Because the master suite occupies the entire top level of this Pacific Northwest home, the owners were more than willing to satisfy their adventurous spirit with some bold architectural moves. Architects Dave Pelletier and Pearl Schaar seized the opportunity to create a master suite that breaks down barriers.
A 4-foot-square transparent shower commands center stage of the master bedroom. Technically, its glass door swings open into the bath, but the bathroom is also open to the sleeping area. “The shower was the element that was important to the owners,” Schaar explains. “It is practically a ceremonial object for them.” A ceremonial object deserves a processional. This one starts with raw steel stairs ascending to the loft and culminating in a concrete bridge that crosses over exposed public spaces below. The bridge leads to the master bedroom where the final concrete square doubles as the floor of the glass shower.
Tradition is not completely forgotten, however. Douglas fir moldings and warm cherry cabinets introduce elements indigenous to the home’s densely wooded island site.
Builder: Holbeck Construction & Design, Stanwood, Wash.; Architect: Pelletier + Schaar, Stanwood; Photographer: Steve Keating.
Resources: Cabinets: Cascade Cabinets; Plumbing fittings: Kohler; Plumbing fixtures: Grohe, Kohler, and Vitraform.
