Through the looking glass

In the modern world, luxury is not so much defined by over-the-top opulence and ornate fixtures and fittings. It's more about sleek design, high-quality materials and a feeling of Zen-like tranquility.

Such contemporary luxury can be seen in many modern hotels W hotels are a good example. And it is these hotels that inspired the design of this master suite in a new house by architect Scott West.

"The owners are frequent travelers and they wanted their own bathroom to be similar to the ones they enjoyed in their travels," West says.

Creating a flow between the bathroom and bedroom was key. To this end, the architect introduced a double-sided gas fireplace that opens to both rooms. This is set within a large stone blade wall that slices through the glazed exterior walls.

"The architecture is designed to blur the line between inside and out," says West. "Materials flow seamlessly from one to the other. Another example is the vertical ipeª wood volume beside the vanity, which pushes into the bathroom from outside."

The vanity and the mirrors above are suspended in front of a window so they appear to float within the space. The marble top and gray cabinetry echo the cabinets in the kitchen, creating further visual continuriy.

The tub is the piéce de resistance, however. Positioned in front of the fire, the tub is elevated to capture views of a balcony garden, and a leafy canopy beyond.

Here again, there is a sense of objects sliding through glass the tub deck flows through into the glazed shower behind, where it forms a bench seat.

A vertical block, clad in blue-green mosaics to match the panels framing the fireplace, provides linen storage within a cutout niche. The cutout is another visual reference to the architecture.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes