Going with the flow
Find out how to turn a bathroom into a personal, private home spa
There are several reasons for going to a spa, such as to de-stress, to relax, to beautify, to fight the ageing process, and to forget life’s problems for an hour or two. Whatever the reason for indulging in a massage, facial or body wrap, it ultimately comes down to feeling good and improving overall health – something you can do in the comfort of your home.
Key to the feel-good factor is to create a space that feels calm. Draw inspiration from the onsen of Japan to give your bathroom that Zen feel: think natural materials, such as wood and stone, and pared-down design. Move away from superfluous detail.
When it comes to wooden elements, look to the work of Japanese studio, Nendo, for ideas. Under the direction of Oki Sato, the studio has created a set of linear, wooden and ceramic basins, bathtubs, storage systems and planters. Nendo also recently created a bathroom range as part of its KI collection for Scavolini, featuring rounded white boxes for use as storage or planters, and wooden shelves and drawer units. The look is clean and pure – perfect for the Zen bathroom. Rapsel’s Ofurò tub is another great choice for the Japanese-inspired bathing space; it is made of movingui and larch wood, with a tactile finish.
For stone tubs and basins, check out Hong Kong designer Steve Leung’s Inkstone range for Neutra, available through colourliving. Each of the pieces in this collection is carved out of a single block of stone, giving it a smooth, seamless finish.
Also think about raising the tub. Place it by a light source on a stone plinth, with stone steps leading up to it – this will make it feel like it is separate from the rest of the bathroom. You could even bring in sheer curtains, enclosing the tub from the rest of the bathroom, so that it feels private, without being too cut-off from the rest of the room.
The faucets can also enhance the bathroom’s spa feel. Philippe Starck’s Axor Starck Organic basin mixer resembles a bamboo branch and it saves water, using a maximum of 3.5 litres per minute. Then there are Dornbracht’s Mem taps in a new, golden finish – these will bring a touch of luxe to your space.
The spa look doesn’t have to be just about Zen. Gold or brass elements will help make it look luxurious – check out Kartell by Laufen’s new, freestanding basin in a glossy, gold finish and its metallic suspension lights.
Stones such as marble will also give your bathroom a five-star-hotel spa look. Just be aware that marble is very porous, and it will absorb stains very easily. You could consider a substitute such as a composite material: Luna and Quarella are two brands that offer engineered stones made with ground marble, for that marble effect without the porosity.
The spa bathroom should not just feel like a calm space; it should also actively help to enhance health. For health and wellness are a huge part of our daily lives: this is partly due to demographic changes, says Wolfram Quast, regional sales director of Dornbracht, a high-end German bathrooms and kitchens brand, known for its fixtures and fittings in Asia-Pacific.
These demographic changes are the result of an ageing population. According to the United Nations Population Division, one in five people will be 65 or older by 2035. “With the demographic change, the planning of bathrooms as places where people can find a retreat for taking care of their health is getting more important,” Quast says.
“In the context of health, digitisation offers great potential for innovations for self-experience through special treatments using different temperatures and water flow,” he says. This is something Dornbracht has taken on board with its Sensory Sky rainshower, which comes with different light colour options that give you a healing dose of chromatherapy while you bathe, and other water flow options, such as mist, and fragrances, such as forest floor. Then there’s Dornbracht’s Horizontal Shower, which uses six “water bars” to spray you with water while you lie down. It also offers three programmes to energise, de-stress and rebalance.
Another health-focused bathroom product to consider is the Cybertecture mirror: it doubles as a reflective mirror and a display surface, on which you can see the weather forecast, watch TV, monitor your vital statistics, or even use as an exercise tool that will help you check your form while you work out.
For a natural health booster, bring plants into the bathroom, such as the areca palm, peace lily and mother-in-law’s tongue (snake plant). These will produce oxygen, and the peace lily will even clear the air of nasty toxins such as formaldehyde. Make sure you place them near a light source: while the peace lily and mother-in-law’s tongue don’t need a lot of light, they still need some in order to thrive. Plants will help you breathe easy in the bathroom, bringing a bit of nature into the space and giving it the peaceful spa feel.
