With all the hectic hustle and bustle of today’s lives, people everywhere are looking for a way to relax. Why not make that place somewhere locally? Why not make it right in your very own home? Why not create a spa-style bathroom to relax? So what does it take to create your own spa at home? It could actually only take a few changes to your current bathroom. Use your senses as a good guide for overhauling your current bathroom.

First, use visual clues to begin your spa creation. Begin with a “de-clutter” of your bathroom. Does the nasal spray really need to sit next to the faucet? Does the deodorant need to be displayed on the vanity top for everyone to see? Take a step back and just look around your bathroom and do inventory of all the things sitting on the vanity, on the floor, and hanging on the walls. Find a place out of sight for the things that are absolutely necessary toiletries. Are there some items that could just be thrown out? Is it necessary to keep the 3-year-old half-full bottle of lotion that you never really liked the scent of anyway? De-cluttering from under the vanity or the bathroom closet can create plenty of space for those items that had previously been stored on the vanity counter. A good “de-cluttering” could help you relax all by itself.

Another way to make your bathroom more spa-like would be to make sure your bathroom isn’t visually over-stimulating. Walls painted in relaxing colors, with wallpaper or a border that isn’t too “busy” helps to create a calming and soothing environment. Don’t forget to tone down the shower curtain and window coverings as well. Shower curtains and window coverings with bold colors or loud geometric patterns could make it a little more difficult to concentrate on relaxation.

Keep with the visual theme and look at the lighting in your bathroom. Does your bathroom have a window? If so, adjust the amount of light entering to set a relaxing mood. Altering the type of window treatment is an easy fix. Do you prefer blinds, shades, curtains, or sheers? Putting up a Roman shade with a light liner can give privacy and still allow for light. Choosing one that is made of natural material can also bring a tranquil feeling of the outdoors. If your bathroom does not have a window, perhaps look at the types of light bulbs being used. Try a light bulb with a soft nature or a light that has a dimmer to create a relaxing atmosphere. When choosing a light bulb, there are many choices. Fluorescent bulbs can be used in most places around the home, but cannot be used with a dimmer. Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFL’s may be used with a dimmer and have an extended life span of normally 10,000 hours. LED’s, (Light Emitting Diodes), are dimmable but do not have the output capability to completely replace traditional light bulbs. The halogen bulb is very efficient and is small in size with dimmable capabilities.

Another change to create a spa bathroom incorporates both the sense of sight and smell. Using candles to set a tone in your bathroom can help with lighting and soothe you with calming scents. Try to choose a scent that is not too overwhelming or pungent. Try to choose candles that are soy or beeswax based. These candles emit less soot and pollutants into the air, which could affect your air quality. You may even try natural aromas. A beautiful bowl of pine needles on the side of the tub or on the vanity can give your spa a natural fragrance. Adding fresh flowers to the bathroom also gives an outdoor scent while giving it a beautiful touch of color.

The sense of smell could be integrated with the sense of touch by adding softly scented bubble bath, bath oils, and bath crystals to your warm bath water. If you have a jetted tub, use a small amount of bubble bath or you may be swimming in suds throughout your entire bathroom. When purchasing bath additives, be sure to look for those that will not cause skin irritation. Most bubble baths and other bath enhancements are petroleum based with many chemical additives. Eco-friendly bubble baths and oils that are plant-derived can be healthy for you and the environment.

One thing that could destroy your relaxing atmosphere is excessive noise. It will be difficult to relax when it sounds as if a dump truck were about to plow through your bathroom. If you have more than one bathroom, choose the one with less outside noise to make into your spa. Try taking a small CD player into the bathroom with relaxing and soothing music softly playing. It may even be possible to incorporate the CD player into your dˆmcor or hiding it in a beautiful basket of towels and decorative soaps.

The final step into making your bathroom into your own spa would be soft, fluffy towels. Wrapping up in a plush, extra large towel at the end of a relaxing bath just seals the deal in your spa. Make sure your towels are within reach after your relaxing bath. These can be placed very decoratively in a basket or shelf near the tub. Adding an extra dose of fabric softener to your special spa towels could make the experience near perfect.

Now that you are up to date on the latest on bathroom and spa-style trends, go create your very own relaxing spa-style retreat.