Summer retreat

White-painted beaded board and furniture-style vanity units epitomize the laid-back Cape Cod lifestyle

A view of a plan of the bathroom angle, area, black and white, design, diagram, drawing, floor plan, font, line, product, product design, technical drawing, text, white — A view of a plan of the bathroom area.

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The most memorable summer vacations are often those that provide the simplest pleasures a barefoot stroll along the beach, a leisurely family lunch or a quiet evening in a rocker on the screened porch. So it's probably not surprising to see Cape Cod architecture reinforcing the simple life.

The owners of this vacation house wanted their home to be a free-spirited, fresh interpretation of the Greek Revival style, the architectural vernacular long evident in this part of Massachusetts. Architect John Tittmann of Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects says the house also needed to accommodate the extended family on holiday.

"Consequently, it was important that the master suite could be a retreat a place where the owners could relax and enjoy the great view of the water."

Tittmann says the house is characterized by a relaxed elegance, and the large master suite reinforces this look.

"We envisioned interiors that would be comfortable without being ornate, hence the choice of simple materials and a restrained color palette. The bathroom was designed to convey the sense that this is a large room that just happens to be the bathroom. It features traditional beaded board wainscoting and similar mullioned windows to the rest of the house. The freestanding slipper tub and the vanity units, which are designed to look like furniture pieces, further enhance the casual, beach-house feel."

The custom-designed, back-to-back, his-and-hers vanities incorporate pre-manufactured components. The central cabinets, from Waterworks, are flanked by matching drawer units and topped with Carrara marble.

"With the wall sconces and large medicine cabinets above the vanities, the effect is almost like a 19th-century apothecary," says Tittmann.

Both the vanities and the tub are positioned so the owners can enjoy the views, while an enclosed steam room and toilet room are on the opposite wall. Simple blinds don't detract from the view.