Masculine Retreat

The Feinmann design team was asked to create a modern, spacious master bathroom on the second floor of a 19^th century Colonial home in the historic district of Arlington. The homeowner, the only fulltime occupant of the house, requested a scheme with a masculine aesthetic, additional storage, a high-end steam shower, and secondary laundry area. In order to create the large master bathroom he desired, the floor plan of the second story needed to be reconfigured significantly. A small bedroom area, hallway, and small bathroom became the new master bedroom area, while an adjacent small bedroom and small bathroom were transformed into the new master bathroom.

This bathroom is an insertion into the existing home – the home’s historic designation required that we not modify the exterior in any way that was not consistent with appropriate period detail. Limited natural light was augmented with artificial light using recessed lights, accent lights in the shower and decorative wall sconces. The ceiling was raised from 6’10” to 9’ in the center and painted white, to add a lighter, brighter feeling.

The elements selected take advantage of natural materials and textures. They include a tumbled stone floor, rough-hewn ashlar stone on all the wall surfaces and the shower bench, a cream-colored stone vanity top and shower benchtop, a custom bamboo vanity, and custom 10 ft long built-in cabinetry, also of bamboo. This cabinetry contains the secondary laundry area and the ample storage the homeowner requested, and defines the space of the master bathroom, creating a circulation path from the master bedroom through the master bath and into the new adjacent work out area.

The homeowner had no interest in having a bathtub in the space and instead asked us to create a generous shower with all the “bells and whistles”. The luxurious new shower includes built-in speakers, a rain shower head, a hand-held shower spray, four body sprays, a steam generator, and heated built-in seating.

2008 Eastern Massachusetts NARI Silver CotY Award Best Bathroom Project

Tammy Russo is a great project manager, and quickly answered any calls or emails, and she would proactively drive down any detailed issue. The lead carpenter was amazing, excellent, detailed work, yet pragmatic and efficient at the same time.