Comfort zone

If your home is secluded, your bathroom can be more open to the outdoors than would be possible in an urban setting, where the only window options are those that protect privacy, such as skylights, frosted glass or small, high windows.

Architect Jim McCalligan used this natural advantage as the starting point for the design of the master bathroom of this new home, situated on top of a hill with rolling landscape all around.

The homeowners wanted a bathroom that was easy to clean, with simple lines and a minimum of ornamentation. They also wanted good storage space, a large shower and a double vanity. Visually, the bathroom follows the same open-plan, contemporary design of the rest of the home. McCalligan designed the space as a rectangular shape, with a barrel vaulted ceiling.

"The symmetry and balance is orderly, and creates a soothing quality which is important in a bathroom. Nothing is fussy," he says.

A large window provides views to the master suite's covered terrace. Translucent glass walls separate the shower and toilet areas, without detracting from the overall space.

"The idea was to create a main space that is easy to view at all times, so that the room retains its overall unity. The next step was to add other elements such as the ground glass walls that are light and translucent, but give you all the privacy you need," he says.

The green-and-tan color palette was chosen to reflect the landscape, and create a soothing ambiance, says McCalligan.

"The natural palette evokes a cool feeling, which is necessary in this warm climate, but there are enough browns and earthy tones to give the bathroom a warmer feel than would be achieved with blue hues," he says.

The darker color of the rear wall accentuates the barrel vaulted ceiling, while the dark and pale tiles of the shower wall form a stepped pattern. The double vanity, with its cast concrete countertop, follows the same warm, earthy tones and clean lines of the rest of the bathroom. The walnut-and-maple cabinetry is cantilevered off the wall.

"I wanted to suggest that this was a large piece of furniture, so I kept the cabinetry open underneath. If the cabinetry had extended all the way to the floor, it would have created a more solid piece," he says.

"The design is also practical with most vanities, you are limited by how near you can get to the basins by the toe kick; here, you can get right up against it. It also means that less water splashes on the floor, which helps to keep the bathroom clean."

Two pocket doors lead from either end of the double vanity to the bed in the master bedroom designed for busy mornings when easy access to the bathroom is needed.

Operable windows have been placed to allow cooling cross ventilation, and reduce the need for mechanical air conditioning. In the morning, sun enters the bathroom from the terrace window.

"At night, translucent glass pendant lights throw a subdued light into the room and accentuate the staggered lines of the dark shower tiles," he says.

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Tim Maloney Comfort zone Materials and colors have been selected to maintain both privacy