Creating a calming atmosphere in your bathroom is essential for your mental health, and luckily it’s not too hard to transform yours into a personal space for rejuvenation. These 13 spa bath retreat ideas show you how to blend functionality with relaxation when the time comes to upgrade your bathroom. From storage solutions to clothing solar palettes and natural elements, these designs demonstrate how to create a calm space.
Spa for Him
A masculine spa doesn’t have to sacrifice style for functionality. The sleek vanity features two large hidden drawers on either side of the sink, providing ample space for towels and toiletries to maintain a clean, uncluttered room. To recreate this look, incorporate hidden storage solutions, use bold, dark colors for walls, add angular fixtures and hardware, and keep your surfaces clear of clutter.
Designer: Cheryl Kees Clendenon, In Detail Kitchen and Bath, Pensacola, FL
Mom’s Getaway Retreat
This second bath, designed for an empty nest couple, features a bidet and soaking tub for long, relaxing baths. A large window floods the room with natural light, promoting a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors. The dark, great basalt surrounding the white tub creates a cozy atmosphere, balancing the brightness from the window.
The key elements of this design include a spacious soaking tub, contrasting light and dark materials, ample natural light, and if desired, the inclusion of a bidet for luxury and convenience.
Designer: Cheryl Hamilton-Gray, Hamilton-Gray Design Inc., Carlsbad, CA
Heavy Traffic to Tranquil
Transforming a high-traffic area into a calming space, this power room welcomes guests with a bright vessel sink and a floor-to-ceiling shoji screen. The screen allows natural light to filter in, creating a softer environment. A textured, neutral wall finish is a great backdrop for vibrant accents.
To achieve a similar look in a busy area, use shoji screens or frosted glass for privacy and light diffusion. Incorporate a statement sink or fixture, choose textured, neutral wall finishes, and add pops of color through accessories and details.
Designer: Holly Rickert, Ulrich Inc., Ridgewood, NJ
Clever Kaidantansu Spa
This unique vanity draws inspiration from a Japanese kaidantansu, or stepped chest, with shoji doors that add authenticity to the space. The design combines functionality with tranquility, offering storage while maintaining a spa-like atmosphere.
Elements to include for a similar design are shoji doors for an Asian-inspired look, visible storage, and a custom vanity similar to traditional Japanese furniture. Modern vessel sinks balance traditional elements and soft lighting can create a soothing atmosphere.
Designer: Debbie R. Gualco, Co-designers: Denae C. Baggs, AKBD & Leah C. Pugh, CKD, Reynolds Gualco Architecture & Interior Design, Sacramento, CA
Beachy Bath Spa
This windowless bath provides a bright, airy, and refreshing atmosphere through the use of ambient lighting. The standout feature is the dry riverbed of stones incorporated into the flooring. This design proves that even without natural light, bathrooms can feel open and inviting.
To recreate this space, incorporate natural elements like stone or pebbles in the flooring and choose light, neutral colors to give the illusion of openness. Add textured elements and use ambient lighting to brighten up windowless spaces.
Designer: Erica S. Westeroth, CKD XTC Design Incorporated, Toronto, ON
Eastern Oasis
This Eastern-inspired bathroom maximizes the illusion of vertical space through design choices. A custom bamboo mirror draws the eye upward, while relief panels allow light to flow through the space without walling it off entirely. The handy ladder towel rack serves as a practical purpose and contributes to the vertical design theme in this space.
Key features of this Eastern bathroom include a custom bamboo mirror, relief panels for privacy, a softer color palette, and a large soaking tub, which will become the focal point of your bathroom.
Designer: Tiffany De Tomasi, CKD, Fisher Design/Build, Fairfield, CA
Ski Retreat Spa
This bath combines the design of a cozy ski retreat while maintaining a spa-like space. Organic elements throughout the bathroom create an earthy, relaxed feel that complements the surrounding environment. Windows encircling the soaking tub allows for panoramic views and natural light. The ledge stone divides task areas without closing off the space and making it feel cluttered.
