The Best Relaxing Bath Design Ideas

April 3, 2021

Each part of your home is important for different reasons. All rooms have their function and feel and are often unified by your style and taste that stamps your personality on your home like a personal trademark. When a space achieves cohesion between its design and environment, it gives a feeling of zen, that all is at peace with the world.

The bathroom design in particular is a place where we need to feel the most relaxed. You visit it first thing, to prepare yourself each morning for the coming day. You use this space to refresh yourself throughout the day and unwind with a long bath or brush your teeth alongside your partner while sharing stories from the day, before falling into bed each night.

bath design with make up vanity

The bathroom is an intimate space that is one of the most frequently used in a home, so it needs to be functional, but also luxurious enough to inspire relaxation. Here are some ways to create a stunning bath design embracing your individual needs and style, while enabling you to truly relax.

First Things First

Before you start planning your bathroom design there are some things to keep in mind.

First, remember that you have to live in and clean this space. It’s important to prioritize functionality and comfort over a look that isn’t usable or easy to maintain.

Second, carefully examine your family’s requirements. Figure out what you need in a bath remodel and see if you can accomplish your goals with the same layout or if you should change it. Bear in mind that moving pipes and electrics will add to your budget, though almost anything is possible once you have the physical space and budget.

Next, make sure you maximize the value of your space with plenty of storage. If you can afford to, ensure that you install a tub along with a shower enclosure. This maximizes your potential for relaxation and is more appealing to potential buyers. Gain inspiration by looking at our bath design gallery, but also check out Pinterest, Houzz, and even boutique hotel websites as they focus on getting away from it all in style.

Work with an experienced bathroom design team to make sure you accomplish your goals in a stress-free manner. At Haile Kitchen & Bath, our design experts can take the stress out of planning a remodel by taking care of everything from the planning stage to installation. We have luxury materials that are durable and fashionable, and we ensure that every detail is taken into consideration. A bath designed for relaxation needs to be chic, unfussy, yet well-thought-out to ensure all your needs are catered for without being overwhelming.

large bathroom vanity

Tailor-Made for You

When you start planning a bathroom remodel it’s important to visualize the result. An experienced design firm will help you create a design that is tailored to your needs and maximizes the value of your space and budget, all while balancing style and functionality. A well-thought-out, easily maintained bath design is the key to retaining its style and relaxing quality.

Custom storage, where everything has its place, takes the stress out of busy mornings. If showers are where you love to relax, then install a luxury showerhead with voice-activated temperature and pressure controls. Include niche storage in the enclosure so all your essentials are at hand, along with seating to let you take a load off your feet. A large tub can serve as a focal point if taking a bath is an important part of your relaxation routine. Remember, your requirements are paramount, and you’ll reap the reward of prioritizing them in your bath design.

bathroom with large drop in tub

What Are You Made Of?

A luxurious bathroom remodel demands high-end components. Keep your materials palette pared down and invest in the most luxurious stone and solid wood options available to you. A huge trend in bath design is the minimalist approach to walls and floors. Instead of mosaic or subway tiles, homeowners are choosing large slabs of marble, limestone, travertine, or concrete throughout their remodel for a seamless, sophisticated finish.

Why not go for a black or gray marble to give it a modern twist? Select the best quality slab that suits your design, and it will instantly transform a space, making it feel calm and uncluttered. This modern finish gives an uninterrupted wall with a sense of being rooted in nature. The fact that there is no grout to maintain is also a bonus, giving you more time to enjoy your newly remodeled bathroom. Alternatively, large format tiles give your bath design a similar, sleek appearance.

bath design with large shower

Store It Up

Custom bathroom storage provides the ultimate in functionality and style. Decide what you need to store, and your bath design expert can plan the perfect solution, using all the space you have with a streamlined finish. Medicine cabinets and other wall-mounted storage, or custom recessed storage niches, are ideal for smaller spaces where you want to increase floor space. Bespoke storage solutions like custom cabinetry and storage accessories declutter a bath design, resulting in a calm and restful remodel. For a spa-style bathroom design choose either wood cabinets or a glossy white finish. Both bring freshness and won’t overwhelm the room. Mix in open storage like floating shelves to add depth to your design and offer space to display items that give your room personality.

bath design with large format tile and slab cabinetry

Get a Handle On It

Often overlooked, hardware can enhance a bath design and give it a personal touch and a luxurious feel. You can choose hardware that contrasts with its surrounding materials or that compliment them. A black metal could pick up on dark, marble veining. Rich brass could reinforce brown shades in stone or contrast with the starkness of cement. Brass is a bold element that heightens the feel of any room, especially if you have other brass fixtures to give a feeling of cohesion and opulence. The smoothness of wooden cabinetry is always a beautiful contrast to brass or metal hardware and the colors you choose should be pared back to focus on a calm, but strong aesthetic. Luxe gold-finish hardware pairs perfectly with dark colors such as black or navy cabinetry, but also offset white cabinets for an opulent feel.

