The truth is I think all of us have moments when life catches up to us. What do you do to calm down? For me, taking a few of my favorite essential oils and dropping them into a perfectly hot bath is bliss. But how can you enjoy your relaxation room, your most private room, and the room your start and end each day a personal refuge? While some bathrooms may be bigger than my bedroom, others can cleverly appear to be much larger than they are.

Today we will take a look at the lessons spa-like bathrooms and learn how to apply those techniques to your own! Here are 10 ways to bring a spa and thus relaxing style to your home.

Add Warm Wood Accents. What makes a great bathroom is the ability to feel outside, without ever stepping out into harsh conditions. By using a warm wood with colors to contrast with the rest of your room, you will be able to feel like your polished wood, is in itself a piece of art.

Use Crisp White. Nothing says “relaxing spa” like light and bright walls and ceilings. It feels clean, and better yet if you acquire a smooth tile it will look clean and be easy to clean whenever it may become dirty.

Create Continuity with Tile. By using a tile that is the same color from floor to ceiling makes the room look considerably bigger.

Use Clear Glass. Another component that create continuity is transparency. It makes the bath look much larger and keeps the shower stall from visually chopping up the bathroom layout.

Add A Fireplace. Just by knowing that you have a fireplace in a room filled with tile adds the thoughts of warmth. A two-sided model can even be enjoyed from two rooms.

Open Up The View. Of course there are dramatic examples of bathrooms with floor to ceiling windows. But even a small window in your shower stall, or next to the tub will let you relax and look outdoors while rinsing or soaking.

Let Natural Light In. If your bathroom’s location means opening up the view makes you a show for all your neighbors, choose a glass that lets in the light but disappoints the peeping Toms.

Fake Organization. A great way for a bathroom to seem clean and tidy is by using things such as trays and baskets to store your soaps, shampoo’s and other miscellaneous treasures. It will always look as if everything has its particular place in your safe haven.

Add An Orchid.  The simple fact that this flower always looks beautifully exotic adds to your bathrooms spa feel. They are at the grocery store and cost about nine dollars, plus they’ll last for months!

Light Some Candles. No matter how small your bathroom may be, you can always give your tub a more relaxed feel with the glow of candlelight. Playing an Enya album is optional.

I know what your thinking! Where do I start? Right now it’s all too daunting and overwhelming a task to even fathom of completing your nursery. So here is what you are going to do: sit down and quietly take a few moments, and picture in your mind how you would like your nursery to work, and how do you want it to look. Got it! Great, now write it down and we can now go about planning and implementing your vision.

Does it still seem all too difficult?

Here are a few helpful suggestions that can be used as starting blocks to get your own creative juices flowing.

The process- from start to finish

Floors-Theme-Colors-Furniture-Décor-Safety- Books & Toys

Floors: The first thing I will ever ask any of my clients is, “Do you want to keep your floors?” Imagine your perfect room, was it light and fresh? Now, take a step back. Do you have the floors to accommodate that. If not measure your room, understand the square-footage and call for an estimate on how much that might cost and how long it might take. It may be an extra step, but is necessary if the theme you have chosen doesn’t fit your dated floors.

Theme: What theme did you choose, was it: Circus? Whatever it may have been don’t be afraid to express yourself clearly to your designer. If you think having three colors in that small room would be great, it just might be! Research your theme, understand it’s limitations and what makes it great and how someone took it too far. Remember, a theme is NOT buying the same blanket, crib cover...etc from the same set!

Colors: Think about dark rooms, do you want to stay there? Of course not! There’s a reason almost all hotel industries and hospitals create a light and airy ambiance. It’s pleasant and sometimes reminds us of paradise. If you do, however prefer dark paint try taking it a shade up, and be sure to balance it with light textures. The same goes with neutral colors, discover the complimentary color of the room and give it a bold accent. Pillows and lamps work great for this cause!

Furniture: It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you consistently find your wallet being emptied by purchasing a basinet, crib, changing table, and did I mention décor? But, take a step back what do you essentially NEED in this space. Your baby will eventually grow up, believe it or not, and when that time comes they will need a dresser and bed for their room. Many dressers work as changing tables and many cribs come convertible from basinet to crib to toddler bed to full-sized bed (it’s called a 4 in 1)!

Safety: Make sure your design is efficient. Will you be tripping over anything in order to rock your baby at night? Is the crib and dresser in an optimal spot for my space? If you are unsure a design consultation with your local Interior Designer can clear things right up!

Finally: Books and Toys: Understand that at your baby shower and your kids first two- four birthday parties they will receive a ton of toys and books! Do not get sucked into the feeling that the media pushes, that you MUST have the one toy that helps the baby learn extra fast, it’s proven! All babies learn at different speeds, just be sure to read in advance the books you do get, and ask yourself, “ What message is this book relaying to my child?” Read to them often, and you and your baby will both be happy and brighter because of it.

Everyone, even beginning Interior Designers have trouble with finding their design style. When really, it comes down to only a few things. Whether you know it or not you gravitate towards certain objects in your life. Here are seven tips on discovering your style.

1.Multiples. Do you have multiple items of the same color, shape or style around your house? This is one big "tell" I look for as I look through clients' homes. A kilim rug in the front hall, a kilim rug in the bedroom, another one in the living room? That means that you like kilim rugs. It sounds way too simple to be that easy, but most people stop seeing their style even when it's right in front of them.

2. Form over function. Do you work on a desk that is too small, but can't bear to replace it? Have a couch that is crazy uncomfortable, but it's still in you living room after all these years? That broken clock that's still up on the wall? Take a good long look, because this is a dead giveaway to your personal style. There is something you love so much about this piece that you have chosen its form over your need for function.

3. Where you shop. Do you browse the same store all the time, even when you're not looking to buy? Does a good flea market make you heart pound with excitement? Where you look for your furnishings speaks volumes about your style. New, used, found, handed down from family; where your furniture comes from represents your style.

4. Art. What you have chosen to hang on your walls says something about you. Art is purely personal, not tied to function or need and therefore is usually the best indication of your style. A vintage movie poster means you probably like classic lines in furniture, while an abstract lithograph likely means that modern design is your bag. Flea market oil painting of someone else's relative? Eclectic is your style.

5. Most recent purchase. A French country dish towel that caught your eye in the store, or an impulse buy of a Tiffany-style lamp that you thought you'd never like, but do. The last thing you bought for your home is a fantastic indicator of what your style is, especially if it is design departure for you.

6. What unites your stuff? Do you have terra-cottas, rusts and warm yellows all around your house? These are the sun-kissed colors of Mediterranean design, so you should look for rough-hewn wood tables, terra-cotta lamps and vases to polish up your style. Does all your furniture have lean, sharp lines, and you don't have a single thing on your mantel? Your style is thoroughly modern. Whether it's color, scale, shape or era, the uniting element in your home is the best place to start when looking for your style.

7. What's your favorite hotel? This is my secret weapon in finding a client's design style. Always stay in cozy country B&Bs? Like the modern city high-rise hotel? Or do you go more for the traditionally furnished places? Hotels have clear design styles, so use them to help you find YOUR style.