A Retreat Without Leaving Home

So excited to finally share one of my favorite spaces in our entire home – our lower-level spa bath. When we were designing our home, I really wanted this area to feel like more than just another bathroom. I wanted it to be a place where we could truly relax and unwind—and somewhere that gave us that feeling of escaping to a beautiful hotel or spa without actually having to leave home.

The location couldn’t be more perfect. Our spa bath sits right outside of our pool and hot tub and is also just steps away from our home gym. It makes such a great retreat for guests when we’re entertaining by the pool, but I also love utilizing the gym and spa spaces together when I want a little getaway of my own.

Between the steam shower, sauna, heated towels, pool, and hot tub, I can have an entire spa experience without ever leaving the house.

Our ThermaSol Steam Shower

One of the features I was most excited to incorporate into this space was our ThermaSol steam shower.

The experience goes so far beyond simply adding steam to a traditional shower. Our ThermaSol system allows us to control the steam, shower settings, temperature, lighting, and sound from the in-shower touchscreen. You can even stream music, meditation, news, and other entertainment right from the system.

I love how integrated everything feels. Instead of having different controls and devices throughout the shower, the technology becomes part of the overall design.

And then, of course, there’s the steam itself. There is something incredibly relaxing about stepping into a warm steam shower after a workout or at the end of a long day. The combination of steam, lighting, and music completely changes the experience from simply taking a shower to actually taking time to unwind.

It’s one of those features that makes an ordinary routine feel special.

Our ThermaSol Sauna

We also incorporated a ThermaSol sauna into our spa bath, which really completes the at-home wellness experience.

The sauna uses ThermaSol‘s EOS heating system, designed to create consistent, enveloping heat throughout the space. I especially love that the sauna itself feels considered from a design perspective. It doesn’t feel like a piece of fitness equipment that we added to the room—it feels like part of the architecture and overall spa design.

Because our home gym is right nearby, I love being able to finish a workout and head directly into the sauna or steam shower afterward. Other days, I’ll use the sauna simply because I want to relax.

Having all of these spaces connected has made this entire area of our home feel like our own private wellness retreat.

The Design Details I Love

As much as I love all of the wellness features in this bathroom, the design details are what really make the space special to me. I wanted it to have the warmth and serenity of a luxury spa while still carrying the elevated, modern feel we used throughout the rest of our home.

We used white oak cabinetry with reeded drawer fronts throughout the space, including an integrated bench and open shelving. The reeded detail adds so much texture and dimension to the cabinetry while still feeling subtle and timeless. I especially love the warmth of the natural white oak paired with the stone and more streamlined finishes throughout the room.

Underneath the bench, we incorporated pull-out laundry hampers, which have been so practical for a bathroom that gets so much use from the pool, hot tub, gym, sauna, and shower. Wet towels and laundry can immediately be tucked away instead of sitting out in the room.

One of my absolute favorite design choices is the extra-thick marble slab countertop from Calia Stone in Chicago. I love using natural stone as a statement in a room, and the thicker profile gives the vanity so much presence. It feels substantial and luxurious without needing a lot of additional decoration.

For the lighting, we chose Amazon Raindrop pendant lights. I specifically wanted something that would give us that elevated RH-inspired feel, and the cascading glass adds just enough drama while still keeping the room serene and sophisticated.

We also incorporated AspectLED lighting into the cabinetry and sauna. The concealed lighting illuminates the shelving and creates a soft glow throughout the room, while the lighting inside the sauna makes the experience feel even more like a true spa.

I love the combination of materials in this space—the warmth and texture of the reeded white oak, the substantial marble, the glass pendants, and the soft integrated lighting. Everything feels layered and luxurious but still calm and understated, which is exactly what I envisioned for our at-home spa.

The Little Luxury I Would Absolutely Do Again

One of the smaller details in this bathroom has also turned out to be one of my favorites: our Amba heated towel rack. This is one of those luxuries you don’t necessarily realize you need until you have it.

Whether we’re coming in from the pool or hot tub, stepping out of the steam shower, or finishing time in the sauna, having a warm towel waiting makes the entire experience feel that much more luxurious.

It’s such a simple addition, but it’s exactly the type of thoughtful detail that makes this bathroom feel like a true spa rather than just a beautiful bathroom.

A Spa Experience at Home

When we were designing our home, we really wanted to think beyond how each individual room looked and consider how we would actually live in and use the spaces.

This area is such a good example of that. It’s beautiful, but everything also has a purpose—from the integrated laundry storage and heated towels to the steam shower and sauna.

In the summer, guests can come straight in from the pool or hot tub and have a beautiful bathroom and shower right there. Throughout the year, we can work out in the gym and then use the sauna or steam shower afterward. And sometimes I come down here simply because I want to relax.

I love a beautiful spa or hotel as much as anyone, but there is something pretty amazing about realizing that when I need a little escape, I don’t necessarily have to go anywhere.

I can head downstairs, turn on the steam or sauna, warm up a towel, and have my own little spa retreat right at home.

After living with this space, I can confidently say these are some of the home upgrades I’m happiest we made—and ones I would absolutely incorporate again. Which one is your favorite?

xo, Maria

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