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Cave bathrooms combine the intimate, cool feel of natural rock with the convenience of modern plumbing. The result? A spectacular escape from regular life that reconnects you to nature, evokes a sense of peace, and restores your soul. Whether you’re aiming for a more literal interpretation of a cave, or just looking to them for inspiration, here are some tips to make your DIY cave bathroom an authentic experience using natural materials.

Mimicking the feel of a cave usually means using dark colors. Choose colors that will turn your bathroom into a dark and moody oasis. Moody doesn’t necessarily mean gloomy, though! If you have natural light coming in, aim to filter it through greenery to enhance the deep, tucked-away feeling you get in a cave. This might mean planting bushy shrubs and trees outside your bathroom window or buying privacy cling film like the Wendaoblt Natural Cave Frosted Window Privacy Film. For evening time, balance practical lighting with fittings that are dimmable to allow for a muted, warm glow. Hidden fittings that provide layered light mimic sun rays sneaking through cavernous cracks, adding to the magic.

As you think about creating the bathroom you want, aim for soft lines, curves, and rounded corners. Using natural materials adds to the authenticity of the room. Don’t be scared of assymetry, as most natural materials that are used for functional purposes bring their own organic design into the space. Consider installing under floor heating to make the space extra cozy.

To make an authentic cave-inspired bathroom, your design process will start with changing the internal structure of your bathroom. In an Instagram reel showing thejoshuatreehouse’s cave bathroom remodel, the designer starts with a wooden base to create a soft archway, sculpting the basin by hand using rocks and sand from their property and softening the harsh edges of the mirror using Tadelakt Moroccan Lime Plaster.

A YouTube video by simple construction shows how you can create rocky texture on your walls using masonry mix mortar. Apply it to your walls using a trowel. Slap it on roughly, no smooth finishes needed. Use a pipe or dowel to create lines between the stones for bed joints. Feel free to get creative — natural rocks come in all shapes. Once you’ve got your rough rock outlines, flick leftover grout or fine sand onto the damp mortar. You can use two colors for more authenticity. As you work, press plastic over the area and rub the sand into the mortar using a scrunched aluminum foil ball to create the rough texture. Seal it with acrylic sealer, and let it dry for about four days.

If you want a cave feel without making the stone from scratch, using natural stone as a feature wall can be just as effective. Make sure you know about natural stone tile before you buy. Using natural stone in the shower area or along a single wall may be perfect.

Pairing luxury fixtures with rough stone textures will ensure the bathroom stays the comforting haven you’re aiming for. If you’re not up for handcrafting your own sink, go shopping for a basin crafted from natural stone. While these typically have a rough exterior and fit right in with the cave vibe, the insides are polished smooth, ensuring they’re a pleasure to use. Consider the look and feel of materials like granite, marble, soapstone, travertine, onyx, and limestone.

A waterfall showerhead is an absolute must for a cave bathroom. Standing under the broad, soft, flow of something like the Delta Faucet Square Rainfall Shower Head will transport you straight into a foresty cavern. Available in brushed nickel, this luxury will elevate your showering experience.

While a windowless cave bathroom might seem ideal, it might limit proper ventilation, and the resulting trapped moisture invites mold growth. Besides that, sunshine is a mood-lifter that boosts our sense of well-being. If you know you need sunshine, you can always harness natural sunlight to brighten up a dark room with smart skylights. Skylights are ideal for cave bathrooms, as caves are often lit by shafts of light peeking in through rock holes from far above. Choose your skylights based on your roof shape and pitch and the size of your bathroom. Fixed skylights don’t offer any ventilation, making ventilating skylights a better option. You can also consider electric skylights or space-saving tubular lights.

Avoid favoring aesthetics over practicality when designing your bathroom cave. As much as you want a gorgeous space, it also needs to have good functionality, since you’ll be using it daily. A solid marble slab may look stunning, but where are you going to store toiletries and spare towels? Without storage space, your sink countertop will be a clutter-magnet. Plan for storage and ease of use as you consider which elements to incorporate in the room. 

Another oversight to avoid is neglecting lighting. If you have the space, go for nature-inspired drama over a stone tub with an OSRoyce Gold Leave Satellite Crystal Chandelier. Pair your feature piece with practical, warm light, milky glass sconces on either side of the mirror. Remember that a good lighting design marries beauty with functionality.

If you’ve opted for natural stone in your bathroom, make sure you seal it before use with a supplier-recommended product. You’ll need to reseal it once or twice a year to keep it protected from stains, dirt, and spills. Avoid using bleach as a cleaning product, as a professional housekeeper would never use that on stone shower tiles. Find out what is safe to use on the particular stone you’ve installed. Carefully follow the cleaning instructions for all natural stone fixtures such as sinks, countertops, and wall and floor tiles to keep them looking new.