Down Time is a Necessity

Creating a relaxing bath has probably saved many marriages and the sanity of some individuals. Humans have lived in dwellings for thousands of years but it was not until the nineteenth century that the humble bathroom was integrated into the design of their homes. At the turn of the century, the first pioneers placed a water closet in the same room as a tub, the space barely large enough to house the fixtures. That was then, now modern washrooms have made up for lost time and are now regarded as an essential room in our homes.

Personalizing your bath by creating a relaxing home spa has become trendy and in some cases a necessity. And it is simple to do. Choose the fluffiest towels, hang your bathrobe to warm on a radiator or towel warmer, play relaxing music, dim the lights, add some incense or candles and unwind. This is your comfort zone so relax in your bath and take a load off.

The movement towards creating a soothing bathing environment is not really a surprise as present day homeowners have placed a much higher value on fitness, well-being and peace of mind. Whenever someone needs to unwind both mentally and physically, they usually end up in the bathroom to relax. This space has grown to embody the characteristics of a personal refuge, representing the most pampered room in the home.

Let Your Creative Juices Flow

Taking creative license with conventional bath accessories allows the homeowner to personalize their bath space and escape from the troubles of their everyday lives. Transport the outdoors, indoors! Bringing in plants, fish aquariums or embellishing your surfaces with rough 3-dimensional natural stone or unconventional materials like moss for bathmats, twigs and branches for shower curtain rods or towel racks can create a soothing and tranquilizing atmosphere for your mind, body and soul.

Job got you all stressed out again? Or maybe it’s the kids and you feel you don’t have any time to yourself. You need to schedule time to relax in your washroom. Whether it’s early morning, right after work or before you go to bed, everyone needs a little bit of downtime once in a while. For some households a bathtub is just a basin for bathing but for those that can relate to needing some “me” time, the home spa is probably the only place they can seek refuge from the outside world. When is the last time you had a blissful bath-time?

Feel Like You Again

We have all found that the washroom is a special place to unwind, read, meditate and let go of disturbing thoughts. But how do you personalize the space and turn it into a calming sanctuary? Contrary to popular belief you don’t need a Jacuzzi or to embellish the room with rich and exotic fixtures and surfaces (though that would be nice to help create the mood). All you need is a quiet place to change your mental state, where aromatherapy combined with simple meditative exercises, can transform your restful soak into an almost spiritual experience.

To personalize your bathing experience while soaking in the tub you can use a cocktail of green tea, oils, milks, salts and lotions to treat your senses and make you feel like you again. Lower the lights add the comforting aroma of frankincense, geranium sandalwood, cedar or cinnamon to make your relaxing bath even more sensuous. Just like the hordes of electronic equipment we haul around with us all day long (cellphones, laptops and tablets) we also need to recharge our batteries.

Pleasant Memories are Created by Personalizing the Space

Psychologists agree that “down time” is one of the most important self-serving luxuries we can give ourselves. Sleep is when we totally switch off and we are entirely oblivious to the world around us including our senses. While awake we also need to temporarily go offline but in order for this downtime to be effective it should leave a lasting impression on our psyche. This allows us to create pleasant memories we can later reflect on when we need to unwind and [...]