Winter 2025/2026

Beyond Beautiful: The Spa Bath as Self-Care

The Well-Lived Life

Designers explore how intentional materials, lighting, and sensory details can promote wellness at home.

Words
Sarah MacFarland

Photos Above and Below
Josie Benefield
@josiedell_photo

Designer/Contractor
Amanda Lee Interiors
@amandaleeinteriors

Designer
Knapstein Design
@knapsteindesign

Cabinet Design
Bootlace Design & Build
@bootlacedesignbuild

I

nterior design can be so much more than the sum of its parts. A space, of course, should look good. But how does it feel when you’re in it? How does it function to work with you, not against you? How does it enhance your sense of well-being? As one of designer Carol Cisco’s nonprofit Designing for Veterans clients discovered, “Virtually every element of one’s physical environment contributes to perceptions, moods, spirit, and level of inner peace.”

Cisco, principal and owner of Signature Design + Studio, knows that design can be therapeutic when all elements come together: color, lighting, access to nature, texture, function, scent, and the way the space reflects someone’s personal story and addresses their unique physical and emotional needs. “I found that something beautiful and functional can also serve another purpose—improving one’s health and wellness. It can be a place of healing,” she says.   

And we certainly need that in winter. Our self-care focus might be making our bathrooms more spa-like.

Whether you want to add holistic and therapeutic elements to your bath, renovate an existing bath, or create a new one, there are many ways to enhance that feeling of well-being.

Color

Kathryn Grube, professor of interior design at Johnson County Community College and owner of Functional Color Solutions, likes to start with color. “Color is reflected light, and light is energy,” she says. “The warmer colors have more active energy, while the cooler colors are more soothing. That’s why blues and greens are often used in spa bathrooms. Blues and greens are also biophilic colors that connect us to nature. Lavender can help promote mental or emotional balance.” Regan Romero of Regan Romero Design, known for her urban eclectic style, likes to go with softer, earthy colors.

Project Photos Below
Brynn Burns
@bbphotography11

Designer
Regan Romero Design
@reganromerodesign

Lighting

Light in a bath not only helps us find our way around but should also make us look good as we view ourselves in the mirror. “Layered lighting is important,” says Grube. And so are full-spectrum lightbulbs that mimic natural sunlight without the harsh blue tones that can make us look and feel washed out. Chromotherapy bulbs can deliver colored light in saunas or showers. Some jacuzzi bathtubs have chromotherapy features that allow you to soak while being bathed in light, which alters your mood.

Access to Nature

Biophilic design is all about tapping into nature’s healing power, “creating an outdoor haven inside,” says Grube. Whether you have a bath with a window onto a courtyard or a private fenced area, or one that suggests nature with rock features and greenery, or art, connecting to the natural world is therapeutic.

Texture

How something feels on the skin can also be comforting and soothing. “Tatami mats feel like grass,” says Grube. Think heated floors and towel racks. You can also go a step further with a heated bench in a large walk-in shower. “If you have wonderful cotton towels, soft and absorbent, and a robe and slippers, you can feel like you’re in a luxurious spa,” she adds.

Photos Below
Amber Dawkins
@amberdawkinsphotography

Designer
Deatherage Home Designs
deatheragedesign.com

Contractor
Gartman Remodeling
gartmanremodeling.com

Function

How a space works with you, rather than against you, can have a daily effect on well-being. A drippy faucet, a cluttered vanity, or a hard-to-clean bathroom represent daily irritants that can detract from peace of mind. Wall-mounted vanities and toilets let you easily clean under and around; vanities with deep and personalized storage keep personal care products out of sight. Toilets and bidets with heated seats and water for cleansing keep you clean as well. Romero likes to use bath cabinets with integrated outlets to hide that electric toothbrush. “When you can see the tile on the backsplash, it makes the room feel bigger,” she says.

A traditional Swedish or an infrared sauna, perhaps paired with a cold plunge pool, helps the body function better, especially for those who work out a lot or have specific physical needs. Romero has used a Swedish sauna with pink Himalayan salt blocks that release humidity into the air.

Scent

“Scent is linked to memory,” Grube says. “So when you add scent to a spa experience, you ask yourself ‘where do I want to transport myself?’” Beyond the time-honored lavender and eucalyptus, bath products and candles in various scents can take you back to your childhood, a favorite vacation spot, or a beloved garden. Romero recommends a steam shower that can also release essential oils for a sensory experience.

But the most important part of designing a spa bath involves being both personal and intentional. Since this room is used primarily twice a day, Romero asks her clients, “What parts of your morning or evening ritual are important to you?” One client wanted a deeper sink bowl with a spray faucet because he likes to wash his hair in the sink, and another prefers to shave in the shower. Some clients want a deep soaking tub; others would rather “soak” by sitting in the shower. A mood board with photos and clippings of the overall look and feel you want can get you one step closer to that spa retreat.

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