Bathrooms
October 5, 2016
28 Spa-Like Bathrooms That Invite Relaxation
The best types of bathrooms reflect different ideas of relaxation; some homeowners can’t get enough of indulgences like heated floors and steam showers, while others gravitate towards humble, zen-like spaces with giant rain heads and easy-care wet rooms. One common thread is an emphasis on the beauty of natural materials. Treat yourself to tranquility with these soothing, spa-like bathrooms from the House & Home archives, which invite a long, luxurious soak.
According to designer Colette van den Thillart, the “jewel of the room” is the polished nickel tub she placed smack dab in the center of this 200-square-foot space. Layered iron-framed mirrors and wall sconces over a wall-to-wall mirror makes a huge statement, and lush drapery and marble floors deliver more impact.
A showstopping, hand-painted cherry blossom mural in silver and gold leafing makes a star turn in this luxurious bathroom by designer Theresa Casey. Paired with a dynamic, warm metal fixture, sculptural standalone tub and mosaic tile floor, this bathroom could double as a gallery.
The brilliant use of concrete tiles turned the bathing area in H&H senior design editor Sally Armstrong’s shower into art. The ikat design isn’t too trendy to stand the test of time, and the blue is bright but sophisticated. The shower walls (foreground) and tub enclosure are made from smooth white Corian, for a sleek look.
Designer James Davie is known for taking a chance with color, and his bathroom lives up to his reputation. The unusual purple veining of the Breccia Capraia marble in this principal ensuite plays off the dramatic freestanding blue tub and red tile. The dramatic grey millwork is just neutral enough to tie it all together.
Designer Karen Cole’s clever solution for designing this bathroom around five windows was to mount the mirrors on chrome poles with integrated lights. A freestanding black cabinet grounds this white space, and along with the tribal rug, adds personality.
Lynda Reeves explored a new breed of farmhouse chic for the 2012 Princess Margaret show home, and the principal ensuite bathroom reflects a mix of rustic and modern. Marble wall tiles define the glassed-in shower, while the eaves make the vaulted ceilings feel intimate. Classic shower and bath fixtures, and limestone flooring, conjure traditional Euro style.
Designer Brian Gluckstein is known for his signature “library” bathrooms, and maybe the fascination started with his own well appointed soaker, partially encircled by shelves full of leather-bound books. A mirrored side table, credenza-like vanity and upholstered armchair make this bathroom feel like a living room.
In 2006, H&H featured the modernist country home of Kelvin Browne. The impressive copper tub at the heart of his bathroom, however, was decidedly old-fashioned and seems to glow against the contrasting spareness of the contemporary concrete floor.
Way before Jenna Lyons of J.Crew painted her NYC brownstone black, designer Connie Braemer created a dark retreat that reads as sophisticated, not gloomy. Matte black paint on panelled walls, paired with a black clawfoot tub, is an unexpectedly elegant antidote to predictable, white bathrooms.
This bathroom belonging to Mandy Milks blew up on social media, no doubt in part to the accessible charm of the tub which she painted black to look vintage. Using the Ace Hotel in New York as inspiration, Mandy chose inexpensive but unexpected black hex tiles and she was an early adopter of warm brass accents.
We love how designer Sloan Mauran turned Bisazza mosaic tile into an oversized damask pattern that envelopes the walls for major drama in this bathroom belonging to Victoria Webster. The opalescent sheen of the tile’s finish and an oversized feather chandelier completes the luxe, lyrical look (see Victoria tour this space and the adjoining bedroom here).
The owner of one of Toronto’s most beloved decor shops, Absolutely, retailer Viki Mansell used marble slab walls to create a contemporary bathroom that works within a traditional home. A substantial bench provides open storage in the shower, and mirrors the heft of the floating vanity (we also love the unusual custom pulls, made from the lids of horn boxes).
This unabashedly feminine ensuite bathrom is glam but super functional. Designer Jennifer Worts created the personality her clients craved by wrapping the room in a metallic print wallpaper and panelling, and topping it with a crystal chandelier, which transforms the space into a sparkling spa.
