Master Bathroom Oasis

The homeowners of this tranquil, master bathroom retreat wanted to create a spa-like oasis that celebrates the beauty and privacy of their backyard by allowing natural light to stream through. They also hoped to create a true master bathroom for two, with two sinks, two shower heads, and a soaking tub for two. The room was long, but not expansive, and the three existing, large windows -- while beautiful -- limited the room’s layout options. To make all the homeowners’ dreams come true, every square inch of the room was carefully considered.

We removed a wall that had previously partitioned the master bathroom into two smaller rooms, so that from the bathroom entrance there is a practically unobstructed sightline through the glass shower to the far window. The window itself nearly resembles a piece of framed artwork, centered in glass tiles on the back accent wall. We designed a new, narrow partition wall on which we mounted the main shower head. This partition wall serves double duty, providing privacy in the shower and forming an alcove in which we discreetly positioned the toilet. Thus the toilet alcove feels private while still providing a view of the backyard.

We chose a narrow, yet deep, two-person soaking tub with sloped sides on both ends and a center drain. A new, wall-mounted tub faucet allowed us to position the tub in the far back corner of the room, leaving ample space on the tub deck for a crisp quartz slab that extends into the shower and becomes the shower bench. The new curbless shower, with a channel drain and three-sided glass frame, includes two shower heads and plenty of space for two to maneuver.

In the sink area, we chose to continue the same glass tile work above a vertical grain wood vanity. The ocean-inspired tile backsplash partly surrounds two mirrors that mimic the two windows on the same wall. We chose a floating vanity to keep the sink area feeling spacious and light.

Finally, to tie the entire room together and make this bathroom oasis for two feel truly unique, we chose a white-washed wood grain floor tile and boldly installed it on the diagonal. This tile choice was driven by both form and function. The texture of the wood grain allows it to perform well as a non-slip shower floor, which was required to achieve the seamless look of the curbless shower. The on-angle installation meant that the necessary shower floor slope would not result in high ridges under the toes. The overall diagonal look accentuates the floating vanity and draws the eye forward into the inviting shower.

View "before" pics >