“Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” – Lucille Ball
When I spied the little house last spring, I didn’t realize that Joe and I would basically be taking her down to the studs. We knew she was worn and antiquated, but I didn’t realize how much. She truly has become a labor of love.
The process is moving along slowly but steadily. The guest room has new floors, walls, and sheet rock. Doors and trim will grace the house in the next few weeks, and then the fun begins! Stay tuned, you’re gonna love what I have in store there!
Our priority now is the primary bath. The design process has been challenging and, honestly, frustrating. This dream for my all-American home has forced me to spend hours researching companies and scrutinizing not only quality, style, and price, but also where the product is made. This process, exhausting at times, made me pause and rethink my design for the primary bath. Lucille Ball said, “You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” There is no better way to show yourself some love than to give yourself a space that cultivates feelings of tranquility, peace, and serenity.
Welcome to the little house spa bath.
Yes, the little house deserves a spa bath—she’s been through a lot over the last 40 plus years. And who am I kidding, Joe and I deserve the spa bath! It is one of the reasons, besides the floor completely falling through, that this bath is a priority!
All my spaces start with an inspiration.
This spa bath inspiration was twofold: not only my aching back and sore muscles, but this amazing print I discovered during the last High Point Market.
Barloga Studios had this ‘Forest Floor’ Print on display at Market; it drew me in from across the room.
This collection of ferns, moss, sticks, stone and more had me mesmerized. The depth in the print, the texture of the paper…then there was the feeling of serenity that it stirred in my soul. This exquisitely crafted print became my inspiration for the little house’s spa bath. Experiencing nature centers us, lowers stress hormones and blood pressure and, best if all, it boosts serotonin levels.
Read that again. Then, when you’re done reading about this amazing spa bath, get outside, go for a walk, dig in the dirt, sit under a tree for a bit…do something for you that involves Mother Nature—she’s pretty amazing.
With this idea percolating the hunt was on for the perfect design elements to create this amazing space.
Florida Tile has the perfect tile for this spa retreat! Manufactured in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (I know it’s FLORIDA tile), it was originally established in Lakeland, Florida. Their newly introduced wood tiles offer this gem reminiscent of bleached white oak. These strong, sturdy planks will grace the walls of the new spa shower. What better option than rugged and stable species like oak to represent the little house. After all I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, she’s all American.
Bertch Cabinetry’s vanity program offers quality, cost effective options with very reasonable lead times. They also produce all their own parts. Deeper than quality, I chose Bertch for the culture they cultivate in their company. It’s not surprising this midwestern company treats each employee as family, so much so they were voted one of the best places to work in Cedar Valley. Their dedication to their community expands beyond 20 organizations they are involved with. I’m not sure you can be more American than that.
No spa bath is complete without the finest bath towels to wrap up the experience. Let me introduce you to Southern Drawl, where not only are the towels made in Omega, Georgia, but the cotton is grown and ginned in Georgia too. The raw cotton is sent north to South Carolina, where the fibers are spun, woven, and then returned to Georgia to be finished. There is no outsourcing here, just good ole American made towels!
All great spa baths need beautiful lighting. This is where I allowed the little house spa to splurge! I was quite intrigued by the Brooklyn sconce that Hubbardton Forge introduced recently.
Remember, this bath is all about that connection to nature. When I saw the Brooklyn Sconce I saw a jasmine blossom, not a cold, black forged fixture. Hubbardton Forge couldn’t agree more and embraced my design. I’ve got a tour scheduled with Hubbarton Forge to see the progress on the sconces…stay tuned, you’re gonna love this!
A spa bath appointed with American made products is not only possible, but also worth the time and effort. With elements of nature soothing the soul and fostering self-love, this spa bath will be very much enjoyed and well deserved after all the hard work! Stay tuned for the next room transformation…and let the fun begin!
LDD Interiors looks to preserve American craftsmanship in our designs as much as possible and support home grown talent.