Three ways to turn a cold winter bathroom into warm and cosy retreat

The bathroom rarely comes to mind as a space we want to spend a lot of time in during bathroom – with the exception of a hot shower, of course.

With just a few simple tweaks though, it is possible to transform your bathroom from a cold, dark space to a cosy winter retreat.

For Amy Hare, Ikea interior design lead, making the bathroom feel more inviting starts with lighting.

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"Being able to control your lighting and having the correct lighting in bathrooms, I think that's something that's often overlooked," she tells 9honey Living.

"In winter you don't want an arctic white light in the bathroom, you want to make it a space that you want to go into. So definitely by being able to control the white colour spectrum of your lights is amazing – It's a huge touch."

This can be done for as little as $40 with the Tradfri smart dimmable light bulb kit or swapping out your current light bulbs for warmer options for the season.

Of course, there's nothing like adding some candles to a space to give it cosy ambience.

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This is an incredibly affordable option and can be done for as little as $1 with the Lugnare 12 hour candle.

Just one jar candle can make the bathroom feel a bit more special, especially if you add one with a favourite fragrance, but clusters of candles will have you feeling like you're in your very own day spa.

One key element that's worth putting some thought into is your bath mat.

"Make sure you've got a good bath mat so that you're not walking out onto cold tiles," Hare says.

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A thick plush option like the $8 Tofto bathmat will do double duty as something that looks as cosy as it feels.

This idea also extends to your towels, which can make getting out of a cold shower a little less confronting if they are thick and plush.

As a final touch, Hare recommends adding plants to the bathroom as some indoor plants can thrive in this humid environment.

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