Imagine it’s a Friday night at the end of a busy week.  You come home workout while listening to music with your favorite CD’s over the loud speaker in your private exercise room, then jump into an invigorating shower where multiple shower heads rejuvenate your tired muscles, and a steaming, cascading waterfall pulls all the stress from your body.  You wrap yourself in a big fluffy bath towel, toasty warm from the brass towel warmer as you step onto your stone floor that has been warmed by an under floor radiant heating unit. You grab something comfortable from your lighted, walk-in closet, then head out of your luxurious bathroom to help with dinner.  A master bath built such as this one usually built in luxury custom homes fills a growing demand for private retreats replete with nurturing indulgences for you and your partner. Master baths are being rethought, with the emphasis shifting from form to function and beauty. These baths are built large, but the space is well organized in a different schematic then baths of years ago.  The newly defined master bath is actually an extension of the master suite, often including his and her walk-in closets, mirrored exercise space, (usually this is done in a adjoining spare bedroom) and separate areas for dressing, applying make0-up, listening to music or making phone call, reading and making coffee. Large jet tubs are replacing the smaller tub of yesteryear and custom showers systems with built-in-seats and steam capabilities; stylish alternatives are being introduced in the market everyday in all kinds of various finishes. Stunning perfection shows in the details of the bathroom, like floors, and counters, hand painted tile or tile that looks like nickel to match nickel finishes on the water faucet in the sink, shower and tub. Carefully placed lighting and gorgeous plumbing fixtures add to the ambiance.  Get lots of distinctive accessories with new decorative hardware, fancy soaps and towels and silk flowers. Lighting is a major component of a successful bath. Consult with your interior designer on the lighting you will use they will help you and discuss the appropriate lighting for the best results and a interior designer who has a degree in design with architecture knows how to do lighting diagrams for you. Now we advise you to take a test drive, how funny is that not very when this will be a large expense.  After all you would not buy a car without a test drive would you?  So take the opportunity up front and test-drive the fixtures for your new project. Try out the individual fixtures like the height of a handicap toilet, more families like the height of this toilet it is usually 16” to 17” tall. Look at the other elements you might like check out the height of the towel racks, shower heads and also consider two different heights for the his and her sink areas, Men usually like it higher for shaving and women like it lower for makeup and hair rituals. Don’t be hesitant to take a magazine and climb into the tub you like the fact here is be involved and take the family. The more involved you are in the planning, the more fun you’ll have, and the better the end result will be.

BY DEBORAH OF DEH INTERIORS