10 Master Bathroom Ideas To Make Your Space Feel Like A Luxury Oasis
A primary bathroom can take several forms. It can be strictly functional and serve as a sanctuary to hide from your guests (or kids!). Or, assume the role of a luxury oasis, especially if you're lucky enough to have a large master bathroom—a bathing chamber averaging 110 to 200 square feet (or more). While a sink-in tub, dual showers and sinks, toilet, linen closet, and vanity are must-haves to update your master bathroom's luxury status, banking on these features will make the space look ordinary. To take your ensuite to the next level, focus on the winning trifecta of fittings and fixtures, high-quality items, and fancy spa-like features.
For instance, swapping your outdated hardware with contemporary ones will make a huge difference. The simple facelift will benefit your cabinet handles, faucets, and towel bars. Similarly, stock your hanging bars or baskets with plush cotton towels, such as Turkish and Egyptian (monogrammed ones work, too), to nail the boutique hotel look. Don't forget to fold them neatly and get enough to create an enviable stack.
For extra oomph, coordinate your non-slip bath mat's shade, pattern, or texture with your opulent towels. Additionally, check the room's ventilation and adopt a few DIY remedies to leave your bathroom smelling as fresh as can be. That's not all; we have more such ideas up our sleeve. So, sit back and take notes to make your primary bathroom feel like a luxury oasis.
Make room for a water closet
One of the biggest advantages of a large master bathroom is the available square footage. So, capitalize on this and install a water closet—a separate space in the room for the toilet. Besides making your bathroom look luxurious, this feature is essential if you share the ensuite. The associated door would give you some much-needed privacy in the mornings while you relieve yourself and your partner (or kid) gets ready on the other side of the door. Moreover, it'll provide a more hygienic environment for your toilet ware. This is because the minuscule germ-containing water droplets won't have utilities nearby to cling to when you flush the toilet.
To install the feature in your large primary bathroom, set aside at least 30 by 60 inches for a water closet with a floor unit and 30 by 56 inches when going with a wall-hung commode per code requirements. Remember, this is the minimum square footage required to put a water closet in your bathroom. It's a good practice to dedicate more space so you don't feel claustrophobic when you use it. Additionally, take care of the closet's ventilation, lighting, and plumbing needs for a fully functional water closet. Next, add some design elements! Put up some funky wallpaper, elegant shelves to store extra toilet paper rolls, faux plants, and eye-catching fixtures to make the space pop. But don't cram the space, or it may feel overwhelming.
Personalize baths with double showers
You might be wondering what double showers are and how much do they cost to install. To answer the first part of your query, double showers involve the installation of two showerheads so two people can shower together without waiting for the other to finish. The heads are located at a little distance from each other or on opposite ends of the showering area to allow two individuals to move around freely without continuously bumping into each other.
His and hers showers let you pick the water temperature and showerhead design you're most comfortable with. For instance, you don't have to compromise if you love scalding hot showers while your partner is a fan of lukewarm (or cold) water. Similarly, you can get a rainfall showerhead without worrying about your traditional shower-loving partner. This luxurious feature might also boost your home's resale value. Regarding the cost, expect to shell out anywhere between $3,000 and $8,000 (according to Modernize).
To bring home double showers, account for a width of at least 48 to 60 inches and a length (or depth) of 36 inches. Personalize your baths by letting your imagination run free. If you want the showers to stand out, go with bold colors, designs, and fixtures. But if you're a fan of minimalism, subtle tiling and beautiful glass doors will work best. The possibilities are endless, so play around with adjustable sprays, body jets, skylights, dramatic double doors, and opulent tiles.
Get comfortable with bathroom furniture and seating options
You're probably used to flitting around different areas of your bathroom when getting ready in the morning or winding down at night. But why trouble your legs when there are ways to add stylish seating to your bathroom? Imagine how amazing it'd be to sit down at the vanity and apply makeup, shave, clip and paint your nails, or lather moisturizer. Alternatively, think how nice it'd be to have a bench to perch on while the shower beats down on you after a tiring day.
