Creating a Luxury Spa Experience in your own Apartment

For many, the end of the year can be primarily associated with the busyness and stress of preparing for the holiday season. While many people shift their focus to family, friends, and social activities, it is also important to set aside time for needed rest, self-care and relaxation! Instead of paying for expensive spa treatments, why not capitalize on your own apartment’s potential to become a sanctuary oasis of spa-like experiences? With the right tools, you can enhance and transform your bathroom with all of the key elements of a luxury day spa to make a comfortable escape right at home. Then, whenever the holiday stress starts to become overwhelming, step away to unwind and reset! 

Intuitive and Minimal  

The ideal spa experience is first and foremost characterized by relaxation. In order to eliminate additional stress factors, start by creating a clean and organized flow to your bathroom. Declutter all surfaces, drawers, and cupboards. Throw away old, expired products and donate new, unopened products that you may no longer want to use. Wipe down counters, shelves, drawers, and even inside your shower to shine up surfaces and make them ready for reorganization. Group all items together by type: skin care, hair care, toiletries, dental care, makeup, etc. Once your categories are established, designate specific spots for each in the order that makes the most sense for your personal daily routines. Evaluate if drawer dividers or stackable cupboard shelves would be helpful for organization. With everything back in place, try out the new system and make adjustments as needed - there is no right way to organize, only different systems that work better for different people!

Beyond organizing items, storage containers can also beautify a room when coordinated with the overall aesthetic design. Instead of hiding extra towels away, use matching storage solutions to display them. Fold or roll washcloths and hand towels open on a shelf or tucked into wicker baskets to keep them accessible and visually appealing. Larger towels can be hung on a towel ladder, keeping them in easy reach. Open floating shelves above a toilet, next to a vanity or near the shower create appealing surfaces for practical items and decorative pieces alike. Switch out plain garbage bins with lidded cans made of natural materials such as bamboo or wicker to keep trash out of sight! In similar fashion, dirty laundry can be tucked away in a bamboo tilt-out laundry hamper. The closing basket functionally stores dirty laundry without disrupting the visual flow of the room, while the storage shelves above create additional organization space. Every step toward greater organization and cleanliness is a step away from stress and agitation! 

Elegant and Cohesive

A luxurious spa-like bathroom should be a carefully curated balance of functionality and aesthetics. Spa visitors can expect the facilities to provide everything they need for maximum ease and convenience. The same can be true about an at home spa bathroom! Decorative furniture items should concurrently elevate the elegance of the space while serving a specific purpose. A wooden bath tray is the quintessential home spa item. Bath trays hold anything from a book, a cup of tea or glass of wine, a candle, bath salts, or even a small vase of fresh flowers, turning a mundane daily routine into a time for intentionality and self-care. Likewise, shower benches not only provide seating, but a functional alternative surface for shampoo and soap to be easily accessible. A small shower-side table can also provide either a functional or purely aesthetic surface for home decor items or tools. Further enhance the shower or bath area with an aesthetic bath mat. Keep with the spa appeal by selecting a wooden one made of cedar, bamboo, or teak or going in the opposite direction with an extra plush and soft

bath mat. Either way, these mats are great for capturing water after taking a shower and creating a beautiful luxury experience! Complement the rest of your bathroom’s aesthetic with an airy, elegant set of curtains for either your shower or a window. Choose an open weave fabric such as linen or gauze to create a sense of lightness to the room. Lastly, use reflection to your advantage with interior design! Mirrors can multiply the light, space, and decor of the room. The larger the mirror, the more the room seems to visually expand. Every item the mirror reflects gets doubled, which  They also take it a step further when it comes to decorations by reflecting and visually multiplying the aesthetic of the room. Create a relaxing and cozy ambience with lighting. Warm light bulbs can change the tone of daily routines, casting a soothing and soft glow over the room. An aesthetic warm toned nightlight can help to enhance the overall appeal of the room while providing soft lighting for late night bathroom visits. As the nights continue to get darker approaching the winter solstice, any way we can multiply light in a room can help our homes feel brighter and keep us energized! For more ideas, check out our blog on tips for adjusting to the time change.

Natural Inspiration

Luxury Spas are often designed to mimic natural environments. From the airy coast to lush pine forest or fragrant blooming gardens, nature can quiet the mind and help us feel removed from the chaos around us. Whatever your preferred destination may be, incorporating natural elements transforms your apartment into a luxury spa-like experience. Choose a palette of soft muted colors directly inspired by a natural place. Neutral beige tones with pastel teals and greens evoke the breeze and mist of the seaside, a place known for mental and physical rejuvenation. Natural seashells, driftwood counter trays, and watercolor framed art can enhance the coastal vibe to make a relaxing coastal getaway. Natural wood accents paired with earthy deep greens can give a space the ambience of the cool canopy of a dense forest. Decorate with teak wood shelves and stone to double up on the rustic outdoorsy vibe.  Potted plants are a great addition to a bathroom space, especially plants that thrive in low light and high humidity. Consider getting plants such as birds nest fern, pothos, and lucky bamboo to bring a breath of fresh air into the room and really amplify the spa experience. Soft pastels can create a bright feeling of a blooming garden. Keep a vase of fresh flowers to brighten the room and give it a lovely fragrance. To create a more immersive theme, incorporate aromatherapy of matching scents to give you the desired mental benefits of specific scents. Ocean breeze diffuser sticks or citrus essential oils can help you feel revitalized and energized for the day ahead. Earthy candles such as moss and oak can keep you grounded and connected to the present. Perfumy florals like lavender can calm and relax your mind, promoting peaceful sleep. 

Tools and Toiletries

Perhaps the most important aspect to creating a spa-like bathroom is ensuring that you have high quality tools and toiletries to enhance your self care routine. Extra soft, plush towels are comforting and feel luxurious. Something as simple as indulging in high quality towels can make every day at home feel like a 5-star hotel experience. Switch out regularly used items for upgraded versions made of all natural materials. Shower tools such as natural loofahs, sisal exfoliating cloths, and bamboo brushes are great tools for elevating your skin care routine while the natural materials feel like luxury spa equipment.  Small indulgences such as sugar scrubs, bath salts, and face masks are great for when you find yourself in need of a spa day and some extra self care. Skin care tools such as cooling globes, jade rollers and gua sha stones, help to take care of your skin while promoting relaxation through massage and lymphatic drainage. Visually enhance your tools and toiletries by using glass and stone containers such as apothecary style dispensers and white marble soap dishes. Use glass jars to display items that are needed regularly such as cotton rounds, floss picks and hair ties to keep them easily accessible in an organized and aesthetic way. 

As we finish out the year and schedules fill up well past the new year, it may feel hard to find time to ourselves and relax. Creating a relaxing spa-inspired space in our bathroom can make self-care and relaxation available and accessible at any time without needing to leave the house or pay extra money.