So imagine our excitement when a client came to us with a request to complete a whole house transformation with the cornerstone being the creation of a Master Suite that would provide the perfect refuge for relaxation and rejuvenation of the body and soul.

Now I understand that this is not the “typical” project. So I should tell you that our clients both led chaotic lives with great mental and physical demands. They wanted and needed a sanctuary, and they wanted that to be the master suite. We accomplished this through structural change, the inclusion of critical functional elements, and the creation of a warm, inviting environment.

The structural changes allowed us to create a “bigger is better” living area. We created a 1,500-sq.-ft. master suite from what had been a much smaller area. We took attic space and converted it to the husband’s closet. A small kitchenette (yes, a kitchenette in the master suite) was hidden behind one of the walnut walls, and an exterior balcony was converted into the sitting room. Additionally, the master bath foyer was defined and refined by adding a towel storage cabinet and adding a pair of pocket doors adjacent to the bedroom.

There were also some functional “creature comforts” that were integrated to enhance the experience such as a towel warming drawer in the master bath, heated floors in the sitting room and master bath, a multi-component shower system with different shower settings for the husband and wife, and a structured wiring system that controls everything from the HVAC to the lighting to a whole-house I-Pod dock system.

To create the warm, inviting environment the homeowners wanted, the suite evokes the essence of a European spa. We used strong, clean lines, soft edges and various materials throughout the suite to evoke that essence. Within the master bedroom/bathroom we incorporated walnut cabinetry, Jerusalem stone, pillowed marble and mosaic tiles. The resulting aesthetics were a result of the marriage of a variety of textures and materials. Throughout the suite we employed a neutral palette to enhance the warmth of the space.