From first light to the end of the night, our days open and close in the bedroom. But no day truly begins without the ablutions of that most sacred space: the bathroom. We seek out ritual and routine to create order in the general chaos of daily life – rushing to work, rushing to errands, rushing to meals – and those seamless moments of waking start and restful preparation form a framework to it all. Any day of mayhem, particularly during stormy winter madness, can be washed away with a good scrub or a soak in the tub; the next morning of calm rejuvenation an exciting new beginning. And of course, though any bathroom can have its own sense of retreat, only one carries the real possibilities of sparkling spa and reviving relaxation – the master bath.
In most spaces, every initial design choice is based on pragmatism. What function does the room serve? What does it need? What must be included? But with bathrooms, the basic necessities are already prescribed; the boundaries are clear. The best creativity comes from within set boundaries, and no place celebrates greater creativity than the master suite’s bathroom. This isn’t just a hallway powder room – this is the personal inner sanctuary of your home and daily life. In all likelihood, your bathroom already has the bare needs met. If you’re redesigning it, the desire is probably more aesthetic than practical, pleasurable than tedious. Go for the decadent multi-headed shower; add a brilliant standing bath. In choosing to redesign, and in every choice throughout: enjoy the decisions you make, and make decisions you will later enjoy.
Fun isn’t merely tied to the traditional indulgences, either. Marble-topped counters and silky minimalist surfaces are always glamorous, but in 2017, those are only the beginning. Genius accessories can change your entire experience from scrambled slapdashery to timeless tranquility: LED heat lamp panels, custom hot towel presses, steam-warmed flooring tiles, zone-controlled thermostats, and even high definition screens the perfect size for catching up on your favorite shows from the tub at the end of a long day (adding a miniature wine fridge might not be amiss, too).
If renovating and redesigning a preexisting bath feels wildly overwhelming, you’re not alone – and you’re not out of luck. Instead of replacing or moving the space’s large elements, focus instead on the manageable details that can redefine a room. Whatever helps you relax: monochromes or soothing colors, smooth textures or grounding shapes. Refurbish worn tiles with fresh colors or a different theme, exchange battered cabinet handles and testy faucets with sensuously appealing pieces; replace your tired bathmat with a Nordic wood platform, switch out old lighting fixtures for glowing choices that reflect in your new favorite mirror.
Of course, a healthy dose of pragmatism isn’t the worst idea in a design – especially when that pragmatism is gorgeous. In considering a design for any space, it’s easy to get distracted by the name items – a bedroom’s bed, a bathroom’s bath – and forget the important additions that will make enjoying time within the space actually enjoyable. You might have a beautiful freestanding bathtub the size of a pool and made from Massa-Carrara marble, but if you’re always tripping over towels and unable to find your moisturizer, that bathtub will be too often forgotten. And just as often, storage is the main reason for any redesign; but that doesn’t mean it needs to be boring. Elegant lines, sparkling details, and exquisite fixtures can turn an omnipresent need into an artful accent. From cabinets to counters, Jack and Jill sinks to built-in shelves, for every solution required there is a sophisticated one to be created.
Whether you’re building a space for the first time or renovating for the fourth, your home’s master bath is a unique opportunity filled with marvelous possibility. No other room exists for the total purpose of balancing usefulness and need with relaxation and escape. A private oasis, let your design be a complete expression of your tastes and comforts – and every day will start and end in perfect, calming luxury.
If you’d like to add a luxurious master bath to your home, or redesign any room for that matter, contact us for a consultation.
Throughout our homes, each space can serve an endless variety of purposes. A living room is a place of comfort, of entertainment, of lazy Sunday mornings; a bathroom a place of rejuvenation, of contemplation, of preparation. The kitchen becomes a headquarters, the pantry a kid’s clubhouse, and the other way around. On the weekdays, one is an area of hectic rushes and piles of refuse – and on the weekends, sparkling to perfection for the best parties around. But there is one space that remains unchanging, timeless in purpose and quintessential in essence: the master suite. From the sprawls of Versailles to the stories of the Plaza, master suites serve as the foundation of a home’s inner life. It is where we start and end our day. Yet while their purpose may be unchanging, they are often forgotten in renovations, an afterthought to a house’s interior design; and a bit of change within that space may be all you need to redesign the experience of your day to day life.
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Even during the most comfortable of times, the thought of redesigning your house can be exhausting. Renovations strike terror into the hearts of even the bravest of homeowners. Both terms are harbingers for dusty air and sleepless nights, hectic mornings and gritty floors. But nothing is more tiring and frightening than when either term is involved with a building’s structure. This fundamental foundation – from the very literal foundation through every wall and angle – of a structure seems insurmountable, epic in importance and unfathomable to change. Shifting any elements, of any size, feels ridiculously difficult at all times – but never more so than when the weather swings from freezing blizzards to muddy false springs. Yet these elements themselves are so often the shifts needed to bring new life to a home, beyond the rejuvenation of fresh throw pillows and a switch of the rugs. But instead of focusing on the scale of a change or the differences in the exterior, consider the multitude of small, manageable changes in interior architectural details that can be achieved long after the original build, regardless of how daunting the season may be.
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The concept of “cozy” might be most thought of in the chillier months, but the essence of that feeling is truly key to the interior of any home all year long, regardless of the temperature — because in many ways, that feeling of cozy is precisely what transforms an empty house into a beautifully fulfilling home.
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Chances are you spend more time in your bedroom than any other room in your house. It’s your place to rest and recharge, and your bedroom’s decor should support that. This especially applies to bedding. After all, you spend several hours a night in contact with it! So when a client approached us about custom bedding, our design team was committed to creating the ideal setting for relaxation.
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As summer creeps into New England, many of us are daydreaming about that picture perfect beach escape. An oceanfront home is the embodiment of luxury and relaxation, and we have the privilege to be working on a stunning one this summer. Though the project is still very much in progress, the shape it’s taken so far has us inspired for many summers to come. Take a look behind the scenes to get into that summer state of mind…
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Any attempt to describe the work of Frank Lloyd Wright could easily fill an entire doctorate thesis, never mind a blog post. Any list of his accomplishments would take an afternoon to read, never mind fully comprehend. Yet any understanding of American architecture — and the history and future of architecture itself — owes itself to Wright’s work intrinsically, and bears his tenets instinctively. All of us at TMS are no different in this, particularly given his dedication to design that harmonizes humanity with nature, a fluid connection between the outdoors and in, and that a structure influences the lives of those who spend time within it. In celebrating the legacy of a man whose work spanned two centuries, nothing can be more apparent than the fact that it has guided the beginning of architecture in a third.
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As a brand new year begins, many of us find ourselves craving a fresh start. While everyone else is breaking a sweat at the gym or trying out a trendy new juice cleanse, we prefer our New Year’s resolutions to have some staying power. Giving a room in your home a brand new look can be the perfect way to invigorate your senses this winter and beyond.
We chatted with TMS’s Interiors Project Manager, Cristina Marais, about up and coming Interior Design Trends for 2016. Think blushing pinks, splashy wallpaper, patterned tiles, natural elements, and a focus on comfort and hospitality. Read on for a little inspiration…
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