My Favorite Room: Heather Graham lets the ideas soak in while she gets clean

Heather Graham describes her claw-foot tub as a sacred space where creativity emerges.

“When I’m really relaxed in the bathtub, I get ideas,� said the actress, 48, who recently made her directorial and writing debut with the film “Half Magic.� “It’s almost when I’m not trying to think of them that they just come.�

Exotic cerulean and white tiles brighten the neutral-toned, minimally decorated bathroom in her 2,200-square-foot Hollywood Hills home, and a sweet and earthy aroma of fig candles — Ria Ray and Santa are favorite brands — permeates the air.

The three-bedroom home, which is partially hidden among lush trees and plants, provides a chance to escape from bustling city life.

“Here, I can pretend I’m in the country,� she said.

Why is the bathroom your favorite room?

I basically take a bath every day, and any excuse to be in a bathtub is amazing. I like to keep adding hot water so you get it really hot, almost too hot, until you feel like your whole body is pounding. I’m always cold, so I like sweating and drinking water and washing my hair in the bath.

How would you describe your aesthetic taste?

I go for world traveler. I like stuff from different countries, like India. And I really love tiles, so I put them on the floor. They’re from this company called Granada Tile.

What was your goal when redecorating the bathroom?

This is a 1924 Spanish-style house, but throughout the years people had redone the kitchen and all the bathrooms. This bathroom was from the ’70s and really ugly with a weird intercom, so I wanted it to feel more like that 1920s Spanish L.A. vibe.

Did you have any help decorating?

My friend Gillian Lefkowitz, who is an interior designer. I would always go over to her house, and she had the coolest stuff of anyone I knew. So I hired her to decorate my house, and she helped me redo the bathroom.

Do you have a design philosophy?

I want the space to feel relaxed, cozy and look good but not in a way that feels uncomfortable. Lived-in and not uptight or perfect.

Why a claw-foot tub?

I like that it’s old-fashioned. Old meets new. I don’t even have a shower in there, ’cause I don’t really like them.

Any significance behind the green painting of the woman?

It’s by Irene Hardwicke. I love the idea of this beautiful woman on a leaf, like being connected to nature, which is why I think I like looking at trees a lot. It makes me feel really peaceful. Instead of looking at the city of L.A., I feel so much better when I’m looking at something green.

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