10 Elements of a Dream Master Bath

Article by: Laura Gaskill

Dreaming of revamping your master bath? From dual showers and soaking tubs to saunas, live-edge wood and built-in storage, more options abound than ever before. See if any of these 10 features make the wish list for your ultimate master bath. 

Contemporary Bathroom by Great Falls Interior Designers & Decorators NF interiors 

A dual shower. Would you forgo a bathtub altogether in favor of a shower? What if it were a really nice shower? This gorgeous shower has dual showerheads, black slate and built-in storage for towels and soap.

Contemporary Bathroom by Bainbridge Island Architects & Designers Coates Design Architects Seattle 

A Japanese soaking tub. If you do go for a tub, consider a Japanese-style soaking tub rather than a full-size version. A soaking tub is ideal for smaller spaces or when you want to devote more real estate to the shower; although it has a smaller footprint, it’s deep enough for bathers to fully submerge. 

Modern Bathroom by Seattle Interior Designers & Decorators NB Design Group, Inc 

Slightly larger than a traditional Japanese soaking tub, this one is deep enough for someone to have a good, relaxing soak and wide enough for two. The clean lines of the cube-shaped tub pair well with the narrow horizontal wood slats for an organic modern look.

Modern Bathroom by San Francisco Architects & Designers Feldman Architecture, Inc. 

Wood. Wood in bathrooms has been trending for several years now and shows no signs of slowing — and why not? With marine-grade supplies and specialty finishes, it’s possible to enjoy the warm look and feel of wood in the bathroom. Say goodbye to cold tile! 

Contemporary Family Room by Other Metro Architects & Designers Susanna Cots 

The bath in the bedroom. Would you bathe in the bedroom? Combining bath and bed tends to ignite controversy — superluxurious, say some, while others prefer a distinct separation. Where do you stand?

Rustic Bathroom by Richmond Architects & Designers Birdseye Design 

A sauna. Live somewhere cold or just love a good sweat? Embrace the wintertime traditions of Nordic countries with your very own sauna at home. Saunas don’t need to eat up too much space, and having one installed may cost less than you think.

Eclectic Bathroom by Mill Valley Cabinets & Cabinetry Studio Marler 

Sneaky storage. If you are redoing the whole bathroom, you may as well give some thought to your storage options — things have evolved since the days when your only choices were pedestal sink or double vanity. 

Sneak in pullout shelves, wall cubbies, recessed niches and more to get exactly the right storage for your stuff.

Contemporary Bathroom by Other Metro Architects & Designers Susanna Cots 

What would have been a wasted section of wall space here was transformed into hidden shelving that’s perfect for storing spare toiletries.

Contemporary Bathroom by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Shirley Meisels 

Black and white. You really can’t go wrong with black and white — it’s chic, versatile and always in.Whether you bring the scheme to life with hand-painted floor tiles and horizontal black wall tiles, as in this hip space, or go for the classic subway and hex-tile combo, it’s bound to look good even five or 10 years out.

Modern Powder Room by Toronto Interior Designers & Decorators Jodie Rosen Design 

Live-edge wood. Well suited for both rustic and modern interiors, a live-edge wood slab makes a great bathroom feature.

Modern Bathroom by San Francisco Architects & Designers John Maniscalco Architecture 

A view. Sadly, this won’t work for all of us (at least not those of us with close neighbors), but if you are lucky enough to have a home with some privacy, I say make use of it! 

A wall-to-wall window like this one will give you the feeling of soaking right out in nature — and making the bottom of the window level with the top of the tub will keep you from feeling overexposed. You can also always add window shades for privacy and light filtering.

Contemporary Windows And Doors by Everett Windows Quantum Windows & Doors, Inc. 

Open air. If privacy isn’t an issue, consider opening up an entire wall to the outdoors. On cool days you can still enjoy the view, and on warm days you can slide open the glass and let the sun shine in!

Outfit Your Shower With the Right Bench for You

Article By: Tiffany Carboni

A shower bench is a wonderful thing. Should your shower stall be large enough to include a seat, it's sure to add function and comfort to your everyday cleansing experience. There is an art to getting shower seating right, however. I asked bath designer Joy Wilkins of Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins to share some tips of the trade. These suggestions will help steer you toward what works best for your stall and your body. 

Contemporary Bathroom by Oakland Design-Build Firms Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins Inc

Types of shower benches. There are three kinds of permanent shower benches: built-in, floating and fold-down. You can also use a freestanding bench, but for this ideabook, we're sticking with shower seating that's permanently affixed to the wall. 

1. Built-in bench. This is a trade term describing a seat that is framed into the shower wall and floor. This type of seating can run the entire width of a shower enclosure, like the one shown here, or may be limited to a corner. It can have squared angles or be semicircular.

Tip of the trade: “One of the easiest ways to incorporate a built-in bench is with a product like the Laticrete Hydro Ban preformed seat,” Wilkins says. “The seat or bench is installed, then waterproofed and tiled in for a custom look.”

