal or vanity cabinet beneath it. This also helps your bathroom to appear larger because there is less on the floor.
Related Story: How to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Bigger
Choose Warm Tones
For a cozy and encompassing feeling, design your bathroom using a warm-toned color palette. This one, by designer Sarah Magness, pairs a tonal brown tile wall with a peachy-pink sink for a cheerful yet elevated look.
Elongate Your Windows
The more natural light, the better. Sunlight does wonders to both our moods and our interior design. In this Texas home, the bathroom window is nearly floor to ceiling to maximize the light in this long bathroom.
Add a Glamorous Vanity
There's few things more luxurious while getting ready than having a designated vanity. If your bathroom's space allows, add a space just for you to slow down and take care of yourself, both at the start and end of your day.
Install a Statement Mirror
The larger the mirror, the more light it reflects, and it can also help make your space look bigger. Take inspiration from House Beautiful's 2022 Whole Home where an oversized pivot mirror is the focal point of this primary bathroom.
Vault the Ceilings
If you're building your dream spa bathroom from the ground up, try vaulting your ceilings for a dramatic yet calming look. This bathroom is serene and the wood paneling on the ceiling helps to connect it to the nature outdoors.
Related Story: What is a Vaulted Ceiling?
Gild Your Fixtures
Statement stone and a soothing color palette is great, but look to the minute details for an easy swap for a spa-like feel. Metallic hardware and plumbing fixtures look and feel special, not to mention they're beautiful to look at.
Book-Match Your Marble
Symmetry is calming to our eyes and minds. Incorporate it into your spa-like bathroom for a serene vibe. Bookmatched marble—a way of installing marble side by side so it looks mirrored—is one of the most stunning ways to incorporate that element.
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