Soft and sculptural

A master suite gives an architect and interior designer the opportunity to create a space with points of difference from the greater decor. However, even in a design that celebrates the different and the exciting, some reference to the whole-house aesthetic is required.

This master suite is in a substantial family home by architect Jim Fraerman and interior designers Anne Kaplan and Bruce Goers. The house has a traditional exterior that gives way to an interior combining classic elements, such as coffered ceilings, with more modern touches, such as extended sightlines through the rooms and oversized connecting entryways.

"One feature of this residence is the faithful expression of external architectural elements on the interior," says Fraerman. "The master bathroom benefits from this idea, flowing into a large bay window that is the central curved feature on the exterior at the rear of the house."

The curvaceous structure of the bathroom its good bones, in Kaplan's description helped inform the decor.

"I wanted this room to be welcoming and surprising carrying curves into the interior design helped achieve this," says Kaplan.

"The soft, rounded lines of the freestanding tub and the sofa, together with the oval sinks and the circular pattern on the floor tiles all contribute to the effect," Kaplan says.

Echoing the whole-house aesthetic, the tub has a classic air, but with modern, modest dimensions. The lighting combines a traditional chandelier with contemporary spot lights that follow the sweep of the cove ceiling.

"Working with so many disparate elements, we had to be careful choosing the colors," says Goers. "A departure point for the palette was the floor tiles these are a combination of Carrara marble, mosaic glass and onyx."

Peaceful blues and grays chosen for the bathroom pick up on the tilework, as do the rich onyx vanity countertops.

Set between the master bathroom and bedroom, a his-and-hers dressing room that opens on three sides looks a little like a jewelry box, says the designer.

"We positioned a custom bench seat at the center of the room, facing out toward the window. This piece of furniture accommodates several deep drawers on the other side," says Fraerman. "Pivot doors access the wardrobes, with windows to allow a glimpse inside."

In quite another part of the home, a spa room adds another relaxation option for the owners. Once more, the ambiance is born partly of the architect's design.

"This modern bay element, with windows on three sides, was ideally suited to a spa and surround seating," says Goers. "Here too, this room merges the classic and the contemporary the clean lines of the room and spa play off the more traditional forms of the weathered flower pots and chaise longue. The effect is the same as in the master suite quirky and inviting."

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Jamie Cobeldick This bathroom suite offers some visual surprises within an aesthetic