While picking the seating options for your bathroom, consider the placement of each furniture piece and choose them accordingly. For instance, both freestanding and wall-mounted shower benches must be made of materials like plastic or teak that repel water easily so you won't have to worry about nasty mold and mildew. Despite the upholstered chair, cabinet-style box bench, cozy stools, or tufted ottoman you go with, ensure the material is slip- and water-resistant. Bonus points if they're flexible and come with storage space.
Capitalize on the biophilic design trend
Bring the outdoors in with the biophilic design trend to cultivate a calm and relaxing atmosphere for your primary bathroom. It's an easy way to connect with nature and add life to the functional space. These natural decorators aren't just pretty to look at but also double as dehumidifiers. They are excellent at absorbing excess moisture in the air through the stomata in their leaves. This will maintain the humidity level in your ensuite and prevent moisture-loving mold and mildew from setting up shop. That being said, they won't be much help if mold is already present in your bathroom.
Consider the atmosphere inside to decide on the plants best suited for your ensuite. For starters, determine the amount of sunlight (or shade) the room receives. Begin by counting the number of windows you have and if they're east- or west-facing. Follow this up by discovering the room's general humidity level. Don't worry; you don't have to get any fancy gadgets. Simply gauge how often the bathroom is used and how well the space is ventilated to get a rough idea. If this seems like a lot of work, err on the side of caution and decorate with tropical plants. Once you have the plants, hang them up, line them on the available ledges, let vines climb down the shower, or embrace a living wall for a unique experience.
Add statement with lighting
Lighting is one of the most important features of a primary bathroom. Alas, most homeowners opt for fluorescent overhead light fixtures to ascertain the room is well-illuminated round-the-clock. However, the harsh bulbs will make your bathroom look dated and cast your reflection in the looking glass in a bad light. This is where decorative lights come in. They won't just provide adequate light but also update the look and feel of your bathroom. For instance, fancy chandeliers, wall sconces, or pendant lights will add opulence to your large bathing chamber. Similarly, placing LED strip lights under the vanity adds a touch of elegance.
Although decorative lights will help you create a luxury oasis, you're in charge of the statement they make. Consider installing dimmable light switches to adjust the brightness to your comfort level and take a layered approach to ensure you have adequate illumination for every situation. Combine ambient, task, and accent lighting for optimal illumination without sacrificing the room's aesthetic appeal. Overhead ambient lights will brighten the space, whereas task lights will offer adequate illumination for tasks like shaving and applying makeup. Alternatively, accent lighting offers soft light and creates a relaxed ambiance.
Install a freestanding bathtub
When life gives you a large master bathroom, you install a freestanding bathtub to make a luxury statement. These bathtubs fell out of favor (remember clawfoot bathtubs?) since modern bathrooms seldom had adequate room to house them comfortably and they were replaced by space-saving shower-tub combos. However, they're the ultimate luxury item, and their depth promises an unmatched soaking experience.
While choosing a freestanding bathtub for your ensuite, consider a few factors, like the space at hand, to determine the appropriate style. For instance, if you wish to tuck the tub in a small nook (or alcove), go for a Japanese soaking tub. But if space isn't a constraint, choose one among single or double slippers, pedestals, and single or double-ended.
Next, move on to the tub's material and pick from acrylic, copper, iron, stainless steel, and resin-made solid surfaces, depending on your preferences and budget. No matter which type of tub you choose, remember to maintain a bubble of three inches on either end of the tub and give it a berth of at least four inches from the wall. Lastly, sign off on the faucet placement. Decide if you want the controls to be wall-mounted, drilled at the edge of the tub, or fixed to the floor.
Up your wall game with art
Are you tirred of staring at your drab bathroom walls? If yes, show the walls in your bathroom some love with art. This design idea is incredibly flexible, as you can switch it out when you get bored of looking at the same piece daily. But if you want the hangings to look elegant, ditch common bathroom-centric artwork featuring the sea or scenes from the bathing chamber. This doesn't mean you have to choose anything too bold (although go for it if that's more your speed) or break out the fancy stuff. Simply go with art that would be equally at home in your family room or foyer. You can put up cute family photos, too, but if you don't feel like being watched, go with art!
