Why Australians Are Investing in Wellness-Focused Home Spas

The bathroom used to be a space people tried to spend as little time in as possible. It was purely transactional and not a whole lot of love was given to the room.
But recently, the bathroom has evolved into one of the most important sanctuaries for the Australian home. As people continually find ways to promote wellness in their day-to-day lives, the bathroom has become a retreat of sorts, a space to restore calm and promote self-care.
Dubbed the spa bathroom and taking influence from high-end hotels or day spas, it’s becoming the mainstream for Australians who are looking for wellness, luxury and mindfulness in their everyday life.

What’s Involved in a Spa Bathroom?

There are a few ways to tackle a spa bathroom. The first is design and when it comes to mental wellbeing, the first step is in the physical surroundings.
A cluttered bathroom space can have a negative impact on mental wellbeing, so removing all unnecessary items around the space is a great first step. Vanities are the first point of call for bathroom storage and they’re available in a range of shapes and sizes, depending on your space.
Secondly, the colour and feel of the space is important in our drive for calm. Natural light, gentle colour palettes and materials that feel warm and tactile are replacing the cold, utilitarian look that once defined the bathroom. Think soft greys, sandy neutrals and muted greens complemented by stone basins, timber vanities and brushed brass tapware.
Designers are increasingly drawing inspiration from nature, using organic textures and plant life to blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors. The idea is to evoke the experience of a spa or rainforest retreat without ever leaving home.
Large windows and skylights allow natural light to flood in, while matte finishes and minimal clutter ensure the space feels grounded rather than clinical.
As a naturally humid room, the spa bathroom is a great opportunity to grow some plants that welcome a moist climate while still getting enough sun to live.

A Little Bit of a Luxury

To truly make use of the spa bathroom, home owners will need to design a welcoming space and adding a touch of luxury (up to whatever meets your budget) is a great way to achieve this.
Freestanding bathtubs have become a centrepiece of many bathroom renovations, offering both visual impact and functionality. Walk-in rain showers with multiple spray zones, built-in benches and steam options are increasingly popular, providing the same relaxation benefits you’d find at a wellness resort.
Heated flooring, towel rails and ambient lighting further contribute to the sense of comfort. Even sound and scent are being considered, from built-in Bluetooth speakers to diffusers that release calming essential oils.
The bathroom, once a place to rush through, is now designed to slow you down. And if you’re spending every morning and evening there, before any day – big or small – why not maximise your enjoyment?

Welcoming Technology

While the idea of a “spa” bathroom evokes images of candlelight and calm, it’s also being driven forward by smart home innovation. Technology has quietly become one of the biggest enablers of wellness in the home, and bathrooms are no exception.
Smart mirrors with built-in lighting and temperature controls allow users to customise their routines, while touchless tapware promotes hygiene and reduces water waste.
Some luxury designs now include programmable showers that remember your preferred temperature and pressure settings or even mood lighting that changes colour to support relaxation.
These features don’t just add convenience, they enhance the sensory experience. A bathroom that responds intuitively to your habits and comfort levels makes it easier to create the peaceful environment you crave.

A European Influence

At ISH 2025, a global trade fair for HVAC + water, in Frankfurt, Germany, there was a seminar titled ‘The Bathroom as a Living Space’, hosted by Jens J Wischmann from the Association of the German Sanitary Industry (VDS). He posed a question to his panel, asking why home owners invest so much in their bathrooms despite not spending a great amount of time in there?
The answer he got from his fellow designers was: Well, why don’t we spend more time there?
The consensus was that bathroom design is usually left to the wayside while home owners focus on the shared spaces like the kitchen or the living room. Still, nearly everyone who comes into a home will spend time in the bathroom, whether that be to powder their nose or get ready to head out.
But that’s now changing as people add an emphasis to their bathrooms.
The panel agreed that bathrooms live in a unique space of home design as they often don’t have to follow the same design rules as the rest of the home. They can add a unique pop of flair to a home, letting home owners create a bespoke space.
Jens concluded by talking about some of his favourite recent bathroom designs he has seen, including a trend towards sustainability: “Wooden faucets are everywhere now and they help echo the sustainability of the bathroom. Also, I saw someone designing a bathroom with a sofa in it. A water-resistant sofa so that a guest could sit down while maybe someone did their makeup at the sink.”

Sustainability and Simplicity

Another defining feature of this trend is sustainability. Eco-friendly materials and water-saving fixtures are not just ethical choices, they’re integral to the spa-like atmosphere home owners want to achieve.
Natural finishes, low-VOC paints, recycled tiles and energy-efficient lighting contribute to a sense of harmony and longevity.
Australian designers are also rethinking space efficiency. Instead of oversized bathrooms packed with features, many are opting for minimalist layouts that prioritise flow and function.