Colette van den Thillart’s European sensibilities are very much in evidence, even in her Toronto home. An antique zinc tub, neoclassical sconces, rococo bench and deeply veined marble floor lend a romantic mood to this ensuite.
This incredibly luxe bathroom in the country home of designer Jill Kantelberg illustrates the point that functional spaces can be lavished with beautiful items. Jill doesn’t shy away from employing an 18th-century French side table with its original paint to hold towels, or layer in sumptuous touches such as a Persian carpet and antique wrought-iron chandelier from Europe.
The wallpaper and graphic floor selected by H&H’s Kai Ethier drew raves from readers and the homeowners alike (see the video of the entire bathroom here). The freestanding tub and modern glass shower offer a clean feel, and heated flooring with a wireless thermostat ensures feet stay toasty.
This bathroom proves how just a few tweaks can successfully update a traditional space. To give this classic all-white bathroom a more current feel, designer Robyn Young incorporated a Moroccan pendant, full-length patterned drapes on brass rods (a particularly on-trend addition) and a metallic stump stool.
This inviting bathroom designed by Sam Sacks is full of marble tile, but it feels warm and inviting as well. Sam starts by injecting subtle glamor with gold globe sconces and brass fixtures, and softens up the space with a paisley blind and handmade touches such as a stool and basket. Tour the rest of the bathroom here.
Nautical themes are an obvious go-to look for a bathroom, but in a lakeside cottage, it acquires authenticity. Cory DeFrancisco of Muskoka Living Interiors designed his own Muskoka cottage bathroom with a porthole window that provides a view of the lake, enamel lights in fresh white, and shiplap panelling.
In the 2015 Princess Margaret Showhome’s principal bathroom by Brian Gluckstein, a marble shaving station was installed right in the shower for extra convenience (sparking Brian to want one in his own bathroom).
Actor Yannick Bisson of Murdoch Mysteries fame loves the treehouse appeal of his Toronto bathroom, where a sculptural egg-shaped tub takes advantage of the spectacular outdoor views. The deck offers privacy so no blinds are necessary and the windowsill doubles as storage. The striking chandelier designed by Luceplan resembles a luminescent sea creature.
Subway tile wainscotting lends a slightly old-school look to Michelle and Kenny Gemmhill’s glassed-in shower, but there is way too much light and space for anyone to mistake it as period. An inlaid tile treatment in the enclosure and ornate floor tiles add interest.
Designer Silvano D’Addazio’s doesn’t play it safe with color. The subway tiles in an unexpected fondant shade of lavender in her bathroom drew major love (see a video of this designer’s entire home here). Framing the tile like panelling makes the space feel extra polished.
Designers Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe shoehorned a shower into the former powder room of this condo, but just because space was tight didn’t mean they couldn’t pack the room with statement moves. They continued the high-impact diamond floor pattern from the entry hall for continuity, and lavished the shower stall enclosure with marble tile.
In this B.C. bathroom designed by Tanya Schoenroth, the vanity extends the length of the wall to offer a range of storage, and a marble niche over the tub keeps toiletries at hand in an artful way. Black metal pendants have an industrial feel, but it’s the heated Moroccan floor tiles that are firmly the focus of this room.
There’s a zen purity to this bathroom by designer Ashley Botten. The floating white oak vanity keep surfaces uncluttered, while a glassed-in steam shower lined in porcelain tile offsets the warmth of the wood, and includes a shallow shelf for toiletries.
It’s hard not to feel transported by the tropical vacay vibe of Monica and Michael Belcourt’s home in the Dominican Republic. It effectively blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces, and the huge sliding doors in the spa-like bathroom all but erase those boundaries. The tub sits on stones from the garden while the coral stone walls remain cool despite the island heat.
Sumptuous and pretty, this Palm Beach principal bathroom by Les Ensembliers is layered and luxurious. A bamboo ladder and dragon ginger jar inject a Far East flair to a spa-like marble tub surround and vanity counter.