To spruce up your walls, the first step is to choose the right art. Neutral abstracts, landscapes, contemporary prints, funny quotes, and cheeky figure drawings are good options. Avoid hanging expensive or one-of-a-kind paintings in the bathroom, as they don't pair well with the room's humidity and might end up covered in mold. So, ensure the art and frame can withstand moisture. This means paper-based art, wooden frames, and oil paintings are a big no-no. Stick with metal or acrylic-based frames and use exhaust fans or open windows to keep the room well-ventilated. Let the art blend in or make it stand out by dressing it in a vintage or funky frame.
Craft a sumptuous bathroom with exotic stones
If you want something rare and opulent to grace your bathroom, look no further than exotic stones. Natural stones like marble and granite fall under the exotic range if their mineral composition undergoes unprecedented changes. To elaborate, marble is primarily made of limestone, whereas granite is a mixture of quartz and feldspar. However, in certain cases, natural events like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tectonic movements, drought, or other climatic incidents alter the composition of these stones. This leads to striking changes in the altered stones' color, veining, and patterns.
Go for light-colored exotic stones if you love minimalism. Otherwise, choose bold colors and veins for a dramatic finish. Book-match the walls and flooring for a contemporary look or dedicate an accent wall to create a statement. They also work as striking countertops. Nevertheless, if your budget isn't amenable to exotic stones or you'd rather not risk having no recourse in case of chipping, get high-quality wallpaper or mimic your desired color, pattern, and material with porcelain tiles.
Let illuminated mirrors brighten your reflection
If you tend to lean across the vanity to clearly see your reflection in the mirror while doing your skincare routine, an illuminated mirror could be your new best friend. These LED mirrors don't just look stylish. They also offer ideal illumination so you can enjoy simple tasks like shaving, applying makeup, or admiring your reflection without squinting your eyes or moving this way-or-that to dislodge shadows.
Additionally, many lighted mirrors have a dimmer switch, so you can switch between warm and cool light based on your preference. Simply put, you can use them to turn your primary bathroom into a dressing room or cultivate a relaxed spa-like vibe. LED mirrors are also energy-efficient. But don't just get any mirror that catches your fancy. Carefully examine the size above your vanity to pick the right lighted mirror. Play around with the style and shape for a unique combination.
In case you appreciate all things tech, consider getting a smart mirror. Wondering whether to choose a smart mirror for your bathroom and if it's worth the cost? Besides being equipped with anti-fog technology, expensive, and looking futuristic, the looking glass can sense movement and automatically turn on (or off) the LED lights, will keep you updated on weather, news, and upcoming events, and offer uninhibited access to your email and calendar. Higher-end models can play music, sync with your smart home gadgets, and understand your voice inputs.
Master the art of decluttering and organizing
You could hang striking artwork, install a water closet, and get a freestanding bathtub, but all your efforts will be for naught if your bathroom is a mess. Since the ensuite houses makeup, cleaning products, medications, hair-styling appliances, skincare essentials, toiletries, and other hygiene products, they tend to get cluttered. An easy fix is to declutter the space and pick items to declutter in your bathroom today. For instance, if you have a ton of cosmetics, go through each and toss away ones that are well past their expiry dates or that you no longer use. Practice this approach for all items in the room. Be merciless and only keep things you use regularly and can't do without, and try to stop cluttering the room with unnecessary items like travel-sized bottles or free samples.
Once your primary bathroom is sufficiently decluttered, organize it well so it looks luxurious seamlessly, not just when you clean it. Start by removing cleaning products from visible surfaces and hiding them under the sink using a tension rod. Decant everyday products, like soap, shampoo, and moisturizer, into beautiful, matching containers. Similarly, store your makeup brushes in a mason jar, hair ties in a transparent box, and appliances in a dedicated cabinet. A neat trick is to put items near their area of usage. So, place the hand wash near the basin and body wash in the shower. Use drawer dividers, baskets, and hanging shelves to your advantage.