Turn your bath into a spa without killing your budget

Let’s face it, all of us at one time or another feel the need to find a refuge where we can relax, recharge and pamper ourselves after a long day of work. What better place to do that than our own bathroom?

Unfortunately, the typical home bathroom was built to be more utilitarian and is not always designed to give us that spa feeling. But, with some creativity and a bit of work, you can have the bathroom sanctuary you deserve. Here are a few ideas that will help you turn your drab, dreary bathroom into an oasis of peace and tranquility.

Optimize the function of your bathtub

One of the first things that come to mind when somebody mentions the word spa is an image of a bathtub filled with warm water, perhaps the aroma of essential oils and some candles burning in the background.

Essentially, the bathtub is the centerpiece of any spa environment. If you are fortunate enough to have the budget and the space, there are quite a few great choices available, the most popular being the freestanding tub.

Whether they are the traditional clawfoot tub type or the more modern acrylic or solid surface freestanding tubs, both styles are intended to be soaking tubs, so they tend to be deeper in order to provide good water coverage. If you are transitioning from an existing 60” alcove tub, don’t despair, Kingston Brass has a couple options for you.

If you are going with a more traditional look, they carry a 54” clawfoot tub (VCT3D543019NT1) which will give you sufficient space to accommodate the plumbing required in these type of tubs. Water depth on this tub is over 12” which is a whole lot better than your average builder tub that only allows you to soak in 8-1/2” of water.

And because the Kingston Brass tub is not extremely sloped it gives you about 32” of floor space in which to stretch your legs. If your taste gravitates more towards the modern end of the spectrum, Kingston Brass also carries a 57” Solid surface freestanding tub, and because the drain is in the middle you do not need to allow extra space at the ends to accommodate either the faucet or the drain.

The good thing with opting for a soaker tub as opposed to a jetted tub is that it allows you to customize your bath with your favorite bubbles or essential oils.

In addition, you do not have to attempt to relax while dealing with the noise and vibration of a pump, not to mention the concern of dealing with a possible UTI.

To compliment that tub you will need to select the appropriate faucet for your tub. While the primary function of the faucet is to fill the tub in the shortest amount of time, you should also consider getting a faucet that has an additional hand shower.

This addition will come in handy when rinsing yourself and/or cleaning the tub. There are many faucet choices available whether you are going with a traditional or contemporary décor.

There are a few other accessories that you can add to make your spa experience even more pleasant:

• Free standing towel racks. Having your towel within arm’s reach means not having to leave the comfort of your warm bath to stand up and reach for a towel. And fortunately, there are many different styles to choose from to fit every need.
• Tub shelves. The most luxurious way to enjoy a glass of wine in the tub. Tub Shelves come in many different styles and materials, one of the most popular choices being Bamboo. For one, it’s impervious to water damage, and there is something very Zen about bamboo that just evokes relaxation. The tub shelf will extend from one side of the tub to the other so you can use it to rest a book, soap and sponge or even just some aromatic candles.

Sounds

Although there are many music apps available, we recommend not taking the phone into your spa sanctuary. After all, the information on that mobile phone is most likely the source of much of the stress you’re trying to forget about. If you’re not lucky enough to live by the beach or next to a rain forest, it is recommended spending $20 and buying a sound machine such as the Homedics soundspa sound machine, so you can relax listening to the sounds of the ocean or a running brook.

Aroma

For an investment of under $30 you can get one of many aromatherapy difusers available on the market. Select the right aroma for your taste or desired effect.

Visuals

Paint the bathroom in soothing colors. The consensus seems to be that lavender, pale gray, cool blue, grey-blue and aqua are the top 5 most relaxing colors.

If your décor is leaning more towards earth tones, pale pink, beige and pale green are next on the list, and of course white is a good default. You can always accessorize with one of the colors mentioned.

The main thing to remember is stay away from primary colors. You can also enhance your ambience by adding plants, whether it’s foliage or actual flowers such as orchids or even succulents, but please beware that not all plants thrive in the heat and humidity of the bathroom.

Taste

And because having a pleasant spa experience is all about pleasing the senses in a soothing way, we can’t forget about the sense of taste and in this case we’ll leave up to you. It could be anything from a warm cup of chamomile tea to a cool glass of bubbly, as long as it helps you relax and unwind.

All in all, it’s all about having a soothing and relaxing sensory experience. Resetting, re-charging and pampering ourselves.