Surprising forms, exotic finishes, and unusual features combine to create an artistic, layered master suite

Some master suites are quiet while others celebrate art and vivacity – this bed-bath-dressing room is firmly in the latter camp

Luxurious finish leads on to luxurious finish in black, gray

Dramatic cabinetry and luminous or gold finishes come orange, brown, black

This floor-to-ceiling ensuite shower corresponds to the bedhead orange, brown

For this bathroom makeover design, the fret window black, orange

Golden slumbers? This master bedroom, and the spaces brown, orange

Seen together, the dressing area, bathroom vanity and black

Black granite tiles in this bathroom zone continue black

The keyhole-shaped entry to this shower was inspired brown, black

White origami-look tiles on the outside of this black

A long slot window in this shower stall black, brown

Ostrich hide, in vinyl, flanks the side walls black, white

The mirror-fronted cabinet mirrors above the vanity reflect black

Renovating an existing space is always an interesting and fun challenge, says Mark Gacesa, the designer of this exotically reinvented master suite along with the wider interior makeover.

“I really wanted to blow the homeowners away with the master suite, and knowing that I was allowed to push the envelope really helped,” says Gacesa.

“The interaction of all three zones of the master suite – bedroom, bathroom, dressing area – was crucial to the look and design of the cabinetry and finishes because you can view the spaces together from several areas.

“Essentially, it was important to have the elements flow from one space to the next.”

And one major connecting element within the master suite is the sheer exuberance of custom design elements. One of the most dramatic is the individualistic shower stall directly on the other side of the master bedhead.

“The unique entrance to the triple shower stall was a response to the stunning origami-style white Bisazza hexagonal feature tiles we chose for both the outside and inside of the front wall of the shower,” says Gacesa.

“Lighting plays a key part in this design and separate dimmable rebated spots on both sides of the shower wall add to the drama and highlight the tiles’ relief pattern. Running strip LEDs along the wall wouldn’t have achieved the same impact.”

The remainder of the interior shower walls are a multi-hued, multi-sized Bisazza mix that adds glamour and warmth.

A gun-slot window was introduced between the shower and the bedroom, existing shower stall louvres were removed and new custom fret panels were manufactured and installed in their place. The slot window allows the owners to stand in the shower and look through to the bedroom and water views beyond. The window also brings more natural light into the shower.

“Opposite the shower is the double vanity and, much like all the custom-designed elements and furniture in this home, this is something of a work of art,” Gacesa says. “Its illuminated translucent solid surface apron fronts wrap around oversized ostrich hide-look drawers and fold back on themselves.”

The exotic ostrich hide vinyl is also seen on the framing sides of the vanity, an echo of its use on other walls and details through the home.

“A subtle plus is that the dimmable lighting from the translucent surfaces also provides a flattering, soft even up-lighting to the face.”

Another feature of the vanity is the angular, in-bench basins that have a rectangle of light peeking through their contemporary wastes.

As with the shower stall and dressing area cabinetry, the vanity’s two mirrored wall cabinets continue to the ceiling, emphasising the room’s height. The cabinets are separated by dimmable back-lit retail-style display shelves that double as another soft, indirect light source.

The dressing room is designed to maximise storage for the height of the space and is nothing if not luxe in its own right. There are velvet-lined watch and jewellery displays, and a full height back lit ‘folding’ clear acrylic shoe display.

“This room’s cabinet shapes interact with forms in the ensuite and bedroom cabinetry.”

Rich tones and moody lighting make the bedroom both glamorous and comfortable.

Being able to peer through the custom fretwork in the bedhead to the ensuite is a treat, while the custom upholstered bedhead in champagne velvet is an echo of the fret design and also extends to the ceiling for maximum drama.

For further design continuity, the forms of the metallic champagne custom shelving with illuminated ends is echoed in the matching custom cantilevered bedside tables with their ostrich and metallic champagne finishes

Black Assoluto granite was chosen for the bathroom flooring, laid in a brick-bond pattern for visual texture and drama. These tiles also continue into the showerstall.

Both the bedroom and dressing area are floored in lush carpet.

Gacesa also stretched the ensuite floor to the extremities of the space, knocking down walls and incorporating the side hallways, to make the bathroom feel larger, wider and more a part of the surrounding zones.

Along with the suite’s resulting improved spatial relationship and sculptural cabinetry, a golden colourway draws the areas together.

The majority of walls are a mix of upholstery vinyls in gold, such as the ostrich hide and gold fur, together with gold wallpapers and paint.

“The suite’s somewhat masculine aesthetic was created through our specification of heavier colours and textures, along with the dramatic lighting,” the designer says.

“The feeling of this space really is total luxury and glamour.”