Transforming Your Home into a Wellness-Focused Sanctuary

Better sleep, healthy people, emotional well-being, and sustainability—what do they have in common? You might be surprised to know that they are all elements of modern home design trends. 

Though wellness is not necessarily a trend, we started to see homeowners and home buyers move toward wellness-oriented home design during the pandemic, and there’s no going back. 

Relaxation, restoration, and self-care are no longer luxuries; they are essential to today’s lifestyle, and nowhere is this need more satisfied than in the bathroom. From spa-inspired spaces to luxury details, today’s bathroom design is all about comfort and joy. 

So, in the interest of transforming your home into the wellness sanctuary it should be, let’s take a deep dive into the elements and amenities that help you achieve it. 

Spa-Inspired Bathrooms

The bathroom is home to your personal rituals. Whether you’re getting ready in the morning, unwinding at the end of a long day, or preparing for a night out, your bathroom’s design can help you relax, refocus, or ease your way into what’s next. 

The colors, materials, amenities, and lighting you choose can evoke a spa-like experience every day. 

Choose soft, neutral palettes with nature-inspired tones like muted greens, soft pinks, or pastel blues. 

Darker shades, like charcoal, can add a touch of drama when paired with white or wood tones, while a splash of teal brightens the look. 

Innovative storage helps you keep the space uncluttered and minimalist, creating a soothing, stress-free environment with clean sightlines.

Luxury amenities, like steam showers, saunas, heated floors, chromatherapy tubs, jet tubs, smart lighting, and smart mirrors, allow you to set the scene for your own personal brand of relaxation at any time of the day or night.

Wellness Bathroom Features for Luxe Comfort

Trends come and go, but wellness is enduring and might even help you live longer. If you’ve made it your mission to prioritize healthful rituals to improve sleep, enhance calm, and enjoy life more, a bathroom makeover is an excellent place to start. 

We’ve curated a few wellness-inspired bathroom features that combine elevated design with modern technology for a result that is practical, elegant, and long on pleasure. 

1. Curbless showers 

Curbless showers are both accessible and elegant, providing a seamless transition between the bathroom and the shower, which may appear roomier because there is no barrier. 

Many curbless showers extend the tilework from the rest of the room, resulting in a streamlined, spacious look and feel. Shower enclosures (if you choose to have them) are typically glass, keeping sightlines open, in line with a modern design approach. 

If you intend to stay in your home long-term, there are clear benefits for mobility and safety as the shower is more accessible and complies with universal design. 

It’s also relatively easy to add upgraded amenities, like smart showerheads, steam showerheads, double showerheads, heated benches, or heated floors.

2. Heated bathroom floors for everyday comfort

No matter what part of the country you live in, nobody loves a cold bathroom floor, especially in the early morning or the middle of the night. Getting up will be much easier when every step is greeted with comfort and warmth. 

Temperature controls allow you to set the heat to your preference, and there are plenty more benefits besides. Consider that even a small amount of heat helps reduce the room’s moisture, helping prevent mildew from forming. You’ll rely less on forced-air heat, which tends to circulate dust particles and increase allergens, maintaining optimum indoor air quality. 

You may also be able to keep the thermostat lower in the rest of the home, as you won’t feel the chill rising from the floor. 

Radiant floor heating is simple to install beneath tile, hardwood, or veneer floors. It is highly energy-efficient, taking your bathroom to new heights of luxury without raising your carbon footprint.

3. Bidet toilets: cleanliness meets luxury

Bidet toilets can be simple or all-out, depending on your budget. Many are available as an all-in-one tankless toilet design that plumbs into your home’s water supply, flushing more efficiently than a standard toilet. Plus, they look sleek and modern, sitting well with modern spa bathroom design. 

On a personal level, bidet toilets are more hygienic, providing a superior level of cleanliness and healthfulness that not only feels great but also reduces bacterial growth and may prevent infection. 

Bidets are more environmentally sustainable. Reducing your reliance on toilet paper minimizes waste and may help you save money in the long run.

Smart features and design options are plentiful in modern bidets, which can be as basic or deluxe according to your preference. Heated seats, warm water temperature, adjustable spray positions, automatic deodorizer, auto-clean features, auto flush, auto lid open and close, night lights, and four unique user settings are just a few of the features you can expect.

4. Home saunas for ultimate wellness

Saunas have long been revered for their health benefits, touted for longevity, anti-aging, and improved cardiovascular health. Some studies suggest that frequent sauna use can reduce mortality from all causes by 40%. 

If you have the space in your bathroom and would love to work a daily sauna into your lifestyle, this could be the wellness amenity you’re looking for!

There are two basic types of saunas: a traditional sauna, which heats the air to a high temperature (150-180˚), heating your body with dry heat. Infrared saunas heat your body directly at a lower temperature (120-140˚) with red light. In the case of infrared, it will not feel as hot, so you may be able to stay in it longer. 

Your choice of traditional vs. infrared also depends on what specific health benefits you are after. While traditional saunas may be better for reducing inflammation or improving cardiac health, infrared saunas are known to improve muscle soreness and sleep quality. 

If you want the best of both worlds, it may be possible to have a combination. You and your designer can discuss the best options for the available space and your budget. The right choice of wood, bench configuration, and the location of the sensors and controls will ensure you enjoy your home sauna for many years to come.

5. Freestanding tubs

There’s nothing more luxurious than a good soak in a giant tub. If you have the room for a freestanding tub, you might consider a wellness upgrade to a jet tub, a chromatherapy tub, or VibrAcoustic® tub—or just a high-tech soaking tub that offers better heat retention and ramps up your bathroom design. 

VibrAcoustic® tubs have a speaker system embedded in the tub itself, sending sound waves through the water for an immersive sensory experience. You can play your own music through a Bluetooth connection or choose from several pre-set relaxation programs. 

If you love to float and are into space-age stuff, choose a tub designed specifically to simulate weightlessness. The tub’s shape helps distribute your body’s weight evenly, developed based on research with astronauts in zero-gravity. 

Modern jet tubs are designed to envelop the whole body with gently massaging hot air jets, ensuring the water stays warm while enhancing the therapeutic benefits of the experience. 

Chromatherapy tubs use colored lights, each hue offering a specific benefit, such as relaxation, detoxification, pain management, mood enhancement, and energy boosting. Some studies suggest that combining chromatherapy with other wellness treatments, like massage or sauna, provides a more comprehensive approach to well-being.  

Your Spa Bathroom: That’s a Wrap!

With the elevated features we’ve discussed today and a couple of plush luxury bathrobes, you are just steps away from the ultimate at-home spa experience. Choosing home upgrades that suit your lifestyle and wellness goals will help you extend the enjoyment of your home, add value to everyday living, and bring comfort and joy to every moment. 

Speak to the team at Character Companies about your spa remodel ideas. We’d love to help you bring your vision to life.