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MASTER BATH from page 31
huge, often approaching the size of a
master bedroom.
The master bath is "your spa, your
relaxation center, where you can take
your own personal time and space
and enjoy a steam bath, sauna style,"
she adds. Today's master bath is "not
just a little toilet in the corner."
And if one looks hard enough, one
may be even able to find the toilet,
once the reason for the bathroom's
existence.
"Toilets are in toilet rooms these
days," Scott says. "They are super
popular; they separate the functional
part from the relaxation part of the
master bath."
The changing role of the master
bath reflects people's desire for more
open space. "The more open you can
make a bathroom, the more light you
can get in and the better it works,"
Scott says. "People thrive on light-
ing."
To that end, tubs are now free-
standing and walk-in showers are
made of glass, rather than frames, to
bring in more light.
Freestanding furniture has replaced
built-in drawers; and cabinets can
now be hung from walls to free up
floor space.
"To a certain degree, bathrooms
or master suites are becoming larger
and are combined with how you inter-
pret cabinet and personal bedroom
space to create more of a flow," Scott
says.
Then there is the paradox: Even
as some people are enlarging their
master baths, others are contracting
them.
"Square footage has gotten big-
ger over the past few years and now
people are going in the opposite
direction," Scott says, as they ask
themselves how they can use space
more effectively, without waste.
The emergence of the master
bath is in good part a reaction to
the growth of the green movement.
Environmentally friendly features
include water and energy saving dual-
flush toilets, low-flow faucets, heated
floors and shower seats and quieter
and more efficient bath fans for ven-
tilation.
A steam bath is cost effective and
provides a truly relaxing spa experi-
ence. The tub can cost less than
$2,000; and low-flow faucets allow
a steam bath to use less water than
conventional bathing.
Digital thermostatic valves pro-
vide pre-set showering preferences,
adjusting water temperature and
water delivery to provide anything
from a relaxing to invigorating experi-
ence.
Natural stone interiors, notably
granite, are replacing laminates, Scott
says. Textile trends are emphasizing a
lot more natural fibers, including the
very earth-friendly bamboo.
Bathroom sinks are now installed in
different combinations, such as glass
and cast iron. Popular colors are
embers, basalt and sea salt.
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Old-world detailing
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Bridgeford kitchen
faucet bringing
modern functionality
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kitchen. The faucet
is available in oil
rubbed bronze,
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Chromatherapy lights and aroma
therapy can be incorporated into the
bathing experience. And that's for
starters. The cable station Web site
hgtv.com says customers can now
choose from 381 colors and designs.
Other popular accouterments include:
• individualized and customized
his-and-her sinks;
• towel warmers ;
• TV sets ;
• chandeliers ;
• recessed mirrors.
All that's missing are comic books.
Bleiberg's master bath encom-
passes about 500 square feet of the
couple's 1,600-square-foot-master
suite
"My master bath is very peaceful,"
Bleiberg says. It has earth tone col-
ors, beautiful cabinetry and porcelain
tiles A fireplace sits against one wall,
parallel to one side of the free-stand-
ing tub. Glass shelves adorn the tub.
The master bath has one large van-
ity, three smaller vanities as well as a
makeup vanity. All the vanities have
his-and-her sinks, except for the
makeup vanity.
The showering area is large
enough for his-and-her showers,
complemented with his-and-her tow-
els, all topped off with a big bench
where the couple can sit. As a test,
Bleiberg invited friends to see how
many people could stand in the
shower. The number was 10.
A geo-thermal system heats the
floors.
Bleiberg had lived in a convention-
al four-bedroom home in Farmington
Hills, with two full and two half
baths, consisting of an unspectacu-
lar toilet, sink and shower.
She eagerly took on the decorat-
ing challenges of her new home,
not realizing that the master bath
offered as many decorating, design
and color possibilities as her other
rooms.
"I was very surprised at what I
found," she says. "We were corn-
ing from very common to 'Oh, my
gosh."
The master bath was the couple's
splurge for their new home and they
have no regrets, though it's pos-
sible Bleiberg will never go out on
Saturday nights.
"I'll be a lot cleaner ... we will
never leave the shower," she says.