The Master Suite by Fiorito Interior Design, Part Three

I am proud to present finished photos of a Master Suite project I started in the fall of 2012. While it was under construction, I wrote about it here and here, showing structural photos and installation progress: take a look to catch up and see the fascinating evolution of the space.

This project was not a simple cosmetic facelift or even a down-to-the-studs gut job. This was a full-on extension/addition that required me to work closely with the contractor and architect. The back portion of half of my clients' home was blown out to make way for a much larger master bedroom and bathroom. And all the disruption, construction, and wait was well worth it.

But before we ogle the reveal images, let's take a look at what the space looked like when I initially encountered it. You will see why my clients were eager to be rid of what they (and I) considered to be a very un-masterful master bathroom.

Like many California ranch homes built in the 1950s, this master bathroom was not really a "master bath." The concept of a "master bath" as we know it today didn't really exist then. My clients, who only three years ago purchased the home from the family of the original owner, were saddled with a small, dysfunctional space. Chief among the dysfunctions: a vanity only 30" high (my clients had to stoop quite low to lean on the counter), and an inconveniently placed window that forced the too-low vanity mirror to reflect only the waist and partial torso--not the face--of anyone standing in front of it.

A separate water closet with a pocket door was also the spot for a very narrow shower. That, my friends, was a master bathroom in 1956. And so my work began.

In order to refine a design concept for the soon-to-be larger space, and thereby narrow down material choices, my clients and I had a brainstorming session: we spoke of an elegant Old World/ European bedroom and bathroom, a luxurious bath that would reference a Roman spa, and finally the idea of a Hammam was brought into the mix. We blended these ideas together in oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, and a tiny mosaic vine pattern in beautiful Bursa Beige marble from Turkey and white Thassos marble from Greece. The extension of the house allowed us to create a true master suite which includes a greatly enlarged bedroom area, and a generous sized bathroom with a jetted soaking tub, a very large walk-in shower, a double-sided fireplace (facing the tub on the bath side), and a luxurious 8' long vanity with double sinks and a storage tower.

The vanity wall is covered with the imported mosaic vine pattern. The custom Larson Juhl framed mirrors are flanked by gorgeous hand-wrought scones from Hubbardton Forge which echo the vine and leaf pattern in the mosaic. And the vanity itself features an  LED strip in the toe-kick which allows my clients to see in the middle of the night without having to turn on a shockingly bright overhead fixture.

Photo by Bernardo Grijalva

At the other end of the master bath, a luxurious jetted tub nestles by a fireplace in the bay window area. Views of the garden can be seen while soaking in bubbles...

Photo by Bernardo Grijalva

Photo by Bernardo Grijalva

The over-sized walk-in shower features a paneled wainscoting effect which I designed to be executed in Crema Marfil marble. The vine mosaic continues in the shower, topped by green onyx squares. A rainshower head and a hand-held spray on a bar provides showering options. The shower floor slopes gently in one direction toward a hidden linear drain; this allows the floor to be read as a continuation of the main space, without being interrupted by a center drain.

Photo by Bernardo Grijalva

I have a few more finished projects coming up which I will be sharing with you soon. New posts are always scheduled every Monday!

In the meantime, happy designing!

The Master Suite by Fiorito Interior Design, Part Two

In my previous post about this project here, I shared photos of the exterior demolition and construction of the addition to the house. And now, as promised, here are some shots of the interior.

But first, let's take a look at what the space looked like when I initially encountered it. You will see why my clients were eager to be rid of what they (and I) considered to be a very unmasterful master bathroom.

Like many California ranch homes built in the 1950s, this master bathroom was not really a "master bath." The concept of a "master bath" as we know it today didn't really exist then. My clients, who only two years ago purchased the home from the family of the original owner, were saddled with a small, dysfunctional space. Chief among the dysfunctions: a vanity only 30" high (my clients had to stoop quite low to lean on the counter), and an inconveniently placed window that forced the too-low vanity mirror to reflect only the waist and partial torso--not the face--of anyone standing in front of it. (When I see things like this, I can only shake my head wonder what on earth the builder was thinking.)

