The Farmhouse: The Master Suite

I'm always hearing from potential buyers that want a first floor master suite.  Sometimes it's because people want to age-in-place and have one floor living.  And sometimes it's because they have aging parents that are coming to live with them.  So it's nice to finally create one!  And it's going to be a really great space.

We're converting the room that was previously used as a living room.  It appears to have been an addition to the house, possibly in the 1980's.  It's a nice sized room, but the not-to-code wood stove and low ceiling made it a bit awkward for a bedroom with a large bed.

So we set out to change that (if you want to see the before and after floor plan, click here).  First we removed the chimney, which immediately made the room feel larger.  Next, we tore out the acoustic tile ceiling to see what the framing looked like.  The room has nice strong joists, but to create the vaulted ceiling I want, we needed to install a new structural ridge beam.  And to be able to handle the snow loads and winds that we see here on the coast of Maine, we also installed hurricane ties around the perimeter.

Installing the new structural ridge beam

And to my way of thinking, it's never too soon to think about light fixtures - thankfully Steve was a good sport as I considered options :-)

Master Bedroom light fixture, Option 1

We had to make other changes as well.  We had to enlarge one of the windows to add an egress window, to meet code for a bedroom space (it has to be large enough for a firefighter to climb through with full gear).  And since the ceiling space is narrower, we installed rigid spray foam, to give us maximum R-value for insulation.

I'm pretty excited about the rest of the room design as well.  This Pippa duvet and sham set from Pottery Barn will be perfect for the light, organic approach I'm taking to the interior.  I'll pair it with textured pillows and drapes, to keep it warm and inviting.

Photo:  Pottery Barn

One of our talented carpenters/metal workers is custom making a metal/reclaimed lumber headboard that I can't wait to see!  Here's a similar one that we used for inspiration.

I'm also adding bamboo roman shades, to provide some privacy with beautiful color and texture.

For the bathroom, I'm doing something a bit different.  I'm planning to mix some organic materials (marble & wood) with beautiful polished nickel fixtures.  So a bit of rustic and a bit of glam!

For the floor, I walked into the tile showroom and said  'I don't like wood look tile' - and then stumbled over this sample and fell in love.  It's got a bit of rustic with the reclaimed wood look - and a bit of sophistication with the marble look.  It's unique, but should give the room a real wow factor.

 We'll add a coordinating tile border in the shower.

Photo:  Restoration Hardware

The sink is this Gramercy console unit from Restoration Hardware.


















We're using their Dillon hardware for the sink and shower faucets.

Photo:  Restoration Hardware

Photo: Kruge

And we'll be installing this fancy Kruge mirror, which has built in LED lighting & defogger.  So you never need to wipe it down after a shower.  Pretty cool!

Now I can't wait to see it all come together!!!  We're making such quick progress, it will start to look like a real room soon!!

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