Luxury Home Baths & Suite Inspirations

Across the nation, Real Living luxury home Sales Professionals note that affluent homeowners are incorporating master bath suites in their luxury homes that reflect the style and amenities they've become accustomed to on their travels.

Five-star hotels, luxury resorts and fabulous spas are travel destinations for today's luxury home owners. They live well when they travel, whether for business or pleasure, and now want the luxury hotel-style amenities available to them in their home.

The master bath suite, offering the personal refuge homeowners crave, is quickly replacing the mere master bath in today's high-end homes. "It's their own suite, and I'm referring to the presidential suite in the best hotels," says Peter Ross Salerno, owner of Peter Salerno, Inc. in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Salerno creates one-of-a-kind kitchen and bath designs.

"People are now doing what the Astors and the Vanderbilts used to do years ago - travel the world, pick up things for the home along the way, and bring them back," he observes. And they are bringing back more than souvenirs. They are bringing ideas and a sense of luxury that they want to recreate for their daily life.

"It used to be that when you talked about a master suite, there was a bed and a luxurious bath," continues Salerno. "Now it's a luxurious complex, some are from 1,000 to 1,500 square feet. It may include a sitting room with a fireplace, a bedroom with a fireplace, and a bath with a fireplace behind it."

Much attention is given to designing this area in new homes, and the luxurious master bath suite has become so desirable, people remodel and rob space from other rooms to achieve it, especially if they are an empty nest couple. There is a sense of, "Now it's our turn, our time and our space."

Trend is Transitional Style

"The most popular style among my clients is transitional," says architect Michael McCLoseky, Marblehead, Massachusetts. "It's rooted in the traditional, with solid woodwork and custom cabinetry. Fixtures and furnishings lend a modern flair. The look really gives my clients the chance to set their baths apart from baths of previous generations and eras."

The ornamentation of traditional styling, historically reflecting opulence, has long been popular for master baths. The luxurious look and feel of dark, rich wood tones, upholstery fabrics and distinctive, furniture-style cabinetry, along with elegant lighting, create a magnificent backdrop for sharing and unwinding.

Real Living luxury home sales professionals have noted that today's homeowners often team this traditional warmth with the contemporary. The two styles - traditional and contemporary - meld together in the warm, hybrid look that designers call transitional. The overall look is influenced by the clean lines and uncluttered feeling of contemporary design. Often this expresses itself in a more minimalist style, with the well-appointed furnishings found in traditional baths taking on cleaner lines, subdued colors and slightly less pattern. The result: a beautiful custom suite producing the serene setting that harried homeowners seek. It is a peaceful oasis to which they can retreat, relax and get-away from it all.

Bathroom Evolves into Spa

Larger, open floor plans are the norm for master bath suites, whether designed for new construction or as part of an extensive remodel. Space can be incorporated into the floor plan for amenities and activities such as:

• His and hers areas. Separate dressing rooms include custom closets with built-in storage systems to beautifully display and store everything from everyday clothes to evening wear. His and hers baths feature separate sinks and countertop heights convenient for each user.
• Super-showers. These inviting, large, walk-in showers may be designed without doors, or with elegant, thick glass doors. Clear, frameless glass enclosures are sophisticated and intimate; built-in shower benches are convenient; and steam showers and saunas are popular additions. On demand water heaters located in close proximity ensure plenty of water at the ideal temperature.
• Whirlpool baths. Air-massage and deep soaking tubs are the ultimate in hydrotherapy with deep bathing wells and arms rests. The latest models incorporate aromatherapy and the ancient therapeutic benefits of chromotherapy. Bathers can step out onto floor warming mats and select a warm towel from the rack.
• Private entertainment areas. Refreshment bars, microwaves, under-counter refrigerators, dishwashers, and sophisticated TV and media installations are showing up in the master bath suite.
• Fitness room. From exercise equipment to massage tables, training and fitness have moved into beautifully-designed, private space.
• Laundry. Stashing the equipment in a convenient, behind-closed-doors location keeps it handy and out-of-site, out-of-mind until time to get it done.

Famous spas in exotic locations inspire the sumptuous and elegant materials that contribute to a clean, minimalist design. Sleek or sculptured native stone. Imported tile. Classic granite. Patterned wood. Ceramic and laminate. Teamed with quality construction, these materials can be the backdrop for a master bath suite that becomes the favorite room in the house.

A Retreat to Enjoy

Some homeowners choose to invite nature in with natural light spilling in from richly dressed windows or through skylights that showcase the stars. The ripple and splash of waterfalls may bring on the deepest relaxation. The bath and adjoining bedroom can overlook an inspiring landscape, and beautiful gardens and outdoor patios can be a step away through stylish French doors. Finishing touches like large colorful bouquets, lush green plants, candles, fluffy towels, chandeliers, mirrors, shelving and comfortable chairs complete the setting for a private retreat.