Hidden benefits

This master suite was designed not only for visual appeal, but also to meet a raft of environmentally friendly design criteria

View of a morning-bar at the entrance to cabinetry, ceiling, dining room, floor, flooring, furniture, hardwood, home, interior design, living room, room, wall, window, wood, wood flooring, brown — View of a morning-bar at the entrance to the bedroom which features refrigerator drawer and sink.

View of walk-in closet featuring shelving and storage. cabinetry, closet, furniture, interior design, room, wardrobe, brown, black

View of bathroom which features vanity with wooden bathroom, cabinetry, ceiling, countertop, estate, home, interior design, real estate, room, brown

View of the master bedroom featuring bed with ceiling, dining room, estate, home, interior design, living room, real estate, room, suite, window, brown

View of seating in the master bedroom featuring bookcase, cabinetry, ceiling, chair, floor, flooring, furniture, hardwood, home, interior design, living room, room, shelf, shelving, wall, gray, brown

View of bathroom which features vanity with wooden cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, furniture, interior design, kitchen, brown, orange

View of bathroom which features vanity with wooden countertop, furniture, home, interior design, kitchen, room, table, window, red

View of the shower enclosure with glass door, bathroom, floor, plumbing fixture, room, shower, tap, tile, gray, brown

View of bathroom which features a freestanding tub bathroom, bathroom accessory, ceiling, ceramic, daylighting, floor, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, sink, tap, tile, toilet seat, wall, window, brown

View of bathroom which features a freestanding tub bathroom, bathtub, ceiling, ceramic, floor, home, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, sink, tile, wall, window, brown

View of walk-in closet featuring shelving and storage. cabinetry, closet, furniture, room, wardrobe, black, brown

View of walk-in closet featuring shelving and storage. cabinetry, closet, floor, flooring, furniture, interior design, room, wardrobe, wood, brown, gray

There were two key challenges for the designer of this master suite. As well as providing a tranquil private sanctuary for the owners, he needed to ensure every item from the cabinetry to the tiling was an eco-friendly solution.

Jack Poles of J Poles Interiors says many people equate sustainable design with plain cream and beige interiors.

"I wanted to show that an eco-friendly design does not have to be bland and boring. All the materials and products in this suite meet the sustainable design criteria, but they are anything but boring."

Poles was contracted to design the suite by Richard Feis of Greenhaven Group, the company behind the development and construction of the house.

View of the entrance to the master bedroom. cabinetry, floor, flooring, furniture, hardwood, home, interior design, room, window, wood flooring, gray, brown — View of the entrance to the master bedroom.

"We wanted the suite to feel like a spa to have a real sense of luxury and indulgence," Feis says. "At the same time, it had to reflect the eco-friendly design concepts that define the whole house."

Poles chose a transitional decorating style, specifying stained cherry cabinets from Wellborn Cabinets, a local company that adheres to KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program Certification.

"Because this is a very long and rather narrow bathroom, we added strong vertical elements to the cabinetry," says Poles. "These display cabinets frame the separate his-and-hers vanities."

The designer paired the dark cherry wood with light-toned vanity tops and floor tiles to ensure the room wouldn't be too dark. Similarly, a mosaic-tiled border to the diagonal floor tiles avoids the need for a rug, which helps keep the space fresh and bright. All the porcelaintiles in the bathroom are made from recycled materials.

View of floor plans for the master suite. angle, area, black and white, design, diagram, drawing, floor plan, font, line, plan, product, product design, technical drawing, text, white — View of floor plans for the master suite.

A deep shower room, at one end of the bathroom, has a steam shower with body jets and a rainhead shower all controlled by an electronic interface.

But the piéce de resistance of the room is a nook at the opposite end, which features a traditionally styled, freestanding tub. This space is also enhanced by round porthole windows and co-ordinated green-and-gold fabric wallcoverings.

"Similar eco-friendly fabrics were used on the walls of the master bedroom," says Poles. "The gold tones are repeated in other furnishings and in the small studs that form a decorative trim around the silk-covered ceiling. The Persian rug also features these colors, but is subtle enough not to make a loud statement."

The suite also incorporates a small morning bar, and a large dressing room.