Home Spa

A steam shower clad in colorful glass tile offers a curved seat molded to the contours of the homeowner's body.

Some would say the ultimate luxury is enjoying a steam room and sauna in the privacy of your own home. Even better is when these amenities are tucked into a space as tranquil and soothing as a world-class spa. 

Such is the case in a new Bethesda home designed by Marci Brand of Marci Brand Interiors with colleagues Christina Dutton and Sara Magovern Leahy. The team set out to create a spa bath with a cool, relaxing vibe, located next to the home’s gym. They started out by selecting glass tiles for the steam shower in the client’s favorite palette of pale blue, green and orange. 

A sauna abuts the steam shower.

The curved seat in the shower was molded to match the contours of the homeowner’s body. A powder room and sauna flank the steam shower while a floor of river rock soothes bare feet. A glass vessel sink “floats” above a custom vanity and window seats on either side provide extra storage. 

The “feel-good” look is enhanced with walls, ceiling and furniture painted in a lemon chiffon lacquer. “It took a lot of trial and error to get that finish looking nice,” says Brand. “I wanted the color, the richness and the sheen to be right.”

A glass vessel sink floats above a custom vanity.

The room’s elegance lies in its simplicity. “It’s one of the simpler rooms in the home, but a lot of thought went into it. “Not all the elements are unique, but it’s about how they were put together,” says Brand. “It really feels like a place you want to be in and relax—so peaceful and pretty.”