It's not easy to design the perfect bathroom. Concerns about natural light, privacy, storage, and functionality all vie for attention, not to mention the quest for beauty and emotional appeal. That's why we chose to feature the baths on the following pages: Each one satisfies all of these needs in a creative, interesting way. Their designers weren't afraid to try something new, and the trends they've tapped into will resonate in bath design for years to come. They show us how the open floor plans so popular in other spaces have finally caught on within the master suite. They reveal a growing tendency to link the bath stylistically to the rest of the house. And they clue us in to homeowners' most current design desires, from natural materials to soaking tubs. For more ideas from these bath masters, read on.
Suite Surrender
Architect Michael Fuller designed this Telluride, Colo., master bath for more than simply functional purposes. “The idea was to make it feel like a room, not just a bath,” he says. “It's a little suite of rooms.” The entry vestibule to the home's master bedroom wing opens with a freestanding, wood-and-plaster privacy wall that holds a scroll from the clients' collection of Asian art. Behind the wall a hallway connects the bath to the bedroom and closets, and behind the hall lies the bathroom itself. A soaking tub links separate compartments for the shower and toilet. And a vanity niche and sitting area complete the carefully composed plan, fulfilling practical needs as well as offering a comfortable place to lounge.
The entire bath draws on the Asian design theme woven throughout the house. Japanese-style skylights use rice paper to enhance privacy while still letting light through. Timber-framed elements and a custom, Arts-and-Crafts-influenced cherry vanity also demonstrate a Japanese influence. Fuller and interior designer Andrea Jovine incorporated a mix of different woods into the space—fragrant Port Orford cedar lines the soaking tub, reclaimed Douglas fir beams form the framing, and cherry adds a rich luster to the room's millwork.
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Photographer: David O. Marlow
Builder: Kent Building Co., Telluride, Colo.; Architect: Michael Fuller Architects, Aspen, Colo.; Timber work: Timmerhus, Boulder, Colo.; Interior designer: Jovine Design, Greenwich, Conn.; Project size: 132 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: David O. Marlow.
Builder: Kent Building Co., Telluride, Colo.; Architect: Michael Fuller Architects, Aspen, Colo.; Timber work: Timmerhus, Boulder, Colo.; Interior designer: Jovine Design, Greenwich, Conn.; Project size: 132 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld.
Builder: Kent Building Co., Telluride, Colo.; Architect: Michael Fuller Architects, Aspen, Colo.; Timber work: Timmerhus, Boulder, Colo.; Interior designer: Jovine Design, Greenwich, Conn.; Project size: 132 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: David O. Marlow.
A ladder-like bench leans against the wall, doubling as a towel rack. The vanity countertop consists of cast concrete.
Project Credits: Builder: Kent Building Co., Telluride, Colo.; Architect: Michael Fuller Architects, Aspen, Colo.; Timber work: Timmerhus, Boulder, Colo.; Interior designer: Jovine Design, Greenwich, Conn.; Project size: 132 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: David O. Marlow.
Resources: Fittings/fixtures: Toto and Waterworks; Lighting fixtures: Bega and Nessen.
Details A floor of smooth-ground pebbles coddles bare feet. Handsome strips of black granite trace patterns through the stones, lining up perfectly with structural timber pillars.
Frame Game
The timber-frame structure of this Minnesota house influenced the uncluttered design of its master bath. “When you have that big timber frame over your head, you don't need a lot going on below it,” says architect Jean Rehkamp Larson. The same factor led her and partner Mark Larson to leave the top few feet of each interior wall open to above, rather than completely closing off the space. “It's always nice to let a timber frame be expressed,” she says. “The bedroom, bathroom, and closet are in their own pavilion, so you get to see the whole structure from one end to the other.” And the open-air effect creates an opportunity for borrowed daylight to spill in from the surrounding rooms.
An oversized, south-facing window and clerestory above the tub provide plenty of direct sunlight. The setup makes for postcard-perfect views down the Minnesota River Valley without sacrificing privacy, thanks to the cottonwood tree just outside. The room's other highlights include a double-sided gas fireplace and a custom-made stainless steel trough sink. A slim band of steel molding caps the north wall for an elegant finishing touch.
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Photographer: Ken Gutmaker
Builder: Earthwood Builders, Randolph, Minn.; Architect: Rehkamp Larson Architects, Minneapolis; Project size: 180 square feet; Construction cost: $325 a square foot; Photographer: Ken Gutmaker.
Builder: Earthwood Builders, Randolph, Minn.; Architect: Rehkamp Larson Architects, Minneapolis; Project size: 180 square feet; Construction cost: $325 a square foot; Photographer: Ken Gutmaker.
Rustic and sleek intersect as rough ceiling timbers give way to contemporary cabinetry and hardware, slate tiles, and stainless steel detailing.
Project Credits: Builder: Earthwood Builders, Randolph, Minn.; Architect: Rehkamp Larson Architects, Minneapolis; Project size: 180 square feet; Construction cost: $325 a square foot; Photographer: Ken Gutmaker.
Resources: Fittings/fixtures: Grohe, Jado, and Kohler; Hardware: Hafele America.
Details
In step with the growing tendency toward a more open relationship between bedroom and bath, only a textured glass wall, opposite, divides the shower from the rest of the master suite. “People are thinking of the bathroom more as part of the space they live in,” says architect Jean Rehkamp Larson.
