A home spa for hard times

Private indoor and outdoor retreats add spa-like sanctuary to a home. Walls and floors in Matouche's "Croco Tabac" tile by Walker Zanger. COURTESY PHOTO The economy is in the toilet. Your friends are stressed. Your co-workers are worried. You may be more anxious than you've been in a while. Can you think of anything more enticing than relief from all the fears and anxiety?

You may not have power over your income or the economy, but you can exercise control over your home environment. There has never been a more important time to create a sanctuary for relaxing, decompressing, and re-charging. At least one space in your home should be that refuge . . . a serene, private spot in which your cares can temporarily melt away.

Take a clue from day spas on how to best achieve this much-needed home feature. There are aesthetic elements which make a spa inviting and visually soothing, and then there are the extra goodies which provide physical pleasure. You need both, and no matter how tight your budget is at present, consider doing what you can to create a spa-like ambience in a room at home. Whether you're ready for a complete master bath renovation, or just looking for a few tips on how to squeeze a little pleasure into a 30-minute time slot, you have lots of options.

COURTESY PHOTO Waterworks' beautiful .25 bathtub and teak floor mat; walls are glass tile by Tempo. Basic aesthetic elements

A spa's most basic component is its relaxing vibe. There's no great magic to this; it simply requires attention to the things which affect our senses: sound, light, color, textures, and aromas. Incorporating things that please the senses is the fastest way to shut down the worry machine.

Choose the space in your home that you think will be easiest to enhance with spa elements; it might be a master bath, the master bedroom, a guest room, or even a bonus room. Begin by de-cluttering the area. If you have to-do piles lying about, shift them to another room. Store toiletries, books, vitamins or whatever might be visible in your space. Clean lines and visual simplicity shift your mind from busy place to blank slate.

• Lighting Begin the creation of your home spa by looking at the lighting. Spa lighting is never harsh, never too bright; it's a soothing, low-to-medium light which may come entirely from fixtures, or is a diffused natural light. You don't want fluorescent bulbs in your spa space, or even any that are 100 watts. Candles are always lovely, but can be expensive to replace. A nice alternative are the rechargeable candle lights at Bell Tower's Brookstone store. These tiny "flames" flicker like real candles when placed inside their frosted holders, emitting a soft glow. Another smart alternative would be to install a dimmer on an existing light — always a good bet for setting a mood.

• Sound (or the lack thereof) is another crucial component to relaxation. Southwest Floridians are all too often bombarded by sound, from radios, televisions, cell phones, pagers, intercoms, piped-in-music and more. There's a reason spa always play soft instrumental music and incorporate fountains, while staffers whisper and walk softly. The ears simply need a break. As conduits to the brain, they unwittingly pass along all sorts of unnecessary information to interpret. Too much sound can jangle the nerves. Make your home spa a place where the mind can simply wander without having to process anything challenging.

Your own iPod or CD collection may hold the key; find favorite instrumental music and then ensure you have a way to enjoy it. Place some small speakers near your tub or next to a chaise lounge or daybed, to incorporate soothing sound into your "new" environment. Brookstone offers a series of CDs including one called Stress Relief. Even more appealing, however, is the company's Sound Therapy System. For $129, you can choose the sound which most relaxes you, from ocean waves to a thunderstorm. Picture yourself soaking in a warm tub of bubbles, candles flickering, to the sound of a distant rumbling thunderstorm.

• Color is physically powerful. It can relax you as easily as it can unnerve you. One can of paint can do wonders for your spa space: shades of pink are scientifically proven to soothe, but monotone palettes - especially those from nature - are also calming: think whites, beiges, creams, dark browns, grays, pale blues or greens.

• Texture also plays a part in getting your body's attention. Bare feet and hands appreciate plush, soft rugs. They also like the feel of stone, whether rough or smooth. Walls that inspire a person to "reach out and touch" play a crucial role in encouraging small, meditative moments. The Walker Zanger showroom at the International Design Center (IDC) has a lovely collection of stone, glass and ceramic tiles that can be used in a myriad of ways, from walls to floors to bath enclosures and showers.

"A lot of people are leaning toward small stone mosaics," says showroom manager Drew Rust. "They're very spa-oriented." Mr. Rust points out a textured limestone on the showroom walls, however, that perfectly evokes the miniature desktop Zen Gardens one rakes for relaxation. The showroom is filled with lovely vignettes and 'concept boards' which give homeowners a wealth of inspiring ideas.

