Welcome to the bath. This small room is finally getting some of the appreciation and recognition it deserves. It’s much more than a space to stop in briefly to freshen up. What might very well be the smallest room in your home, may very well be the most important room of your home. Last week we talked about the Kitchen Table - how important it is in our day to day living and how integral it is to the fabric of our lives. In the kitchen there’s always a buzz, a gentle hum of activity, constant traffic of busy feet, sounds of pots and pans and wooden spoons clanking… The wonderful aromas, sweet and savory, that fill the air, our stomachs and our hearts… Aromas that will one day become memories. The Kitchen is the hub of the home. The bath is the calm… the peace, the zen… It is tranquility and calm, peace and renewal.
The one place we could all escape to, when we were young, new, and utterly exhausted mothers was the bathroom. It was the one door we could, for the most-part, close and lock and disappear behind. The door formed a barrier between calm and chaos, quiet and frenzy. Even for a quick 5 minute shower, those 5 minutes were ours. And ours alone. No other room in the house offered that same promise… the promise of tranquility. As women, even with grown children, we still need our quiet place. We still need time to ourselves to decompress, to relax and rejuvenate. Our lives are crazier and more hectic than they have ever been. We’re trying to do it all. We’re breadwinners and chauffeurs. We’re doctors and nurses and private chefs. We’re financial managers and we’re caretakers. There’s simply not enough time in the day for us to do all that we need to do and yet we can’t let ourselves get overwhelmed and run down. 20 minutes a day is all it takes to slow down and regroup. And there’s no better place to do this than the most private room of all.
Whether your bathroom is shared with a spouse, partner or children there are ways to make it your own. Here are a few ideas as to how you can add your own personal touches. Make this room your own personal escape:
Add oversized, elegant mirrors to add to the natural daylight.
Add pretty pieces of artwork.
Bring in fresh flowers as often as you can. They add such a softness to the room, not to mention a wonderful aroma.
Paint your bathroom in soothing colors like pale greens and blues that bring you back to the sea.
Add fine linens, plush towels and rugs to add a softness to the space.
Place candles near the bathtub and by the sink.
Add a chandelier to add a feminine touch.
Put your lights on dimmers to create a soothing mood at the end of the day.
Think about adding a skylight to let in even more natural light. (There’s nothing so magical as gazing up into the stars at night while in the bath!)
Incorporate a piece of furniture or two, if you have the space.
Bring in some soothing music, some books and or magazines.
And, nothing is as relaxing as a long soak in a tub filled with bubbles while enjoying a nice glass of champagne at the end of the day!
Images: 1, Amy Morris: 2, Houzz (origins unknown): 3, Bright Bazaar Blog: 4, Samantha Coughlin Interiors: 5, Decorpad