Our husband-and-wife clients bought a new spec-built home. It was a gracious home, but like so many spec houses, it didn’t meet their unique needs. A busy professional couple with three active sons, the couple wanted to have a cozy, private, “get away” spot for some dedicated down time, but they also wanted more individual personal privacy in their primary bathroom. In addition, Mom desired a secluded space for doing Yoga to rejuvenate her mind and body. After careful assessment, the solution was found in combining one of the sons’ rooms with the primary suite and customizing the overall space to meet their needs.
BEFORE, the primary suite was an ample size, but the sitting room was lackluster, and the primary bathroom did not offer the level of personal privacy the couple desired. Combining the son’s bedroom space next door with the primary bedroom offered a real opportunity to create the oasis the couple sought.
AFTER, the sitting room has been redesigned to be a hearth room… the perfect cozy, private, “get away” space for this busy couple. The son’s room has been repurposed and adjoined to the primary suite to allow for a private secondary primary bathroom, a new dressing suite and Zen room for Her… complete with herbal tea bar. The “new” walk-in-closet (WIC #3) in Her dressing room previous opened into the sitting room.
BEFORE: Primary bedroom sitting room lacked a cozy, inviting feeling.
AFTER: The sitting room has been converted to an intimate conversation space for this busy couple around a beautiful new fireplace.
Double-sided direct vent gas fireplace adds a level of functional coziness to this space. 6×24 Arctic White Quartzite Panels on the fireplace surround create a calming aesthetic. Custom job-built ledge allows the client to display some of her serene art and pottery. Walls have been painted in a soft Benjamin Moore Moonshine.
The new Hearth Room is cozy and private with the installation of new pocket doors.
Hearth Room
BEFORE: The son’s room next door was an ample size with an ensuite bathroom.
Note: The son was settled comfortably into another unused bedroom across the hall.
AFTER: Repurposing the son’s bedroom to be Her dressing room and private bathroom… Her ZEN space.
AFTER: The son’s room has been transformed to Her private space. Pocket doors between the new hearth room and Her space can be closed to create a serene place to practice Yoga… but also provide added privacy to the Hearth Room.
She now has loads of space for yoga, dressing room and overall private space for a busy mom.
Pocket doors
Crown moulding was added to Her space to emulate the moulding in the original primary suite for a consistent look. 7″ Engineered hardwood of Sawn White Oak were installed and stained on site to match existing flooring in the primary suite.
Clothing and shoe display open to dressing room: Custom designed and job-site built; seven shelves display shoes to go with every outfit. Custom dress racks provided by the client’s personal decorator, display clothes beautifully and make wardrobe selection easier.
New Lighting Is Both Aesthetically Pleasing and Functional: The make-up vanity area is equipped with a 42” X 42” electric illuminated mirror with a color tuning feature. This space is illuminated by a stunning beaded pendant light, on a dimmer switch. Recessed lighting on dimmers help to create the appropriate level of lighting for any function: dim for peaceful yoga or bright for choosing the right outfit.
Herbal Tea Bar: The herbal tea bar has a small sink with arched faucet for easy filling of the tea kettle. Faucet is Point-of-Use Drinking Faucet with a Mountain Pure® Water Filtration System. Below the practical quartz countertop are two storage cabinets perfect for Her teas and yoga props. Natural wood floating shelf above ties with the natural wood flooring.
Her BEFORE closet was practical at best. This former closet opened to the primary bedroom sitting area.
AFTER: Her new walk-in-closet, open to the dressing room, was the former walk-in-closet previously open to the primary bedroom sitting area. The addition of custom cabinetry in the closet (drawers and shelving) allows for all Her clothes to be in one great space. A pocket door is a space saver and keeps clean lines front and center in the space.
AFTER: Close up shoe and dress rack open to dressing room
BEFORE SON’S BATHROOM: Even though we had to tweak the location of existing plumbing, the bathroom in the former son’s room gave us access to the plumbing infrastructure to help create Her “new and improved” private bathroom space.
AFTER: We combined the son’s former closet with his former bathroom and turned it into a new, larger bathroom for Her. Custom Crystal cabinetry in White Dove create a blissfully calm environment. Drawers and tower cabinets provide ample storage. Brass pulls compliment the mirror and surface light. Beasely plumbing fixtures from Signature Hardware have a feminine touch. Benjamin Moore wall paint in Sea Pearl finishes the look and complements the wallpaper in Her dressing room.
AFTER: We were able to repurpose the existing shower with minor tile touch ups. Serene White Pearl Herringbone tile flooring adds a level of luxury to the space while being very practical and easy to clean. Hidden beneath this beautiful floor is a floor heating system to deliver ultimate comfort in this bathroom.
AFTER: A new Signature Hardware soaker tub provides the ultimate relaxing bath. Henri Wall Tub Set with lever handles maximize the bathing experience by not obstructing the tub space. The wall above the tub provides the perfect spot for Her original art.
During Photos demonstrate our carpenters’ skills…
Framing the new hearth room, fireplace and Her walk-in closet.
Job site mill work
Building Her dressing room shelving and drawers
During photos show some of the steps to creating Her bathroom…
We were able to preserve the son’s shower during demo.
Creative re-routing of bathroom plumbing in the floor joists saved having to disrupt the ceiling below.
Installation of the floor heating system
Installation of the herringbone tile
Client’s Needs Met
- Private Get Away Space for couple: Creation of the Heart Room with new gas fireplace.
- Personal Private space in His and Hers bathrooms: Repurposed the son’s bedroom, bathroom and closet to be Her new space, connecting an existing primary suite closet to the space as well. His bathroom remains in the primary suite.
- Private Yoga space for Her: New Her space includes plenty of room to practice yoga in a quiet, secluded setting.
Award Winning Remodelers in Northern Virginia – Bowers Design Build has specialized in providing the best overall experience in the remodeling industry since 1990. Bowers Design Build specializes in Northern Virginia Remodeling and Northern Virginia Custom Homes. Our numerous industry remodeling awards have been great, but the true measure of our success has been high marks in overall customer satisfaction
Service areas: McLean, Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Oakton, Great Falls, Alexandria, Fairfax County and Middleburg.
Specializing in: Northern Virginia New Custom Homes, Northern Virginia Whole House Renovations, Northern Virginia Kitchen Renovations, Northern Virginia Master Bathroom Renovations, Northern Virginia Interior Renovations, Northern Virginia Basement Renovations, Renovations for Aging-in-Place and Northern Virginia Outdoor Living Spaces.
