Transforming a bathroom into a spa can be easy

Above is a bathroom designed by Dallas-based designer John Phifer Marrs. There’s nothing like some me-time in a luxurious spa after a long day. And it takes just a little effort to transform your own bathroom into just such a place, an oasis in which to relax and rejuvenate.

Above is a candlelit area in a bathroom designed by Jo Malone.

There’s nothing like some me-time in a luxurious spa after a long day. And it takes just a little effort to transform your own bathroom into just such a place, an oasis in which to relax and rejuvenate.

Some simple fixes and inexpensive accessories can do the trick, designers say.

“Rooms feel calmer without clutter. So before doing anything else, clear off surfaces, walls and floors,” says New York City designer Eve Robinson. “And while you’re at it, toss out anything past its prime or that you really don’t want or need.”

Robinson favors light color palettes — seafoam green and white, for instance — and uses very few accessories, perhaps “simple black-and-white photographs of ocean waves for a sense of relaxation and comfort.”

The right music can make a difference, says Los Angeles-based designer Molly Luetkemeyer.

“Get the smallest iPod dock possible,” she says. “Make a play list of music that helps you unwind, or download some ambient nature sounds — ocean waves, a bubbling brook, forest breezes. Turn it on when you enter the room, and almost immediately you’ll feel more serene.”

One of Luetkemeyer’s favorite parts about visiting spas is “being enveloped by delicious aromas,” not only essential oils and bubble bath, but “candles that make you go ‘ahh.”‘

“Try short, chubby ones along the bathtub rim, several candlesticks grouped together or a candelabrum — and be sure to dim the lights before stepping into the tub,” she says.

Alex Jordan, co-president of the Chicago design firm Gregga Jordan Smieszny, likes to create an island mood with accessories that exude a “tropical feel.” Among them are teak flooring (“Buy tiles online, much less expensive”) and, “if the room is well-ventilated, a large, hanging, paper light fixture a la Noguchi,” he says. “Glass garden lanterns work well, too.”

Two other easy tricks he uses to bring the outside in: Cover the walls in grass cloth. Or either paint a trellis on one or more walls, or mount a real one.

Think about glass cylinders filled with seashells and river rocks, wood receptacles for makeup and hair brushes, baskets for rolled towels, cleaning equipment and the kids’ toys.

Other home spa perks:

• An inflatable, terry-cloth-covered pillow for the tub.

• Book holders. (Also handy for a glass of wine.)

• A big, round, “rainforest” showerhead.

• A detachable device that turns the tub into a whirlpool bath.

• Heated towel racks.