6 Ways To A Hotel Bathroom at Home

It’s always been one of my biggest dreams to have a hotel bathroom at home.

I know, right? Aim high, Alice!

Let me explain.

Years ago the bathroom’s role in my life was simple: a place to bathe, a place to use the loo. But since I became a mum it’s so much more than that.

With two kids always wanting to know my every (bowel) movement, as a mum the bathroom is somewhere I go to be alone. Seeing that sentence written out makes me feel pretty sad for my hobbies – I should really be able to list something other than ‘peeing’ in my list of things I do for fun – but slap bang in the middle of a crazy noisy day, this can be the only time I get to sit down and take stock in precious silence.

I also believe my love for skincare and beauty is a huge part of this: even on the busiest day I know I’ll be retreating to my bathroom for twenty minutes at some point for dedicated me time in front of the mirror to slap on my fanciest of face creams. I may not be in possession of bathroom TVs but still, it’s heaven.

And I think we can agree that hotels always make the most of these most functional spaces, ensuring they’re not just rooms to be used but rooms to be enjoyed. Here’s how you can get this hotel bathroom at home vibe…

hotel bathroom at home

Lace blouse, now £13 in the sale, Marks and Spencer

1 Install large mirrors
One thing you’ll always find in hotel bathrooms – and my bathrooms – BIG MIRRORS. Big mirrors reflect light and give the impression of space, even where there’s little to be had. Plus, when they’re all shiny and lovely (see below) they feel totally luxurious. Visit IKEA for a great selection of mirrors in all shapes and sizes.

2 Buy a towel set in one colour
There’s nothing about a 10 year old cobbled-together towel collection that screams ‘hotel luxe’. Good-quality towels in the same colour are very much worth it; my choice is always white or for the slightly more practical of us, grey. Visit TowelsRus for literally every single towel under the sun (if your short on drying space Hammam towels are a great choice), or if you’re feeling more spendy I love John Lewis’s range of Egyptian cotton towels (mine are the colour ‘new steel‘).

3 …Except for the bathmat
In my opinion, if you have a white bathroom suite, a white bath mat will always make your space look bigger. Strange but true.

hotel bathroom at home

4 Hide EVERYTHING
Nobody wants to stare at a box of tampons while they’re trying to enjoy a candle-lit bath soak: it’s a scientific fact. The same goes for half-empty bottles of Pantene, rusting razors and brightly coloured bath toys.

I’m lucky enough to have HUGE drawers in my new bathroom, which is where all my crap and clutter lives, only to be brought out when needed (and I mean ALL my crap and clutter). As an alternative to this, IKEA do some brilliant plain boxes that can be used for clever storage (white or wicker are my favourite finishes) along with bathroom-friendly white or glass shelves.

hotel bathroom at home

5 Co-ordinate your products
If a product is out on the side in a hotel bathroom it always look consistent with the rest of the room’s decor. I achieve this at home by using luxury products that come in lovely dark packaging, with the exception of a scented candle or two. I like Aesop for hand soaps and body washes (the Rose By Any Other Name is a favourite), May Lindstrom for fancy face products – her new cleansing oil, The Pendulum Potion, is out later this month – and Bella Freud for candles.

Having such beautiful products on hand also has the benefit of enhancing the little time I get in the bathroom; even if it’s just a snatched five minute shower in the morning, sidestepping the Radox for a bit of Aesop makes me feel like I’ve given myself a lovely treat.

hotel bathroom at home

6 Clean your glass, chrome and mirror
Hotel bathrooms are always beautifully smear-free, something that’s easier to achieve than you might think. Showers and bath tile are best cleaned while still wet with a squeegee, while chrome, mirror and glass can be polished to a high shine with a microfibre cloth. I was taught to stay away from all kinds of glass cleaner by my mum, and she is frustratingly right. Shine away!

hotel bathroom at home

Do you spend much of your downtime in the bathroom?

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10 Comments

  1. Woah….you’ve bloody nailed it! Do you leave your towels in the bath when you’re finished with them? Seriously, I am all about not having things on display either, I use deep baskets to hide everything.

    Posted 1.3.17 Reply
    • alice wrote:

      unfortunately, the washing fairy doesn’t work when you are your house’s washing fairy ;)
      Baskets are my LIFE!

      Posted 1.3.17 Reply
  2. Candy Pop wrote:

    Amazing – what a delicious space! Really great tips, Alice. Happy new year. x

    Posted 1.3.17 Reply
  3. Kate wrote:

    I have big drawers in my new bathroom too. Didn’t think about it when designing it but it’s my favourite thing, I’ve filled them with all sorts of crap and all the spare toilet rolls too. Even for the messiest person my bathroom always looks tidy now!

    Posted 1.3.17 Reply
    • alice wrote:

      My spare loo rolls are in mine too! It’s amazing to be able to squirrel away the rubbish… just amazing.

      Posted 1.3.17 Reply
  4. Mel wrote:

    One thing I crave from living in rented properties is a decent bathroom especially when I know I’ll be the one cleaning up once I’ve had a bath. I love the idea of big drawers to hide all of your stuff, a must for a massive make up collection like mine I think

    Mel ★ http://www.meleaglestone.co.uk

    Posted 1.3.17 Reply
    • alice wrote:

      yes! It’s been a total revelation to hide all that lovely makeup away – lovely as it is, I don’t want to stare at it the whole time ;)

      Posted 1.3.17 Reply
  5. Kathryn wrote:

    Oh man! I’m so jealous of those capacious drawers (and your amazing skincare/beauty product collection). Nice work Alice xx

    Posted 1.4.17 Reply
  6. What a gorgeous room! I’m with you – the bathroom is the place to be for a bit of space. I’m with you on the Aesop, too, although haven’t tried that body wash yet. Next on my list of no-prisoners clearing out is the three-tier trolley of rarely used toiletries. Wish me luck…

    Posted 1.4.17 Reply
  7. Monique wrote:

    I like very much the shower room area. Very nice tips!!! Thanks for sharing!

    Posted 2.8.17 Reply