Design a bathroom that will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
By Ashley Ryan
When creating cozy areas in the home, you’ll likely want to incorporate warm throw blankets, plush pillows and furniture that you sink into. However, those soothing pieces don’t translate well to the bathroom. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t create a comfortable space in which to clean up and unwind.
“[The] bathroom is such an important space in our daily lives. That is the first space we use once we wake up and the last place [we visit] … before we end our day,” says Huma Sulaiman, creative director of the eponymous Huma Sulaiman Design. “It is a sanctuary and a private space that is very important to our clients’ lives.”
Sulaiman’s award-winning company, which has an office in Los Angeles as well here in Laguna, is a boutique interior architecture and design studio that launched more than a decade ago and specializes in high-end residential and hospitality properties. One of the biggest trends she’s noticing for 2024 is the popularity of creating a spa-like atmosphere in the bathroom.
According to Sulaiman, there are two big ways to really bring this dream to life. “[A] stand-alone [bath]tub always makes a space feel … luxurious, and adding heated flooring takes the space to an extra notch of luxury,” she says, noting that, while showers are more practical, a soaking tub is often the star of the room. “So if you have space for a tub, always incorporate one,” Sulaiman adds.
The heated flooring, too, can make all the difference: Starting the morning off with radiant warmth instead of cold tile will help you ease into the day in a relaxing way instead of experiencing a shock to the system.
As far as the color palette goes, Sulaiman says that you don’t have to stick to lights or whites to achieve a spalike feel. A dark color tone can work equally well—just try to embrace either light or dark rather than mixing the two.
Texture is having a moment in the bathroom, too, with plaster and marble proving popular for walls, countertops and even flooring. “[The bathroom is] a space that you can play with color and texture, as it is an enclosed area,” she notes. “Your imagination can go wild without disrupting the rest of the home decor.”
But there are a number of other ways to incorporate that tranquil, spalike ambiance at home. Introduce scented candles or diffusers, add potted plants for a touch of greenery, place trays on the counter for storage of beauty products or jewelry, and place soft towels throughout for a touch of luxury. Mirrors can be added as well, to make the room appear bigger. “Rugs and art also add an unexpected … touch to the space,” Sulaiman says.
Although bathrooms are not the only type of spaces that Sulaiman designs, she says that they are often some of the most enjoyable projects to tackle, noting, “It makes me happy to work on something so special, knowing how it can impact one’s day-to-day activities.”
Beauty in the Bathroom
Embrace spalike trends with these products from local businesses.
