Roman style

Classic design features never really fall from grace. Elements popular in ancient Roman spas, for example, were picked up again in Victorian times, and similar features are seen again today in traditional-style residences.

This remodel of a 1980s home's master suite by architect Michael Menn and interior designer Lauryn Pappas has turned a poorly connected, dark suite into a serene, light-filled sanctuary.

"The owners wanted the revamped area to have a sense of spaciousness and a traditional feel akin to the grace and solidity of a Roman spa," says Menn. "Structurally, this involved claiming the master bedroom's veranda as an internal space and lowering the redundant vaulted ceiling in a room below to grow the size of one of the walk-in closets.

"In addition, a skylight in the bedroom and a window in the bathroom were introduced the area is now filled with light."

The architect says another structural change was to downsize and define the transition between bedroom and bathroom. Lowering the entrance height and introducing a door at the bedroom end of the master bath foyer were key strategies in realizing this goal.

In terms of the interior design, Lauryn Pappas has created a traditional, semi-formal look in keeping with the home's 1920s theme. Pappas took some signature elements of the time, such as high, prominent wainscoting, and combined them with an older style again.

"This bathroom works well because one of its most distinctive features, the stone-tiled surfaces, were not only de rigueur in Rome over 2000 years ago, but became fashionable again in Victorian times," says Pappas. "In a sense we are borrowing from two eras."

The elements work effectively in concert, the high wainscoting accentuating the solid marble wall tiles. These are repeated on the floor and in smaller dimensions on the shower stall floor.

"These brushed tiles with a sloping edge have a pleasing, stippled texture," says the interior designer. "The finish adds to the old-world atmosphere."

Mosaic tiles above the wainscoting, behind the mirrors and on the facings of the cubicles are in delicate contrast with the large-format tiles.

Cabinetry further accentuates the sense of the past. Pappas designed the mirrors with Romanesque arched frames and then asked the cabinet maker to design the cabinetry to echo their shape. The effect is almost regal, again calling to mind the enduring, formal and yet relaxed ambiance of Roman spas of the past.

Material touches evoke a classical feel as much as the more obvious statements. The gold-lemon finish on the mirror frames a soft silver color is picked up again in the framework of a vanity bench. Nickel finishes on the tapware also call up this sense of the past.

"However, while the bathroom, bedroom and dressing rooms all have the air of a regal retreat, the bathroom does have a modern edge, too," says Pappas. "The glass-fronted cubicles, a request of the owners, contrast the old with the new and also create the impression of greater space in the bathroom.

"Similarly, fixtures such as the substantial rainhead shower add a touch of contemporary luxury and convenience."

Modern usage and ancient aesthetics combine in one space, creating an individualistic suite still in keeping with the home.

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Eric Hausman Roman style This master suite provides a sanctuary for its