How to turn your bathroom into a spa-like sanctuary in a few steps – from cleverly concealed storage and smart tech to mirrors and candles
- Style up the smallest room in the house to create a home spa with a combination of tactile textures and smart technology
Hong Kong bathrooms are notoriously tiny. While you can argue that there is only so much one can do to style up the space, there is no better time than now, when we’re spending so much time at home, to rethink your bathroom.
When it comes to overall style, simple contours seem to be the rule for smaller bathrooms. Round sinks are classic, but those wanting a more modern look could opt for a rectangular one. An increasing number of city dwellers are also converting their bathtubs into shower alcoves – not just to save space but to add the option of installing luxurious features such as rain showers. Hansgrohe’s Rainfinity series offers myriad options for showers of all sizes. From shower heads to wall features, the range is coupled with smart technology to ensure that adjustments of the levels are perfect.
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When it comes to colours, there is a preference for more muted tones but it doesn’t mean you cannot personalise the space. Pair neutrals with warm woods, or various shades of blue and grey.
If you’re going for a slightly more dramatic look, try incorporating a monochromatic scheme, but be sure to do it in a way that each of the different elements in a bathroom – toilet, cabinets and shelving units – aren’t fighting for attention.
Brighter colours can add dimension to bathrooms. If you feel daubing your entire bathroom in say, bright yellow, is too overwhelming, consider focusing on only one of the walls or surfaces. Plants are also a good way to bring life, both literally and metaphorically, to bathrooms. Meanwhile, candles will instantly imbue the space with a soothing atmosphere and fragrance, but make sure you don’t leave them unattended.
If you want that extra oomph, invest in an antique gold mirror or a dramatic oval looking glass, a pretty patterned rug or a wackily designed doorknob.
The important thing is to ensure that accents and textures come together as a whole. After all, the bathroom is one of the places you retire to, whether for a long soak in the tub or a refreshing facial, at the end of a long working day – so you don’t want this space to be overly stimulating.
Storage is another challenge facing the city’s mini bathrooms. How do you efficiently tuck away dozens of cleaning products, stacks of fresh towels and spare toiletries?
A simple solution is to add a two-in-one mirror cabinet, or if you’re doing home renovations, consider building a shelf above your toilet as an extra storage area.
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Instead of dumping various shampoos, conditioners and facial cleaners around the perimeter of your bathtub, a corner shelf will help you better organise all your products.
While hygiene is a top priority in bathrooms, it has taken on added urgency this year – amid scares that the coronavirus might spread through bathroom pipes. Aside from fervently disinfecting toilets, bathtubs and surfaces, those undertaking a bathroom renovation might want to consider adding new accessories.
Smart toilets and bathroom accessories are gaining popularity in Hong Kong. Anyone who has visited a big Japanese city will have come across those wondrous bidets with cleaning functions. Now that you’re spending a lot more time at home, perhaps its time to get one for your own bathroom.
A good example is Toto’s Washlet. Not only does this Japanese toilet come with a heated seat, it also includes a number of cleaning functions, front and rear, oscillating and static; a deodoriser, and Ewater+, which sanitises the nozzle and toilet bowl. It is also equipped with a water filtration system.
Meanwhile, Kohler’s Eir Intelligent Toilet is big on both hygiene and style. It is equipped with a wand that sprays water, and a one-click sanitiser that activates both electrolysed water and UV light functions to clean the bowl and wand, ensuring greater hygiene.
Available in white and sunrise gold, the softly contoured bidet also includes an electroplated hammered rose gold lid, which is guaranteed to bring a touch of sophistication to bathrooms big or small.
How to create a home spa
When was the last time you visited a spa? When are you planning to visit a spa next? If you don’t remember or you don’t know, it’s time to think about ways to recreate that experience at home. Spas evokes images of steaming sauna rooms and stand-alone marble bath tubs but you don’t need to reconfigure your entire bathroom to achieve a home spa experience.
After all, a spa could be an hour-long salt scrub and mud wrap, but it can also be as simple as taking time out for a facial.
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“A little styling goes a long way,” says Rowena Gonzales, founder of Liquid Interiors. For those on a budget, Gonzales suggests starting with smaller things like adding plants, rolled towels, and matching hand soap holders.
“You can have the same bathroom, but when it’s styled properly, you can get a completely different feel.” Aside from thinking about how your bathroom looks, scent is a key element of any spa experience. One way to add fragrance is using scented candles – not only do they smell nice, the soft light also calms the senses.
If you’re bothered by the heat, use scented reed diffusers as an alternative. Adding potpourri is also a fancy way to create an ultra-personalised spa experience.
