4 easy steps for creating a spa oasis at home

For me, there's nothing as good as stepping into a steaming hot bath, slipping down until the water is up to my chin, to chase away the deep-down-in-your-bones chill of deep winter and the daily stress of life. Since my bathtub is where I go to relax and rejuvenate, I've made my bathroom into a personal oasis. Why don't you do the same with yours this winter?

CLEAN UP: Most of us have a graveyard of toiletries in our vanity. Remember those cosmetics that just weren't the right color, that hair product that didn't deliver on its promises and those scented lotions that have turned sour? Get a trash bag and excavate your vanity, tossing anything you'll never use and everything that's past its prime.

MAKE REPAIRS: If you're like me, you pretend not to see all those repairs and improvements your bathroom so desperately needs. Now it's time for us to face facts and get the job done. If your tub looks dingy, consider having it resurfaced. Does your shower need new grout? Do the light fixtures need to be upgraded? Is it time for a fresh coat of paint?

Since I love to change paint color in my home, my bathroom has been a rainbow of colors through the years. But now, many steamy baths and coats of paint later, the bead board that covers the lower two-thirds of the wall looks mighty shabby. Another coat of paint just won't cut it. So this winter, I'm going to finally replace the bead board with subway tile.

FRESHEN YOUR LINENS: There's nothing like wrapping yourself in a soft, fluffy towel after a good soak in the tub. If your towels are past their prime, donate them to an animal shelter, hit the white sales and restock your linen closet. I'm crazy about snow-white towels because they remind me of the spa and go well in every bathroom, no matter its style or color. To keep my white towels bright and beautiful, I wash them with a bit of bleach.

Shower curtains are the focal point in many bathrooms, so be sure yours is a show-stealer. Believe it or not, you can often make a gorgeous custom shower curtain for what you'd spend on a higher-end ready-made. If you want something custom, hunt for beautiful decorator fabric that accents your bath, then add creative embellishments. When the Nell Hill's team decorated a designer show house for public tour, we tricked up the tiny, lackluster bathroom with a sensational shower curtain made from matelassé fabric trimmed in celery-green grosgrain ribbon. Then we sparked it up by placing a large monogram in the center. It was simple and fun yet stole the show.

DESIGN THE SPACE: Decorate your bathroom as beautifully as you would any other room in the house. If space allows, use regular furniture, not the kind specifically made for bathrooms. In my guest bath, I have a wonderful black gothic bookshelf where I display towels, toiletries and accents. I've also used large armoires in bathrooms, stocking them like linen closets. Some of my friends have covered slipper chairs in water-resistant fabrics so they have a place to sit while they dress.

Fill the room with great accessories. Place a silver tray on your vanity, and fill it with pieces that allow you to organize your stuff in style. For example, put mouthwash in a crystal decanter, cotton balls in an apothecary jars and toothbrushes in an antique cup. Create a tableau in a bookcase out of your favorite things, like a small clock, bud vase and a miniature painting propped in an easel.

Be sure to fill your wall space with wonderful artwork, especially if your bathroom is so small that you don't have room for furnishings or accents. In my bathroom, I hung a grid of bright botanicals, but in my guest bath, I've created a montage of different pieces of art that crawls over the wall.

Mary Carol Garrity is the proprietor of three home-furnishings stores and is the author of several best-selling books on home decorating.