10 Elements of a Dream Master Bath
Article by: Laura Gaskill
Dreaming of revamping your master bath? From dual showers and soaking tubs to saunas, live-edge wood and built-in storage, more options abound than ever before. See if any of these 10 features make the wish list for your ultimate master bath.
A dual shower. Would you forgo a bathtub altogether in favor of a shower? What if it were a really nice shower? This gorgeous shower has dual showerheads, black slate and built-in storage for towels and soap.
A Japanese soaking tub. If you do go for a tub, consider a Japanese-style soaking tub rather than a full-size version. A soaking tub is ideal for smaller spaces or when you want to devote more real estate to the shower; although it has a smaller footprint, it’s deep enough for bathers to fully submerge.
Slightly larger than a traditional Japanese soaking tub, this one is deep enough for someone to have a good, relaxing soak and wide enough for two. The clean lines of the cube-shaped tub pair well with the narrow horizontal wood slats for an organic modern look.
Wood. Wood in bathrooms has been trending for several years now and shows no signs of slowing — and why not? With marine-grade supplies and specialty finishes, it’s possible to enjoy the warm look and feel of wood in the bathroom. Say goodbye to cold tile!
The bath in the bedroom. Would you bathe in the bedroom? Combining bath and bed tends to ignite controversy — superluxurious, say some, while others prefer a distinct separation. Where do you stand?
A sauna. Live somewhere cold or just love a good sweat? Embrace the wintertime traditions of Nordic countries with your very own sauna at home. Saunas don’t need to eat up too much space, and having one installed may cost less than you think.
Sneaky storage. If you are redoing the whole bathroom, you may as well give some thought to your storage options — things have evolved since the days when your only choices were pedestal sink or double vanity.
Sneak in pullout shelves, wall cubbies, recessed niches and more to get exactly the right storage for your stuff.
What would have been a wasted section of wall space here was transformed into hidden shelving that’s perfect for storing spare toiletries.
Black and white. You really can’t go wrong with black and white — it’s chic, versatile and always in. Whether you bring the scheme to life with hand-painted floor tiles and horizontal black wall tiles, as in this hip space, or go for the classic subway and hex-tile combo, it’s bound to look good even five or 10 years out.
Live-edge wood. Well suited for both rustic and modern interiors, a live-edge wood slab makes a great bathroom feature.
A view. Sadly, this won’t work for all of us (at least not those of us with close neighbors), but if you are lucky enough to have a home with some privacy, I say make use of it!
A wall-to-wall window like this one will give you the feeling of soaking right out in nature — and making the bottom of the window level with the top of the tub will keep you from feeling overexposed. You can also always add window shades for privacy and light filtering.
Open air. If privacy isn’t an issue, consider opening up an entire wall to the outdoors. On cool days you can still enjoy the view, and on warm days you can slide open the glass and let the sun shine in!
