The Spanish bathroom: zen or a drain on your water bill?

Bathrooms rarely show up in dreams. Kitchens do. Bedrooms too. But bathrooms? Hardly.
Maybe because we tend to design them as functional corridors — places to pass through, not to linger in. And that’s a shame. Especially here in Spain, where sunlight dances through the window and water is a resource, not a given. A bathroom deserves more than white tiles and an IKEA mirror.

I still remember my first Spanish shower. Visually spotless – all white, all straight. But the moment I turned the water on, it felt like I’d accidentally activated the pressure washer at a truck stop. The showerhead sprayed in every direction but down, the temperature panel was marked with half-erased symbols, and after five minutes I was standing ankle-deep in foamy water. Not from the soap. From the drain.

The bathroom as a space for calm (and a bit of realism)

These days, I see the Spanish bathroom as more than just a place to rinse off. It’s where you can wake up. Cool down. Think. Even listen – to the sound of a rain shower hitting a concrete floor. If you do it right, that is.

Of course, a bathroom should be practical. But that doesn’t mean it has to look clinical. I’d rather skip the shiny tiles that feel equally suited to brushing your teeth or performing minor livestock surgery. Give me a matte tile with texture—something that surprises your feet, not repels them.

Water-saving isn’t a luxury. It’s just common sense.

In Spain, water isn’t something you can take for granted. Yet people here sometimes shower like they live under Niagara Falls.
If you’re planning a new bathroom, invest in a water-saving showerhead. No, it’s not a mood killer. Modern ones still give you that spa-like feeling—just without the guilt or the monstrous water bill.

A thermostatic tap helps too—no more wasting litres while you wait for the water to warm up.
And if you really want to make a difference: install a greywater system. Sounds complicated. It’s not. And it turns your bathroom into a space where sustainability isn’t just a feature—it’s built in.

The aesthetics of imperfection

As far as I’m concerned, a bathroom doesn’t need to be symmetrical. I’d much rather have an off-centre niche with space for plants (yes, they really can survive in a bathroom) than a wall lined with so-called ‘functional solutions’. Think natural stone, soft lighting, wooden details. Not as some design theme, but simply because it feels better.

My washbasin sits on an old slab of olive wood. Untreated, imperfect. But when I wash my hands in the morning and catch the scent of that wood, I remember where I live. In Andalusia. Not in a showroom.

Finally: a five-senses bathroom check

If you’re redesigning your bathroom, ask yourself five questions:

1. Does it feel good underfoot? (texture, warmth, grip)

2. Does it sound pleasant when the water flows? (soft, no echo)

3. Does it smell like anything? (wood, soap, plant, something real)

4. Do you see something that doesn’t shine? (matte, natural, diffused light)

5. Is it a place where you’d want to stay five minutes longer than necessary?

If you can answer “yes” to four out of five, you’re on the right track.
If not—don’t worry. You’re only one showerhead away from improving your Spanish bathroom.