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Calming. Relaxing. Restful. That’s the aim for any bathroom. Health journalist Brigid Moss explores how to create a spa-like sanctuary (without having to call in the builders).
The bathroom is where we top and tail our day: shower and brush our teeth at the start, remove make-up, cleanse and bathe at the end. If we can make it a place that makes us feel good, we can build relaxation into our daily routine. Research shows that doing just five minutes of destressing a day has a big effect on stress levels. “This is the room that we see first thing in the morning and last thing before going to bed, therefore getting the energy correct here is really powerful,” says Priya Sher, feng shui consultant and @priyasher on Instagram.
That explains why interior designers have brought the calming aesthetic of luxury spas into the home. But just as the holiday local vino doesn’t taste the same once we’ve carried it home, travel-spa style needs to be translated into real-life function, too. Unless you’re designing from scratch, you won’t have a water softener, body jets or air purification, however, with some minimal tweaks, you can bring the healing magic of a high-end spa or boutique-hotel bathroom home.
Energy healer Walaa, who is a healing guide and author of Heal Yourself With Colour, suggests you start with colour – on the walls, door, towels and pictures, too. There are two directions you can choose, she says, and your emotional reaction will tell you which one is right. “Either choose darker colours that give you a feeling of being enveloped, as if you’re in the womb, or paler colours that bring up the feeling of relaxation, perhaps that have positive memories,” she says.
Getting the light right is also key. Daylight helps kick-start your hormonal waking response; if you don’t have a window, choose daylight-mimicking bulbs in overhead lights. At night, go dim, says Katia Narain Phillips, co-author of Self-Care For The Real World and co-founder of superfood drinks Phyto Nectar. “You can buy small lights that stick on the wall, to create a pool of low light. At night, go for more of a warm, orangey glow to mimic dusk.”
Get rid of clutter, too. “When clutter accumulates energy stagnates. Physical clutter is a reflection of mental clutter,” says Sher. Cull any products you don’t use, then put anything that’s left into pretty baskets, or a brass or chrome caddy.
Studies show that being in forests and next to water help bring your nervous system down to earth, so the more nature you can welcome inside, the better. “Put plants where you can,” says Sher. Tropical plants, such as spider plants and peace lilies, do well in the humidity of the bathroom. Sher likes plants that absorb mould toxins, such as snake plants and ferns. Try to include the elements of nature, too, she suggests. Think wood (shelves, bamboo in mats and blinds, seagrass and jute in baskets), earth (stone and terracotta in countertops, tiles and pebbles), fire (candles), metal (white towels and soft cotton to evoke the clean, refreshing feeling of metal) and, of course, water.
Add reminders of good times and beautiful things, to create positivity; maybe paintings or photos. “A basket of magazines and books will give the invitation to just sit. You can play evocative or calming music through a waterproof speaker,” says Walaa. Narain Phillips puts crystals into her bath while it’s filling. “Rose quartz is my favourite as it’s the crystal of the heart,” she says. Then she adds a big scoop of muscle-relaxing Epsom salts, customised with drops of essential oils. “I use lavender and clary sage for relaxation, orange for uplifting,” she says. And when you’re showering, throw a few drops of oil around the base of the shower; the hot water will release the scent.
Walaa believes a shower allows you to release physically, as the water flows away. “Water is very energetically cleansing so it can move your emotions,” she says. On the other hand, baths allow you to sit with what’s happening, so they are more of a ritual. “Being immersed in water relaxes you – plus it releases the same energy as being hugged,” says Sher. Either way, water therapy is something we’re definitely on board with…
Brigid Moss is a health writer and editor, and co-author, with Professor David Nutt, of “Psychedelics” (Yellow Kite). Follow her on Instagram @brigidmoss
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