In-Home Spa

Expert design tips to create the ultimate at-home spa bath experience

Inspired by resort adventures, today’s homeowners are looking for ways to bring the spa bath experience home. Spa baths typically feature a calming color palette; mood lighting; frameless glass doors and minimal hardware; and the integration of smart technology that allows for remote and customizable control of water pressure, temperature and more.

Mark Danuser, president of Tatum Brown Custom Homes, shares some of the most coveted products and trends in spa bath design.

Get smart with technology
Showers, fixtures and tubs are much more technologically advanced today than they were even just a few years ago. Now homeowners have the option of incorporating high-tech features such as heated tubs and shower systems that provide a more knocked-out spa-like shower.

Popular brands like Kohler offer products that incorporate mood lighting (called chromatherapy), play music, and adjust water settings and pressure, all of which can be done via touch screen or smartphone app.

Go sleek with fixtures and plumbing
Green building code requirements have prompted the popularity of low-flow plumbing fixtures. Aesthetically, sleeker fixtures are in high demand, and cooler materials such as brushed steel or stainless steel are the most requested, Danuser says.

With the popularity of clean lines and transitional/contemporary home design styles, many brands and larger retail stores are rolling out more modern bath fixtures, he adds.

Incorporate mood lighting
Energy-efficient LED lighting packages are popular, as are shower systems that feature user-controlled chromatherapy, a lighting technology that uses color and brightness to set a certain mood. From starting off the day with a shower filled with energetic lighting to wrapping up a long day with a soothing soak in the tub, lighting can really enhance the spa bath experience.

Take it up a notch with tile
Sleek, spa-like tiles in neutral colors, arranged in modern or contemporary patterns, provide an interesting focal point for the shower or bath. Tatum Brown’s clients largely prefer to use more durable materials in the bath and shower, and Danuser says he has seen a rise in popularity for porcelain because it’s not as porous as natural stone.

“Today, these more durable materials are available in larger dimension pieces, which allow for sleeker applications in the shower and on the floor,” he explains.

Calculated countertops
For their counters and vanities, homeowners want surfaces made from “genius” materials, which are dense, man-made products, quartz and glass blends that are more durable and have a longer life cycle than other natural stone. For instance, the look and feel of Calcutta marble is now available in a denser option that is easier to clean and more resistant to build-up than the original stone.

Hardware goes minimalist
“The trend is minimalist,” Danuser says. “Less is more. Smaller knobs, thumb tabs and blending in so the hardware doesn’t compete with the aesthetics are popular. Spa bath hardware is about functionality. And often we find that homeowners want to eliminate as much hardware as possible.”

Design considerations
Spa bath design has grown in popularity, and there are more products and technology options than ever before. When designing a spa bath, Danuser says there are several things to consider, and these are some of the most common issues:

Are the shower heads the correct height?
What natural stones should be used that aren’t so porous that they require heavy maintenance?
Where should the windows be placed to allow for the greatest amount of natural light?

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See examples of great bathrooms and the latest custom home trends by visiting the Tatum Brown Custom Homes website or Facebook.

Homeowners now prefer sleek fixtures and glass-enclosed showers.

Custom contemporary bathroom on Sunnybrook Drive in Dallas

Photo courtesy of Tatum Brown Custom Homes

Homeowners now prefer sleek fixtures and glass-enclosed showers.

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home design trends

Warm retreats and natural details are top home design trends this fall

2026 Houzz Fall Design Trends Report, warm interiors

Photo by Teal Thomsen for Canyon Collected Design

Warm-toned spaces are very inviting for fall gatherings.

Trends come and go, but a new Houzz report has unveiled all the ways current home design trends are evolving with the seasons rather than fading into obscurity or becoming dated.

Houzz interviewed nearly 50 home design professionals to determine emerging home design ideas for its 2026 U.S. Fall Design Trends Report. One common goal unites every trend this fall: creating rooms that celebrate the personalities of those who live in it.

These are Houzz's top design trends for fall 2026.

Warmth has become the new standard
One thing that's for certain: homeowners have officially done away with stark white and gray interiors. Warm color palettes first emerged as a design trend in late 2023, and now these inviting tones have transcended trendiness to become the "new baseline."

Homeowners and decorators aren't just making simple swaps, either. They're taking a holistic approach by "layering warm wood tones, earthy colors, multiple textures, and natural materials" throughout the home. This gives rooms "more depth and personality" than the previously in-style monotone interiors, Houzz said.

Bringing back personalization
Houzz predicted minimalist spaces would be on the way out in 2025, and they were correct. The golden era of minimalism has come to an end. Homeowners are instead creating true lived-in looks that blend "character, history, and personal storytelling" over spaces that look like they were plucked straight out of a magazine.

Examples include introducing vintage pieces into a modern space and mixing bold colors, patterns, and textures. Even the simplest accent choices can transform a room into something that feels "thoughtfully assembled over time," the report said.

2026 Houzz Fall Design Trends Report, character and personality matter more than perfection Home design enthusiasts are now prioritizing character and personality over perfection.Photo courtesy of Lavish

Photo by Teal Thomsen for Canyon Collected Design

Warm-toned spaces are very inviting for fall gatherings.

Other than vintage items, homeowners can add a sense of authenticity to their homes through "materials and details that carry a sense of history" like handmade tile, natural stone, aged metals, and original architectural elements.

This also means letting go of the idea of a home's "resale value" in favor of a personal sanctuary, according to the report.

"Pros describe clients asking for homes that feel deeply personal, whether it’s the layouts and materials they choose or the objects they display," Houzz said. "That shift is also giving homeowners more confidence to make individual choices, including unusual tile patterns, expressive wallpaper, distinctive furnishings and colors they love."

Embracing natural materials
Wood cabinets or stone countertops might be the first things that spring to mind under this umbrella, but we're diving deeper than that. Stone furniture pieces, like marble end tables, river stone sinks, and travertine coffee tables are rising in popularity, as are wood light fixtures and wood paneling.

"Pros are seeing more appreciation for the variation, texture, and imperfections that make natural materials feel authentic," the report said. "Handmade and high-variation tile, honed and leathered stone, plaster, and warm wood all contribute to a more tactile look."

Preparing for long-term livability
A separate Houzz report found two thirds of homeowners are planning to stay in their homes for more than a decade, if not longer, and less than half say they are currently living in their "forever home." As the cost of homeownership in Dallas rises, more residents are choosing to live in their current spaces longer, which means eventually renovating to accommodate for the future.

Besides adapting a home for aging in place, design professionals are seeing an uptick in popularity for other amenities to "make a home comfortable to navigate at any stage of life."

"ADUs and secondary suites are being designed to accommodate multigenerational living, extended guest stays, rental income, and future family needs," the report said. "Meanwhile, dedicated wellness amenities like saunas, cold plunges, and meditation spaces offer new ways for a home to support evolving well-being routines."

home design houzz design trends interior design home decor