Mr. Rust says that while a full-blown renovation always offers the most options, a homeowner doesn't have to gut his bathroom to create a new, pleasing space. Smaller visual additions can really be uplifting. Even tiny amounts of a beautiful product can make a big impact on the senses: tiling one wall can completely change a room. "You don't have to spend $50,000," says Mr. Rust. "There is design within your budget, whatever it is. Great design can be done easily, using the right products."

Go for fantasy

Mr. Rust suggests considering a fantasy theme for a spa retreat. He points out textures and patterns that conjure images of a Moroccan hideaway and others which bring to mind a tranquil Japanese retreat. Contemporary minimalism . . . French decadence . . . basically, it's your spa, your fantasy. What "sends" you to another world?

"People need a refuge." says Mr. Rust, "A sanctuary when they get home. And as all the TV shows tell you, having a space like this adds value to your home . . . not only money-wise but also in that it adds a sense of calm in our crazy, hectic lives. Now more than ever, people need to pamper themselves. What better way than to go home to your own spa?"

The wow factor

If your budget allows, the freestanding ".25" tub from Waterworks is sure to have you dreaming of your home spa all day long. Its sculptural look is not the only thing this magnificent tub has to offer: it also allows large men to soak their entire bodies, a real challenge for fellows over six feet tall.

Shower lovers can also find their bliss, with Waterworks' 12-inch ceiling mount "shower rose," a rain-shower fixture just like spas use. Showers can also be enhanced by adding one or more 'body bars,' vertical rods holding 18 water jets. Why limit pleasure to your neck and shoulders, after all?

Several companies in the Fort Myers area sell soaking tubs with jets, and outdoor spas. Think what a 20-minute jetted soak at day's end could do to pummel away stress. Many people find steam as relaxing as jets. While most homes aren't large enough to incorporate a full wet or dry sauna, Waterworks' steam unit offers a terrific way to turn one's shower into a steam room. This premium steam feature comes with digital control panels for controlling the timer and the temperature. Steam is emitted from a spigot that won't burn if touched, and sensors detect when steam needs to come on again. Best of all, a divot in the unit holds the essential oil of your choice, creating steamy therapeutic relief with the nose as a conduit.

Essential oils (made from the essences of plants) are used in aromatherapy for soothing the senses. Many boutiques and department stores now offer all sorts of oil diffusers ways to fill a room with a subtle aroma. Just as eucalyptus oil can help congestion, lavender can soothe the nerves. Brookstone offers a three-piece aromatherapy set which comes with mint or lavender inside the neck pillow and eye mask. Many spas heat neck pillows in the microwave, then lay them on their clients' necks. If you can make the microwave your last stop before retiring to your mini-spa, you can enjoy the same relaxing treatment in the privacy of your own home.

Goodies that pamper for less

It's important to remember that tactile elements are also key to relaxation. Just as massage is comforting to the body, the feel of a soft cotton towel, a plush robe, cushy slippers or a soothing eye mask sends your body the signal to enjoy the sensation at hand. Triggering a be-here-now physical response only aids in pushing away troubling thoughts.

The Waterworks showroom has its own plush line of Egyptian and Turkish cotton towels and hand-milled soaps from France (the linden is especially pleasing and liked by men as well as women). It is Brookstone, however, that takes the prize for carrying the largest variety of spa-like products. A heated foot spa allows overworked feet the joy of a hot water massage, with adjustable water jets and air speed. An enclosed towel warmer would heat the softest of towels, but also holds a spa robe, and Brookstone carries perhaps the softest spa robes on the market, amazing to the touch.

Other goodies like heated towel bars, fogless shower mirror, and magnified makeup mirror can really make the bath a place to linger. If there's room, adding a chaise lounge and mini-fridge to the master bath suite really says "relax," the spa way. (Infused waters — a spa staple — are easy to make at home. Add sliced cucumber, watermelon, oranges or your favorite fruit to a pitcher of water and let it sit overnight).

Tempur-Pedic slippers, neck pillows, and eye pillows all complement a home spa. Brookstone also carries the Tempur-Pedic® mattress, as well as a massaging bed rest with attached reading light, cup holder and magazine pockets, for those who like to unwind with a good book. Duck-down booties pamper the feet, but almost nothing compares to having one's own uSqueeze, an electric calf massager which tilts to fit its user, then gives Shiatsu massage (and converts back into a regular ottoman).

Lastly, if you believe a trip to the spa is best when combined with a varietal libation, look for Brookstone's iceless wine chiller. It lets you choose from 40 pre-programmed wines and brings your favorite vino to the perfect temperature. What wine pairs best with a candlelit bubble bath? Your spa, you decide.