The spa hotel bathroom is just how it sounds - understated but luxurious. It's simple to recreate, and it needn't cost a fortune, here's how.
All products and prices correct at time of publishing - November 2006
You might think that getting the luxurious look of a spa-hotel bathroom is impossible for the budget of mere mortals like us. But with a little care, and by keeping everything to a minimum, you too can achieve that smart, sophisticated finish. But, remember, minimal doesn't always add up to a good-looking room that you'll long to be in.
Look at your layout carefully. If there's room to position the bath centrally on a wall - rather than pushed into a corner - you will create a feeling of luxury, whether you've got a flashy roll top or a standard bath. That might mean that you have to sacrifice storage space somewhere, or be more creative with it. It's worth hiring a carpenter to create hidden storage behind the bath panel, or to build a space-saving wall-to-ceiling corner unit to stash towels and bottles.
Bowl basins, sitting atop purpose-built benches, are incredibly fashionable and will give even the cheapest bathroom a designed look. If marble bowls are out of your price range, ceramic is a cheaper option, as is stone (Next's bathroom range includes a stone basin for just £79.99). The basins tend to be quite petite, so bear this in mind if you've got a big family but space just for one bowl. Have the bench it is sitting on made as big as you can - the more storage space nearby, the better.
If you've space, a separate shower will add to the feeling of luxury. Wet rooms (as we so often mention) are highly fashionable at the moment, but not always practical (wet floors and small children don't mix). It might be more sensible to go for a separate shower. But if you still want to get that wet-room feeling, buy the biggest cubicle you can, add a low-rise shower tray, and fit clear glass doors rather than frosted.
Even the cheapest of bathroom suites can be upgraded with posh taps. Our advice would be to search for deals on the internet, trying companies such as Bathstore.com and Bathrooms.com, or in DIY sheds. As for style, contemporary taps look more upmarket than traditional as they are less fussy - the simpler the styling, the better.
Less is more when it comes to creating a spa bathroom. Real tiles (rather than laminate or look-alike) give the floor a sleek finish, but covering walls with tiles will not create the relaxed, welcoming feel you're after. And while it's wise to put tiles where you need splashbacks, choose eggshell or satin-finish paint for your walls, which is water-resistant and wipeable. As for the size of tiles, the bigger the better - they'll subtly stretch your space.
Credit: Simon Whitmore
Whether you hide pipes behind a false wall or in a box that can be used as a shelf - the more unobtrusive, the better. It may be impossible to hide sink u-bends, particularly if they're protruding from beneath a bench, like in this picture (left), but in this case, have standard plastic ones swapped for chrome.
This needs to be calm, relaxing and welcoming. That needn't mean you're limited to light colours or pastels – dark browns, greys and even deep purples will look amazing, as long as you keep the rest of the scheme neutral.
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