Home Style: A winter spa at home

For me, there's nothing as good as stepping into a steaming hot bath, slipping down until the water is up to my chin, to chase away the deep-down-in-your-bones chill of deep winter and the daily stress of life. Since my bathtub is where I go to relax and rejuvenate, I've made my bathroom into a personal oasis. Why don't you do the same with yours this winter?

STEP ONE: CLEAN UP: Most of us have a graveyard of toiletries in our vanity. Remember those cosmetics that just weren't the right color, that hair product that didn't deliver on its promises and those scented lotions that have turned sour? Get a trash bag and excavate your vanity, tossing anything you'll never use and everything that's past its prime.

STEP TWO: MAKE REPAIRS: If you're like me, you pretend not to see all those repairs and improvements your bathroom so desperately needs. Now it's time for us to face facts and get the job done. If your tub looks dingy, consider having it resurfaced. Does your shower need new grout? Do the light fixtures need to be upgraded? Is it time for a fresh coat of paint?

Since I love to change paint color in my home, my bathroom has been a rainbow of colors through the years. But now, many steamy baths and coats of paint later, the bead board that covers the lower two-thirds of the wall looks mighty shabby. Another coat of paint just won't cut it. So this winter, I'm going to finally replace the bead board with subway tile.

STEP THREE: FRESHEN YOUR LINENS: There's nothing like wrapping yourself in a soft, fluffy towel after a good soak in the tub. If your towels are past their prime, donate them to an animal shelter, hit the white sales and restock your linen closet. I'm crazy about snow-white towels because they remind me of the spa and go well in every bathroom, no matter its style or color. To keep my white towels bright and beautiful, I wash them with a bit of bleach.

Shower curtains are the focal point in many bathrooms, so be sure yours is a show-stealer. Believe it or not, you can often make a gorgeous custom shower curtain for what you'd spend on a higher-end ready-made. If you want something custom, hunt for beautiful decorator fabric that accents your bath, then add creative embellishments. When the Nell Hill's team decorated a designer show house for public tour, we tricked up the tiny, lackluster bathroom with a sensational shower curtain made from matelasse fabric trimmed in celery-green grosgrain ribbon. Then we sparked it up by placing a large monogram in the center. It was simple and fun yet stole the show.