Interior designers around Northern Virginia are embracing the growing trend of luxury bathrooms. See how they created these five stunning, spa-like bathrooms.
Luxe Efficiency
Pamela Harvey of Pamela Harvey Interiors always aims to hit the mark when it comes to adding a modern spin on traditional design.
This Oakton bathroom was once a dated space with a raised Jacuzzi tub wedged into one corner and a triangular shower stuffed into the opposite one.
“We removed these unsightly, dated features and created a contemporary wet zone, with one seamless glass enclosure housing both the new freestanding tub and the shower area,” says Harvey.
This wet zone is defined on the floor plan by a herringbone-patterned “reeded wood” tile in a cool ash tone. There is also an integrated shower bench.
“Our clients have very demanding careers, so their bathroom routines are also about efficiency. There is even a waterproofed TV mounted in the shower niche to catch the morning news,” she adds.
The rest of the bathroom features a classic symmetrical layout, with double vanities facing each other in a modern colonial style. More luxe touches include a custom drawer for hair styling appliances.
Couture Flooring
“Our clients wanted to upgrade their dated, builder-grade bathroom. They spared no detail to ensure this redo was more than a facelift,” Tracy Schlegel of Waterlily Interiors says about the McLean bathroom she and Kelcey Huff redesigned.
The circa-2000s bathroom once had beige limestone floor tiles, a raised drop-in tub, and speckled-brown granite countertops. Schlegel and Huff introduced a fresh palette of crisp-white and slate-blue marble with gold accents, including in the flooring. “No doubt, the star of this bathroom is the custom-cut marble and gold glass mosaic tile,” says Huff.
The designers had originally presented an all-marble, custom-patterned mosaic floor, but the homeowners wanted to kick it up a notch. “We decided to create our own mosaic flooring pattern using Italian golden glass accents,” says Schlegel. The gold tone is picked up in the new cabinetry hardware, plumbing fixtures, and brass-accented lighting. Other luxe features include triple showerheads, a freestanding tub, and polished marble countertops.
Cabinetry was done by Batu Homes + Remodeling (Photo by Robert Radifera for Stylish Productions)
What a Feeling
“Luxury in a bathroom isn’t just about materials,” says Juli Brocato of Brocato Design + Co. “It’s about how a space makes you feel.” In her team’s redesign of a primary bathroom in a Falls Church addition, “we created a room that feels energizing in the morning and grounding at the end of day,” she says.
The fluted wood-look matte porcelain tile utilized for the shower and vanity walls adds natural warmth and texture to the space. For cabinetry, inky-black cabinets were selected to contrast the airy, cream-colored countertops and floor tiles.
“The rich saturated green tile used on the freestanding tub’s feature wall introduces an organic, spa-like depth,” says Brocato of the bathroom’s Zellige tiles.
These contrasting yet complementary materials — along with brushed brass accents — elevate both the look and high-end feel of this bathroom.
“Our goal was to elevate everyday routines while supporting how the space is used,” says Brocato.
Naturally Yours
This Clifton bathroom remodel drew inspiration from the woodlands outside its corner windows. Maurie Minichiello of Maurie Minichiello Design Co. framed the windows in floor-to-ceiling sheers layered on top of privacy shades. “We let the wooded landscape guide our approach. We wanted to create a timeless feel, where the lines between indoors and outdoors were blurred,” she says.
Minichiello chose a palette of creamy whites and smoky greens. While the bathroom’s footprint stayed the same, she designed new his-and-her vanities that were crafted by Unique Kitchens and Baths. A custom dressing table area was added to the bathroom by relocating a double door for the walk-in closet. It is bookended by a pair of integrated linen cupboards with antiqued mirror fronts. “They bounce the light from the windows around the room, as well as add a painterly effect,” she says.
Other luxury features include heated tile floors laid in an overscale herringbone pattern, a bidet in the toilet room, a freestanding soaking tub, and a steam shower.
“A bathroom should be a place for rejuvenation, a private retreat. Every choice was made with wellness and calm in mind,” says Minichiello.
All Clad
There is something instantly luxurious about a bathroom clad entirely in stone. Heather Urban of Heather Urban Design paid special heed to this concept when working on this bathroom addition to a 1911 home in Washington, DC.
“We did a classic marble mosaic floor, blending warm and cool tones. It elevated the bathroom instantly, while allowing it to adapt effortlessly to wood, mirrored, or lacquered finishes,” says Urban. “In design, nothing rivals the quiet sophistication of elegance and the assurance of timelessness.”
Urban covered the walls in 12-by-24-inch porcelain tiles, mounting them vertically to create a contemporary counterpoint to the more traditional mosaic floors.
A freestanding tub floats in the center of the bathroom’s footprint, which also features a private toilet room, a glassed-in shower, and double vanities. Urban extended the glass shower enclosure to the ceiling line for a seamless, polished look.
“The shower was also equipped with a built-in speaker, allowing for music, setting the tone for a spa-like experience,” she says.
Other features include a concealed laundry chute, heated floors, and beneath-the-vanity LED lights for an ambient feel at night.
Feature image by Robert Radifera for Stylish Productions
This story originally ran in our April 2026 issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
