Suite Serenity

The most luxurious custom homes today feature master suites in which homeowners need only walk down a hallway to receive the same experience they would in a day spa or health club. Complete with calming colors, mood lighting and the ultimate in luxury amenities, homeowners are pampered in the comfort of their own home.

Master suites are more than a bedroom and bath. Today’s homeowners expect amentities such as his and her closets, a sitting area, exercise room, serenity garden, massage room and possibly even a personal pool. “The master suite has moved away from being just a bedroom — that is a thing of the past. We are expanding them to be a lot larger, a lot more luxurious, and we are upgrading a lot of amenities,” says Christina Heller, president, T&T Interiors in Naples, Fla.

Specialty rooms are considered part of the master suite if they are accessible through the bedroom. “You might go through the master bedroom to get to the bathroom, to get to the spa. You have to go through the master bedroom to get to all the other spaces,” says Phil Kean, owner and president, Phil Kean Designs, Winter Park, Fla. The master suite can also be defined with its own wing of the house.

Luxury Living

As with any custom product, designers are faced with the challenge of determining which luxury amenities fit a client’s lifestyle. “Homeowners are focusing their attention on livability, comfort, convenience and definitely beauty. It’s important to have a lot of conversation during the design phase to ensure we understand how the home-owner will use the master suite,” says Nancy Morrison, owner, Benchmark Custom Luxury Homes, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.

In a survey conducted by the American Institute of Building Design, 50 percent of respondents reported that tubs are being omitted in lieu of larger showers, walk-in showers and higher-end showerheads and controls. “We choose custom higher-end products with more character to create a better aesthetic feel. We don’t do a basic 5 ft. tub, but we will do 5½ ft. or 6 ft. [tub] if space allows,” says Jon Yorgason, registered master builder, president, J. Edward Homes, Boise, Idaho.

Because most of Heller’s clients are business men and women for which she’s designing second home, the inclusion of luxury amenities is even more crucial. “It’s so important because they don’t have a lot of time to relax, so having the amenities available to them whenever they want is key,” she says. “We do a lot with home technology and remote controls to make their lives simpler while they are here.”

In the bedroom, Yorgason focuses on making it warm and inviting. “We dress up the trim area around the windows and create accent lighting with soffit boxes. Throughout the master suite, depending on space, we will make the bedroom oversized with a sitting area. I always look at how to make it comfortable with the HVAC such as creating a specific zone for the master suite separate from the rest of the house,” he says.

Increasingly, larger master closets are eliminating the need for dressers and other similar furniture in the bedroom. “Decorative furniture is used in the master bedroom, such as armoires, oversized beds, chaise lounges, couches and bistro tables,” Morrison says. “Master closets have to be large and well laid out for organization. Sometimes we create separate closets with packing islands and hidden security safes.”

Another consideration for the master closet is to know if the homeowners plan to include their washer and dryer in the master suite. If this is the case, additional storage is needed for soap and laundry supplies.

Storage in general should not be ignored in the master bath. “It’s great for each person to have their own personal storage in the bathroom such as their own linen tower. Women love apothecary drawers in the makeup areas so that makeup is organized and close at hand,” Morrison adds.