Bathrooms Beautiful

Everyone deserves to take a break from the stresses of the day, and what better place to do it than in your own house with your own spa-like bathroom? Luckily, the master bathroom provides the perfect place to create your own personal oasis.

Here are just a few recommendations I discovered from online designers, to make the bathroom feel like a spa:

• Set a calm mood by using neutral colours;
• Keep it uncluttered;
• Incorporate splurge-worthy plush towels;
• Install radiant-heated floors;
• Add a window for a bright airy feeling.
• Think about hanging sheers at the window to filter sunlight and keep the space feeling airy;
• Install quality lighting and plumbing fixtures (a bathroom adds a lot of value to a home) and consider a large rain shower head;
• Install a free-standing soaker tub as a focal point;
• Hang artwork — something you love to look at while you’re de-stressing in the bath;
• Enlist a tub caddy and add proper storage shelves and drawers to keep personal items out of sight;
• Set up surround sound; soft music can have a relaxing affect;
• Put bath salts into lovely glass cannisters for decor (if they’re fragranced they’ll make the bathroom smell nice);
• Include unique towel racks (heated towel racks if you have the budget);
• Have candles at hand to enhance a spa experience;
• Add dimmers to your lights;
• Include greenery in the form of plants;
• Use modern mirrors above each vanity, rather than just one large rectangular unframed mirror.

For us, we feel that many of the items above can be accomplished within our budget and it will allow us to achieve the tranquil space we are looking for. Also, I’m personally a fan of vintage-looking tiles and fixtures. See below the photos that have inspired our spa-like bathroom.

We can’t wait to see the finished results!

In the meantime, here are some recommendations of my own for you:

• Order your plumbing and lighting fixtures early on in the process. With supply chain issues, they can take a while to arrive.
• Be prepared with second choices in case your first choice is out of stock.
• Make sure the spacing for lighting fixtures will work on either side of your vanity mirrors and that the glass shades extend far enough out they won’t interfere with the rim of your mirrors.
• Check that your lighting fixtures are damp rated for a bathroom.
• If you order a cast iron tub, ensure your builder knows so they can reinforce the floor to carry the weight load.
• Be prepared to expand your budget if you are ordering specialty tiles like the vintage ones we’ve ordered: border tiles, pencil tiles, penny tiles, and cove base tiles cost a lot more. Shop around for the best pricing. We saved 66% on materials just by comparison shopping.
• If you’re ordering specialty tiles, be prepared to visit more than one tile showroom. Not all tile suppliers carry vintage and/or specialty tiles. Also, if they do carry them, it’s possible the colours and/or finishes could be limited.
• Do NOT allow a tile supplier to sell you glossy tile for a bathroom floor. Most glossy tiles are not safety rated for slippery areas like a bathroom.
• You don’t always have to shop in the most obvious places. For example, we were able to purchase our circular bathroom mirrors from Staples for half the price they were charging at home stores. Try to think outside the box.

We’ve placed our order already. Our circular mirrors, vintage tiles, light fixtures, and clawfoot cast iron tub are waiting for installation. The cherry on top: radiant-heating in our bathroom floors to add that extra little bit of cozy comfort.

If there is anything you think we should add to our list of recommendations, let us know in the comments.