To recreate this space, use organic materials like wood and stone, add wooden elements to create warmth and coziness, and choose a freestanding tub as a centerpiece. Maximize natural light with strategic windows and use ledge stone or similar materials to define spaces without walls.
Designer: Siri Evju, CKD, CBD, Siri Designs, Portland, OR
Underwater Retreat
The personal bath pictured above combines Asian decor with blue hues to create a serene space. Floating cherry cabinets and blue tones create a light, cool atmosphere. The onyx vessel sink serves as a nice focal point, while the hand-painted koi on sealed limestone flooring completes the underwater oasis theme.
Elements to include for this look are floating cabinets, blue hues, a high-end vessel sink, custom floor art or tiles that are on theme, and Asian-inspired accents.
Designer: Tess Giuliani, CKD, Tess Giuliani Designs Inc., Ridgewood, NJ
Five-Star Spa
This master bath is designed for luxury with its cohesive elements and high-end features. The monochromatic color scheme creates a seamless flow between different areas of the bathroom, while smooth river stones add a zen-like feel. The soaking tub, surrounded by decking for candles and reading materials provides a relaxing experience.
The key features of this spa bathroom include natural elements, a soaking tub with decking, glass shower doors to maintain an open feel and a monochromatic color scheme. High-end fixtures and finishes throughout the room can create a more luxurious space.
Designer: Ada Pagano, A. Pagano Design Inc., St. Petersburg, FL
Reflective Retreat
This design incorporates a wide array of spa amenities to create the best relaxation space. A corner tub, separated from the shower by a tall glass panel, rests on a green marble deck. Limestone-covered walls provide a warm, neutral backdrop while matching tiles give the room a more cohesive look.
To create a similar space, use high-end materials like marble, incorporate glass to separate spaces without blocking light, choose a cohesive color palette for walls and flooring, and use reflective surfaces to amplify light and space.
Designer: Elina Katsiola-Beall, CKD, DeWitt Designer Kitchens, Studio City, CA
Space-Smart Shoji Spa
This suite demonstrates how to make a relaxing space out of a 12-by-17 area. The spa bath features shoji doors flanking the shower, concealing a stacking washer and dryer on one side and a water heater on the other. A decked soaking tub with a bench for drying off provides better functionality without sacrificing space.
If you are looking to upgrade a smaller bathroom, install a decked soaking tub with built-in seating, choose cabinets or shelves vertically for storage and functionality, and use sliding or pocket doors to save floor space.
Designer: Scott & Sandra Gjdesdahl, Bristol Design and Construction, Kirkland, WA
Warm and Cozy Bath Retreat
This primary suite takes advantage of the amount of space given to create a nice retreat. The inclusion of a fireplace adds warmth and a calming environment. A neutral color palette with light marble counters and a vessel sink contributes to the airy feel of the space. A combination of warm and cool elements creates a balanced atmosphere.
Elements to recreate this style include a fireplace, a neutral color palette with warm and cool tones, and high-end materials for countertops and flooring. With larger bathrooms, make sure you have enough space for lounging and relaxing if desired.
Designer: Cheryl Hamilton-Gray, CKD, Hamilton-Gray Design Inc., Carlsbad, CA
Santa Fe-Style Retreat
This bathroom has a Santa Fe style while maintaining a spa-like atmosphere. The centerpiece of this room is a freestanding tub that sits on top of a terracotta-tiled platform. Natural light should fill the space to provide a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors. Mahogany accents contrast well with neutral walls and flooring tiles, creating a balanced room.
The key features of this Santa-Fe-inspired spa bath include many windows for natural light, neutral walls and floors that are complemented with mahogany accents, and terracotta-tiled platforms for a Southwestern style.
Cheryl Hamilton-Gray, CKD, Hamilton-Gray Design Inc., Encinitas, CA
