Master Suite Design Celebrates Outdoors

Inspired by the rural beauty of its Pacific Northwest setting, the design of the owner's master suite in this 7,606-square-foot, Prairie-inspired luxury farmhouse brings the outdoors in with rustic wood finishes and a one-of-a-kind, grotto-style master bath.

"The whole idea for this space was to create a really grand volume," says architect Curtis Gelotte of Curtis Gelotte Architects in Kirkland, Wash., who designed the Sammamish, Wash., home for Seattle's 2006 Street of Dreams. The bedroom, closet, dressing area and master bathroom are all organized under a common vaulted ceiling that envelops the entire suite, reaching 24 feet high at its summit. "When it comes to master suites, the goal is to create as memorable a space as the budget will allow."

The Bellevue, Wash.-based company builds an average of eight multi-million-dollar custom residences, as well as one to two spec-built homes, annually. "Because this project was developed as a show house," says Glass, "it was important to incorporate all of the key elements that turn buyers on in this market into the master suite." This included an informal, comfortable ambiance; a separate sitting and reading area; a fireplace; a high-end master bathroom; and a tall ceiling.

To install the overhead sprinkler system required by code, the team ran water lines over the top of the beams and placed the sprinkler heads within.

Arranged for Excitement

About 60 percent of Gelotte's clients — primarily move-up and luxury home buyers — prefer to have the master suite on the main level. This $4.3 million home's L-shaped floor plan is organized around two principal zones on the first floor that feature timber-frame construction. Three secondary bedrooms are located above an attached, three-car garage that forms the base of the "L," making the unrestricted ceiling height in the home's key living areas achievable.

In the master suite, for example, the solid walls that define the transition between the different zones — sitting room, bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet — end at the 10-foot height so the impact of the volume ceiling is not diminished. "Because it was personal space, we still wanted it to feel warm and cozy in there as well," says Gelotte. The ceiling's wood-paneled finish and exposed timbers feature several shades of stain chosen to highlight the beauty of the different species. The variation in color provides enough contrast between the elements to bring down the overall scale of the room without sacrificing visual excitement.

Although the open design of the master suite is one of its most dramatic features, it serves a more practical purpose as well by capturing every bit of available light in a climate known to be stingy with its sunny days, the architect says. Exterior walls contain as much glass as possible, including fixed lower windows topped by transoms, French doors that open to an outdoor deck and terrace, and numerous clerestory windows.

To maintain acoustical privacy between the bedroom and master bathroom, a ½-inch-thick glass partition serves as a sound barrier between the top of the wall and the ceiling peak between the two rooms. "It was very important to keep the space light and bright," says Gelotte. "This glass wall allows someone in either room to enjoy the beauty and expanse of the entire ceiling but eliminates sound transmission between the bedroom and bathroom."

The unique design and finishes incorporated into the master bathroom complement the indoor/outdoor theme that characterizes the rest of the home, Glass says. A skylight brings in natural light while a massive folding door in the rear window wall opens to a private, open-air garden.

A wall of glass visually connects this master retreat’s outdoor-themed bathroom and its private, open-air garden. A small trough on top of the custom shower, above, provides a reservoir to boost water capacity when necessary.

"The first thing that you see when you step into the master bathroom is this great stone shower, which is totally unexpected," says Gelotte. "It is a very dramatic surprise element that people just loved."

The stone is made of sculpted concrete applied over a hollow form and is half the weight of what true stone would be. Glass says it was still necessary to beef up the flooring structure in the master bathroom to handle the additional weight. Drainage capacity also had to be increased to handle the extra water flow that comes with operating the shower. "We worked very closely with our plumbing contractor to get this right. We estimate that, with all the heads turned on, the flow rate is about 38 gallons per minute. That's a lot of water at one time," he says.

The bathroom also features a negative-edge soaking tub that offers hydrotherapy and aromatherapy functions and fills via a side spout incorporated into its stone surround. Three 75-gallon water heaters supply all of the home's hot water needs.

A ladder helps reach the upper tier of the suite’s walk-in closet that is intended to display seasonal items.

"People really loved the feature of the additional storage space," says Glass. "Most of our clients prefer this over having a secondary laundry room in the master suite."

The closet also includes space for a small sitting area overlooking a second privacy garden. Clerestory windows and a skylight provide natural light for the entire space.

Completed in July 2006, the home received five top Street of Dreams awards including Best Craftsmanship, Best Master Suite and Best Architectural Design.