When we’re in the thick of a crushing upstate winter, it’s easy to daydream about having a spa day without having to leave home. After all, what could be better than steamy treatments to unwind before being engulfed in a warm robe or towel? This is no longer a trick question: Spa-worthy bathrooms are the latest home improvement trend—and there are specialists across the Capital Region that can spin that dream into a cozy, chic reality.
“A heated towel warmer is a must, quite frankly,” Kim Burgess, marketing coordinator for Saratoga’s Bonacio Construction, says, before also recommending a double-sided fireplace. “A hot bath alongside a roaring fire is like being cocooned in warmth. It’s the perfect medicine for a rough day or week.” For the “treatment” part of your spa bathroom makeover, add a whirlpool bath to relax the entire body and offer a hydrotherapy experience, and a rain shower head to give you just the right amount of pressure to relieve aching muscles.
Another must for a spa-like staycation are heated floor tiles; after experiencing bath bliss, stepping on icy tiles would be a miss. Burgess also notes that more homes are adding a stand-alone sauna (or an enclosed shower that can also steam as a sauna), and a bucket shower. “What makes the bucket shower special is that it’s filled with cold water,” she says. “This might seem too similar to social media’s ice bucket challenge, but the cold water restores, tones and firms up the body post-sauna. It’s very restorative, and some say it’s also good for the immune system.”
If you’re not sure where to begin, the team at GNH Builders in Greenville, Windham and Latham—who note that a luxurious bathroom renovation is a great way to invest in your home—recommend looking first at your personal style: Are you a minimalist? Love a beach vibe? Or is a modern farmhouse look with a huge sunken tub your ideal oasis?
Saratoga’s Teakwood Builders finds inspiration in the hotel baths of luxury European and Asian hotels that include multifunctional toilets with heated seats and bidet functions, and use frosted glass shower walls and doors for aesthetics. In one “Powder Bath Zen” spa bathroom created for a client, the company built custom cabinetry, created grasscloth walls to bring the feeling of the outdoors in, and even had an artist hand-paint tiles to recreate the look of waves.
So what are you waiting for? If you start now, you could be enjoying your custom home spa before winter’s end.
