Designing a couple’s luxurious bedroom getaway
Lesley and John moved into their house six months ago with their blended family. The bungalow is a busy place with four kids in residence. Unfortunately, all of those kids reside right beside Lesley and John’s bedroom. This couple didn’t have a moment’s peace, and they were sorely in need of a retreat to call their own.
Rather than putting money and effort into renovating their current bedroom, Lesley and John were seriously considering crossing the line — to the other side of the house, that is. An old addition on the far side of the house contained a large bedroom and adjoining bath, but it was a no man’s land of cold drafts, parquet floor, pink bidets and mirrors, mirrors on the walls everywhere you looked. John and Lesley just couldn’t reconcile this depressingly dated space with the retreat of their dreams. It was definitely a very big project; but luckily, we specialize in just those types of jobs.
Happily, there was a crawl space underneath the addition. That meant I was able to completely redesign the bathroom, knowing that fixtures could be moved around. After the plumbing was relocated, we sprayed foam insulation throughout the crawl space to instantly warm things up.
Lesley and John are beyond busy, and they wanted to step into their bedroom and instantly be transported to a five-star luxury boutique hotel. To get the effect they were after, I began by removing the old bay window and replacing it with elegant double French doors with sidelights. (The door will eventually lead to a future deck and hot tub.)
We installed a warm and welcoming double-sided gas fireplace in the partition wall between the bathroom and bedroom. The fireplace is the focal point of this room, and with storage space underneath it’s not just gorgeous, it’s practical, too.
Directly opposite the fireplace is the king-size bed with padded headboard. With a luxurious charcoal bedspread complemented by white, gold and platinum pillow shams and throw, this bed is a haven of relaxation. Framed by linen-covered side tables with gold edging and two extravagantly elegant chrome and crystal sconces, it is truly the epitome of luxury.
Impressed with the bedroom? As the old saying goes, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
The his-and-hers “en suite” bathroom was designed with pampering in mind. Step onto the toasty heated floor for a tour of this spalike space. The double-sided fireplace overlooks a deep, two-person soaker tub that is surrounded with graphic white marble, with uniform linear gray veining. Above the tub hangs an elegant chrome-and-crystal flush-mount pendant, and on the sidewall are two conveniently placed towel hooks.
Opposite the tub, a long vanity topped in the same marble stretches the length of the room and features two raised white rectangular basins with lever faucets. Dark custom cabinetry with stylish square pulls provides lots of storage space for personal toiletries. Monogrammed towels for the king and queen of this royal retreat hang in front of each sink for an extra-special touch, and a huge glass-enclosed shower featuring a heated bench and luxurious rain showerhead completes the spa experience.
Every night, Lesley and John will get away from the everyday, all without stepping foot outside their home. With all the feeling of an exclusive hotel, this bedroom and its en suite bath are truly a stunning combination of serenity and luxury. In fact, Lesley and John are now thinking that the kids will have to cook their own dinners, because they plan to never leave the bedroom.
Although there isn’t a “no kids allowed” sign posted outside the room, that’s just what the lock on the door is saying — loud and clear!