Embrace Your Curves

Angular bathroom designs are not conducive to a relaxing environment. Simply adding curved details brings softness and a new level of calmness. As you move around your bathroom remodel you won’t be at risk of bumps or grazes and the design flows easily without interruption. Vanities, sinks, shelving edges, and tubs can embrace a curved edge, as well as shower enclosures. A novel idea is also a curved half or full wall that could be placed around a freestanding tub to give a feeling of privacy and coziness. You could incorporate a slightly different surface material or color, so this screen wall creates your own special space to relax in the tub as an oasis of calm within your bathroom design.

Know Your Range

Keep your color palette simple if you are aiming for a relaxing bath design. A busy ornate bathroom with many accessories can be stunning but may be more suited to a powder room if you want a calm atmosphere for your master bath remodel.

white vanity cabinet

A monochrome look, centered on neutrals and natural wood, makes you feel grounded and in touch with nature. There are no distractions as you relax in the tub or shower and drift off into a daydream or focus on taking off make-up mindfully.

Neutrals always work in a relaxing, sophisticated design. They can be enhanced with wood, as mentioned, or darker shades of brown for a rich, spa-like feel that’s an alternative to white. To inject interest, ensure that you have a variety of textures in your bath design.

Natural additions such as bamboo bathmats, stone soap dishes, pebble tile shower floors, or linen window treatments add texture to a calm and neutral bath design. Plants are also an essential addition to lifting a sterile bath design, adding warmth and bringing in natural lushness. Quality towels and high-end toiletries complete the look if their colors are kept in the same tone as your chosen palette.

Lighten Up

Lighting is a hugely important element of a relaxing bathroom design. Mood lighting is vital to achieve a tranquil atmosphere and transform your bath remodel into a romantic, spa-like haven.

A well-planned lighting scheme means you can decide when and how you want to light your bath design. Assess how the space looks by day and night and incorporate as much natural light as possible for daytime activities.

Also, check how your materials look in different lights to ensure your remodel works well throughout the day into a night-time space to unwind. Dimmer switches can control the ambiance of your bath design, allowing light to fade as you sink into your tub. Task lighting over and around mirrors is strong enough for you to apply make-up or shave.

The larger the mirror, the more the light will reflect around the room without being too harsh. Recessed, strip, or spotlighting can be placed wherever you’d like to highlight a feature, such as on the floor around a tub, under a vanity, over a favorite picture, or to illuminate a shelf. Lighting can be used in a myriad of ways to make a bathroom feel effortless and indulgent.

Be Smart

Technology is an essential part of our lives. While you might wish to retreat from it as you relax in the evening, it can play a vital part in bringing luxury and comfort into your ritual. Something as simple as a heated towel rail or a steam shower is a good place to start investing if you want luxe relaxation. Stone floors look beautiful but will feel amazing if you install underfloor heating in your bath remodel.

Prioritize what could be made more comfortable in your bathroom right down to the smallest detail and allow for this at the planning stage. Would you appreciate a mirror that won’t mist up and doubles as a touch screen? Voice-controlled lights, showers, and concealed speakers can transform your space with a simple command. Outlets can be concealed inside bespoke storage solutions to ensure that your bath design is streamlined and calm.

Be Free

The ultimate way to relax in your bathroom is to soak in a bathtub. Why not invest in a freestanding tub and make it a stylish focal point of your design? Flat-bottomed tubs are far more popular than claw-foot but select a style that will complement your other design features. Also, you could choose a smaller tub if you want to keep both a tub and a shower in a space that is limited. Ensure it’s made from quality material to further emphasize its pared-back elegance. You could also choose an unusual material, such as wood, concrete, or copper. An open bathroom design lets you make the tub the centerpiece of the room and gives a feeling of calm throughout. Always check that your bathroom floor can take the weight of an extremely heavy bath, especially if you live in an apartment or a period house.

large master bath with freestanding tub

Check out our bathroom design gallery for further inspiration and contact us today to start planning a bath remodel where you can relax in style.