Contemporary Bathroom by New York Architects & Designers Laura Bohn Design Associates 

2. Floating bench. A floating bench is firmly secured to the shower walls but is open underneath. It can be made of waterproofed wood, like this one designed by Laura Bohn Design Associates.

Modern Bathroom by Oakland General Contractors DMC San Francisco 

Or it can be made from a single slab of stone, like this one installed by Devlin/McNally Construction. 

Though floating benches may look simple in form, careful engineering is required. This task is best left to seasoned professionals.

Traditional Bathroom by Wilmington General Contractors plantation building corp 

Braces were installed under this near-floating stone bench by Plantation Building, ensuring that the bench can support both its own hefty weight and that of those who sit on it. 

Traditional Bathroom by Atoka General Contractors Professional Construction Solutions LLC 

Another option for a floating bench is to tile it to match the rest of the shower. 

Tip of the trade: For this sort of tiled corner seat, Wilkins suggests using a product called Better-Bench. “It’s designed in several shapes and comes with the appropriate fasteners for the chosen shape,” she says.

Contemporary Bathroom by Oakland Design-Build Firms Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins Inc 

3. Fold-down bench. This is a space-saving solution for smaller showers or universal design showers. Wilkins' company installed this fold-down bench by framing in special blocking between the stud walls.

Contemporary Bathroom by Oakland Design-Build Firms Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins Inc 

Here's the same bench in a lowered position. When choosing seating, select the style that can best accommodate the weight it will need to support. This one, for example, is designed to hold no more than 250 pounds. 

Tip of the trade: “This teak fold-down bench is aMr. Steam product rated for steam showers," notes Wilkins, "but we also use it in regular showers, as it is designed to withstand water penetration and moisture."

Traditional Bathroom by Portland Design-Build Firms Mosaik Design & Remodeling 

Heavier individuals might want to go with a built-in bench. This is where a conversation with your contractor, designer or architect becomes especially important.

Heavier individuals might want to go with a built-in bench. This is where a conversation with your contractor, designer or architect becomes especially important.

Eclectic Bathroom 

Regardless of the type of bench you choose, Wilkins says, “the top needs to slope slightly, so water runs off instead of pooling.” Pooled water not only feels icky on a naked body, it promotes mildew.

Traditional Bathroom by Salt Lake City Tile, Stone & Countertops Tarkus Tile, Inc. 

A word about size. The size of your shower — not to mention the number of people who intend to use it at one time — will help determine the most appropriate bench size for your needs. Keep your desired function in mind, too. A narrow bench, like this one, makes shaving legs a dream, but it might not be the most comfortable spot for kicking back and relaxing.

Traditional Bathroom by Irvine Design-Build Firms American Coastal Properties 

Setting the right height and depth. The height and placement of any bench must be determined prior to installing the backer board and tile, so that the bench's armature can be securely fastened to the blocking. 

Traditional Bathroom by Brooklyn Tile, Stone & Countertops tile & style 

Tip of the trade: The height of any bench, says Wilkins, “is generally determined by each individual customer. Some like a higher perch — around 21½ inches from the shower pan — which is easy to push oneself off of, especially for a taller person. Some people like something similar in height to a chair, around 17½ to 18 inches. This may work best for those who are shorter and prefer to sit on the bench rather than perch.”

Contemporary Bathroom by Toronto Architects & Designers Geometra Design Ltd. 

The depth of a bench is also negotiable, depending on what suits the bodies for which the bench is being built, and what the stall will allow. Wilkins says a comfortable depth ranges from 12 to 21 inches.

Modern Bathroom by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators Lori Dennis, ASID, LEED AP 

This shower bench in a Hollywood Hills, California, home falls into the built-in category — but in its own unique way. “It’s a 2,000-pound lava rock that required extra steel engineering to keep it from falling through the floor,” says designer Lori Dennis, who describes this approach as "The Flintstones meets The Jetsons." 

The rock was carved onsite, and it took seven men to it haul into place. “It’s carved and smoothed to comfortably fit two rear ends,” the designer notes. 

Contemporary Bathroom by Los Angeles General Contractors SoCal Contractor 

This built-in bench by SoCal Contractor was created for a fashion industry executive who travels most of the year. The custom love seat re-creates the spa experience the owner loves at the boutique hotels she frequents. The tiled, ergonomic design features a sloping seat and a recessed channel that drains behind the “cushions” so water can’t puddle.

Contemporary Bathroom by Salem Design-Build Firms Kaufman Homes, Inc. 

A bench alternative. Not all showers are as large and as lavish as some we've seen here. Nor might they be large enough to accommodate a bench sized for an actual tush. If that's your scenario, don’t despair. Wilkins suggests adding what she calls a toe grip. This is a small recess in the shower wall or a triangle of tile in the corner that takes up very little space, but still helps with shaving legs and washing toes.

Eclectic Bathroom by Naples Design-Build Firms Abbie Joan Enterprises