Luxurious Spa Master Bathroom

If your bathroom is still in the ’80s, you can bring it up to date with luxurious materials and spa amenities, including a separate tub and shower area, a dual vanity and a separate water closet. Here are some tips for creating a beautiful master bath full of soothing neutrals and rich details:

• Use earth-tone colors. A calming palette of neutrals creates a soothing atmosphere. Medium-brown walls add depth and enhance the natural materials and wood furniture.
  
• Integrate a wet area. By borrowing space from a small closet, you can expand the floor plan to accommodate a tiled wet area featuring a spa-style tub, a shower and a built-in bench. A partial glass wall can separate the shower area from the rest of the room.
  
• Make room for a water closet. The toilet is moved to the front of the room and hidden in a closet behind a pocket door.
  
• Decide on a focal point. If the back wall is immediately noticeable when you enter the room, you can decorate it with a tile mosaic made of tumbled stone and handcrafted tile.
  
• Add rich details without going over budget. You can still have opulence if you’re on a budget — just use special pieces sparingly for impact. In this case, the designer used mosaic tile with metallic accents to make the wet area special.
  
• Create interest on the floor. Set large tiles on the diagonal to break up a long and narrow room. Mosaic tile can act as the grout line.
  
• Add character with a distressed finish. The cabinets in this bathroom were given a lovely patina by sanding, scraping and nicking up new wood with regular woodworker’s tools. Layers of dark brown stain and glaze mix for a rich, warm look.
  
• Use furniture-style storage. If you have the room, use nontraditional furniture pieces for storage, such as an armoire. You can also create a custom look by attaching furniture-style legs to a vanity.
  
• Make room for seating. In a professional spa, comfort is key. Bringing a bench into your master bathroom will make it just as cozy. In this redesign, a leather bench is placed in the middle of the room, and there’s a built-in bench in the shower area.
  
• Bring the outdoors in. Get fresh air inside with a large window that can be opened easily. Since this bathroom is next to a canopy of trees and privacy isn’t an issue, the designer opted for a narrow French door to bring in the breeze.
  
• Accent with metal. Oil-rubbed bronze sconces and faucets bring an Old World touch to the spa design.