A separate water closet with a pocket door was also the spot for a very narrow shower. That, my friends, was a master bathroom in 1956. And so my work began. As I mentioned here in the last post about this project, an extension of the space allowed us to create a true master suite which will include a greatly enlarged bedroom area, and a generous sized bathroom with a jetted soaking tub, a very large walk-in shower, a double-sided fireplace (facing the tub on the bath side), and a luxurious 8' long vanity with double sinks and a storage tower.

The bay window you saw in the last post will be the home of a generously proportioned jetted tub. Above: the framing of the walls, addition of windows, construction of the tub deck, and installation of the marble tub deck and face.

The adjacent spacious shower is going to rival the focal point of the tub. In the first few photos above, you can see the shower after being "hot-mopped" (a way to waterproof the shower pan) and the walls made of a version of waterproof sheetrock. The entrance to the shower is flanked by a pair of columns, topped with a gentle arch. For the shower walls, I designed a wainscoting effect with beveled panels, all crafted from lavish Crema Marfil marble from Spain.

And tiling began this week. The first element to be installed in the shower above the Crema Marfil wainscoting was the gorgeous mosaic vine border made of Bursa Beige marble from Turkey and white Thassos marble from Greece. This border will also serve as a back splash for the double vanity under a mosaic wall of the same material.

Like I said in the last post for this project, I am so anxious to see the final result.

Thanks for reading and happy designing!

The Master Suite by Fiorito Interior Design, Part One

The proliferation of television design shows over the last decade or so has given many people a false sense of what interior design is and a very skewed view of how it functions. One of the ways such shows have misinformed the public is in the life span of a project. With so many shows being about transforming a space over the course of a weekend, or even over a 24-hour period (which is literally impossible to do while maintaining any semblance of quality in material or workmanship), the public are not aware of just how intensive a process interior design can be. From first meeting to a completed space takes many months. And it should. Another one of my design mantras I have developed over the years is: "Design is a process." And that process does not need to be, and indeed should not be rushed. When making structural or even cosmetic changes to a home, you want someone who will take their time, someone who will work with you to develop a space unique to you, a space that will function exactly how you want while still being beautiful.

To prove the design shows wrong, I am here to tell you that I have been working on a Master Suite extension since last autumn. After initial meetings with my clients to discuss the possibilities inherent in renovating their master bathroom, they decided they wanted to include the bedroom portion in the renovation as well. We were already in communication with a General Contractor, and through more conversations and meetings, the homeowners decided they wanted to add an extension to their home to buy more space for a new, much more luxurious master suite. At this point, the project splintered off. I met with the GC to go over space planning and possible layouts for the new space. Since the scope of service would now include the need to build out the foundation of the house, and to change the roof line, my GC brought in a structural engineer and an architect to finalize the design that was created by me, the homeowners, and the GC. While the building shell was being handled, I had several meetings with my clients regarding the interior of the bathroom and bedroom. In order to refine a design concept for the space, and thereby narrow down material choices, my clients and I had a brainstorming session: we spoke of an elegant Old World/ European bedroom and bathroom, a luxurious bath that would reference a Roman spa, and finally the idea of a Hammam was brought into the mix. After sourcing some initial materials and finishes that would embody our inspiration, I met my clients at a tile and stone gallery to begin the process of choosing stone and tile. We also spoke about style direction for things like lighting, and sink and shower hardware which would support our inspiration.

While that was happening, the plans had been submitted to the city for permits. Finally this past spring, we were ready for construction to start. As you can see, this is a process that requires care, thought, skill, and planning as well as the talents of many individuals.

Workers dug and poured a new foundation to tie into the existing foundation of the home.

The back of the house was ripped off and framing for the addition began.
The bay window is the home of a future jetted soaking tub.

The water closet was all that was left of the original bathroom, and that got demo-ed before I left the job site that day.

And now we see walls and windows installed, and a lath in place for stucco. Also note the new steps leading from the arched French doors of the Master Suite as well as the new roof line with all new cement shingles.

This all may seem rather unglamorous and humdrum, but it is absolutely necessary. It is literally the foundation for all the glamour and fun to come. For the next installment, I am excited to share with you some photos of the progress of the interior and how this suite has been transformed so far. This is always the hard part for me as a designer: the goal is now tantalizingly near and I am chomping at the bit to see it finished and styled. When that happens, I will definitely share those photos with you as well.

Thanks for reading and happy designing!