2026 Bathroom Design Tip #5: Combine Bold Focal Points with Warm Textures To Make a Bathroom Feel Indulgent

At Calgary’s Ridge House, Meghan Bannon and Tara Marshall of Mera Studio Architects were asked to design a bathroom that felt both elevated and personal: something between a traditional Calgary home and a five-star resort. “The clients are very well-travelled—Thailand, Japan, China—and it was always a goal that their home would reference those beautiful hotels,” says Bannon.

The design began with a bold move: a freestanding tub framed by an arched wall clad in marble, lined with off-white “kit-kat” tiles (also called finger tiles for their slim, bar-like proportions). The same tiles reappear on the shower wall, adding subtle texture and continuity. The arch established a focal point, the texture prevented the palette from feeling flat and the curves softened an otherwise rectilinear floor plan. “That arch really created a moment. It sets the tone for the whole bathing area,” adds Marshall.

Scale is tempered with warmth. Oak floors surround the porcelain-veneer wet zone, keeping the right parts of the space waterproof while preventing it from feeling sterile. “Large, tiled bathrooms can feel cold,” notes Bannon. “Bringing wood into the bathroom made it feel cozier—like you don’t need slippers just to walk in.” Scalloped trim crowns the stone backsplash and flows into the countertop, using the same marble that frames the bathtub arch and shower. Brass-detailed sconces and custom millwork cabinetry complete the vanity while keeping clutter out of sight, and a walk-in closet tucked behind the shower neatly conceals linens. The result is both polished and relaxed: a bathroom that feels like a hotel suite you can actually live in.

Golden Glow

Large, brass-detailed Kelly Wearstler Utopia double bath sconces mounted directly on mirrors create hotel-worthy light. “It just feels more detailed, more intentional,” says Bannon.

Ripple Effect

The marble countertop doesn’t just stop at the vanity—it crests into a custom scalloped trim that meets the full-width mirror. “It was a way to bring some softness into a very rectilinear house,” says Bannon. The same stone flows across the counter, around the tub and into the stand-up shower, wrapping the room in one continuous gesture.

Texture Play

“Even in a monochrome space, we asked: how can we make it more textural?” explains Bannon. The slim tiles catch light and shadow, keeping the palette lively. Oak flooring runs alongside marble, cozying up the vast footprint. “It scaled down the amount of tile and made the room more comfortable.”