Bathed in Serenity

Northern Home & Cottage gives you six ideas for creating your own spa retreat.

Apr 18, 2008 Diane Kolak

The old-fashioned soaking tub gets a modern tweak with a clean pedestal base (nowhere for dust to collect!) and a minimalist chrome tub-filler. Natural light pours in through a bank of four south-facing windows.
The L-shaped plan is divided by a space-saving pocket door.
Turn everyday items into display pieces by storing them in glass vases and urns. A special handblown bowl and a framed Gwen Frostic notecard complete the vignette.
To keep the area above the vanity sleek and simple, the medicine cabinet is recessed into the space between studs on the opposite wall.
The custom maple vanity houses two undermounted sinks, a narrow set of drawers and open storage below. The top is crafted from composite granite, an affordable alternative to slab granite. Nickel and chrome finishes are used on hardware and fixtures to avoid a rigidly matched look.
Luxurious materials can be budget-friendly if they are used sparingly. Here, expensive glass tiles are set in as accents between more economical and practical porcelain. The motif is repeated in the shower.