The master bathroom in your Portland, Oregon, home can be so much more than just a utilitarian space. When you plan the room’s remodel, think of it as a sanctuary where you can relax and refresh. Think luxury. Here are 14 features to consider working into your luxury bathroom design.
Natural Light
When you flip through photos of designers’ favorite luxury baths, what do you see? Lots of light, and fantastic views. Of course, making your bathroom a room with a view will depend on a lot of factors, but if it’s possible to incorporate windows onto Portland’s natural beauty, while retaining some privacy, by all means do it. If picture windows won’t work in your bath, there’s always the skylight option.
Classy Light
When the sun’s not shining, you still need light. Design a lighting plan that layers ambient, task, and accent lighting. Designers have been putting a “statement” pendant, or small chandelier, into bathrooms for dramatic visual interest. Another idea is to hang small pendant lights in front of a wide mirror.
Quality Fixtures
Whether it’s a high-end soaking tub, toilet, or sink and shower fixtures, you can’t go wrong with top quality. These pieces work well from the beginning and last longer than anything of low quality that you might buy to save money. That being said, there is a point of diminishing returns, where status-symbol talking toilets and imported tiles really aren’t that much better than less outrageously expensive top-quality products. And though bath linens don’t fall in the “fixtures” category, this is definitely a place to invest just a little in quality. Because who doesn’t love the luxury of a large, ultra-thick towel after a shower or bath?
Spa Shower
Yes, a roomy, spa-like shower enclosure might be a splurge for your budget and your floorplan, but think about how you felt when you’ve used such a shower. Under “spa-like” are several possibilities: frameless glass enclosure door, large stone tiles on floor and walls, multiple showerheads, waterproof light fixtures, and built-in benches and niches.
Steam Shower
Do you love to soak up the humidity in your health club’s steam room? Then the increasingly popular home steam shower might be the way to go in your luxury master bath. Steam is known to improve circulation, clear up skin, soothe aching muscles and joints, and lead to sounder sleep. Building in the equipment to fill your shower stall with luxurious steam isn’t prohibitive, although a shower enclosure with acres of space isn’t the best fit.
Warmth Underfoot
How often have you had to suck in your breath with the first barefoot steps on a tile floor on a chilly Portland morning? A major bath remodel is the perfect time to incorporate under-floor heating, which not only boosts your comfort exponentially but also can be a more efficient way to heat a room, putting the warmth where it will have immediate effect without having to heat the whole space first.
Soaking Tub
While many homeowners still consider a comfy soaking tub a must-have for the master bath, others are opting to use the floor space for something else, such as more storage or a bigger shower. But this is your bathroom, and there is an amazing array of soaking tubs available, from deep, round, Japanese-style tubs to long, stretch-out-your-legs luxurious copper tubs.
Super Storage
If you’re designing your dream bathroom, you know you’re going to include lots of storage. This can come in the form of sleek-lined modern cabinetry, unique furniture pieces converted into bathroom storage, built-in storage niches, and open shelves where you can add an artistic element to your storage solutions.
Here’s Looking at You
Luxury baths often have acres of mirrors. Especially if your bathroom is on the smaller side, a wall-size mirror is a good investment because it visually enlarges the space, multiplies the light, and can cut down on the number of tiles you’ll need for the walls.
Double Vanities
It’s a pretty safe bet that two vanities will be a necessity in your master bath. Two sinks can be built into one long vanity, or you can opt for completely separate vanities on opposite walls, possibly with different heights to allow you to sit and do makeup.
Have a Seat
To help create the feeling of a relaxing sanctuary, be sure to incorporate an area where a comfortable chair, couch, or bench will allow you to sit and put your shoes on or kick back and visit with another occupant of the room.
Nature
Don’t have the option of bringing the outdoors into your bathroom oasis with large windows? Then be sure to literally add nature to the space with living plants, frequently replenished bouquets of cut flowers, and possibly some easy-care orchids (which will love the humidity).
Fireplace
If you’ve got the space and love the visual and literal warmth of a fireplace, be sure to draw one into your master bath design.
Entertainment
Other spaces in your home are wired for sound and TVs; why not extend the audio and visual entertainment system to your bathroom?
