If there is one room at home that is synonym with relax is certainly the bathroom. But in reality bathrooms can get a bit forgotten with respect to the rest of the home and – especially if you are a renter like me – you may even be stuck with old looking finishes that are very far from a relaxing natural bathroom design.
To restore a feeling of wellbeing in our bathrooms, let’s look at the main 6 steps to create a natural and relaxing ambiance.
1. Lighting
Whenever possible, natural light is always the best idea! Also, being able to open a window is very useful for ventilation purposes and it will help to preserve your bathroom for longer time, reducing humidity damages considerably.
So, if you’re planning a bathroom renovation, definitely plan to have a window!
When it comes to artificial lighting, the best thing you can do is staying away from older neon lights and switching to LED!
Besides being way more energy efficient, LED lights produce a more natural-looking light and can often times be adjusted in both temperature and intensity.
This may not seem to have a lot to do with wellbeing, but light has a huge impact on how we feel! Following our circadian rhythm (our biological clock that distinguishes day and night according to sunlight), it makes sense to adjust artificial lights to be more on the blue side over the day and more yellow as the evening comes.
2. Plants
I know, plants come back many times in my posts (for instance when we discussed how to create a cozy corner at home, when we talked about biophilic gyms, in the biophilic moodboard dedicated to greenery, etc...).
But plants are really a precious help to add life and health to interior spaces!
Also, some plants like ferns, peace lilies and snake plants live particularly well in damp areas like a bathroom. And they're also naturally air-cleaning, namely, they absorb harmful VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) leaving indoor air healthier to breathe.
Discover the 8 best air-cleaning plants.
If your bathroom is small, you probably don’t want to take up any precious floor space with a vase. You can then hang your plants from the ceiling, put them all around the bathtub or fix them on the wall.
Or you can even go for a garden wall! This will also put you on the top of current trends, as Pinterest has included garden walls in the top trends for 2019 (opened in a new window/tab), with searches for vertical garden growing by +287%!
3. Natural scents
Scents are a big help when it comes to relaxation, and if you’re aiming to a natural bathroom design, scents should go in the same direction. Prefer beeswax and soy candles, diffuse essential oils or use flowers/dried flower mixes to add a calming scent.
4. Water feature
If you’ve seen last week’s post on the use of water in interior design, you’ll know that adding a water feature in the design of a space can be extremely beneficial (reduced stress, better mood and an overall feeling of calm, just to mention a few of its effects).
And what better room than a bathroom to add a water design feature?
Waterfall faucets are a great choice to integrate a water feature in what you would normally put in a bathroom!
5. Rounded shapes
Rounded shapes are definitely growing as a trend, and they're also perfect in the scope of a natural bathroom design. Avoiding sharp angles immediately creates a cuddling and spa-like ambiance.
Perfect for relaxation!
On the same note, organic shapes that mimic the forms of nature are also a great option!
Read more about the organic design trend.
6. Natural materials
Wood, stone and cork are some of the materials that work best in a natural bathroom design.
As we know, interior design is all about the details. So – if you opt for natural materials – do carry them throughout the design!
The items on this moodboard I recently shared on Instagram (opened in a new window/tab) would be an example, but you can find more in SforSustainable, my selection of sustainable home design products.
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