Bathrooms are no longer simply somewhere to get ready in the morning. As homeowners and designers look for ways to make everyday routines feel more enjoyable, the bathroom is increasingly becoming a place to slow down, switch off and spend a little more time.
Creating that spa-like feeling at home does not have to mean an all-white scheme or a complete renovation. The right colours, surfaces and finishes can make a significant difference, whether through stone-effect tiles, warmer earthy shades, tactile textures or a shower area designed to become the focus of the room.
María D Arráez, Director of Tile of Spain UK, shares her advice on creating a bathroom that brings some of the best elements of a spa into the home.
Start with colours that help you unwind
“When people think of spa bathrooms, they often picture white and beige, but there is much more room for colour. Soft greens, warm stone shades, clay, taupe and muted browns all work beautifully because they take their cue from materials and colours found in nature. If you prefer a darker bathroom, deep green or chocolate brown can create a more cocooning feel, particularly around a bath or shower. The important thing is to choose colours you genuinely find relaxing rather than feeling you have to follow a particular spa ‘look’.”
Bring in the look of natural materials
“Stone and timber are closely associated with spa interiors, and ceramic and porcelain tiles allow you to bring those influences into a bathroom without some of the maintenance concerns of the natural material. Stone-effect tiles can range from soft limestone and travertine looks to marble with gentle veining, while wood-effect porcelain brings warmth to floors and walls. Using these finishes together can help a bathroom feel less clinical and much closer to the relaxed atmosphere you would expect from a hotel or retreat.”
Let the shower take centre stage
“A generous shower can completely change the experience of using a bathroom. If space allows, think about making the shower one of the main features rather than squeezing it into a corner. Continuing the same tile across the walls and floor can reduce visual breaks and make the area feel larger. Large-format tiles are particularly useful here because fewer grout lines create a cleaner finish, while built-in niches and tiled benches can make the shower feel more comfortable and practical to use every day.”
Use texture to add interest
“A spa-like bathroom does not need lots of decoration. Texture can do much of the work. Fluted, relief and handmade-effect tiles bring interest to walls without relying on strong pattern, while matt and softly textured finishes can give stone and neutral colours more depth. You can also mix finishes within the same colour family. A gloss tile in the shower paired with a matt finish elsewhere, for example, allows the light to react differently across the room while keeping the overall scheme simple.”
Make the whole room feel connected
“Rather than introducing a different material on every surface, choose a smaller number of finishes and repeat them around the room. That might mean taking the same stone-effect tile from the floor onto the bath surround, or continuing one wall tile through the shower and behind the vanity. It helps the room feel more spacious and allows features such as the bath, brassware or lighting to stand out.”
Warm flooring, good lighting, easy-to-clean surfaces and enough storage to keep everyday products out of sight all help create a spa-like bathroom that feels calm and easy to use. Whether that means a long shower surrounded by deep green tiles, a bath set against a warm stone backdrop or simply choosing finishes that make the room feel less busy, the aim is to create a space that helps everyday routines feel a little more relaxed.