SoPo Cottage: The Farmhouse: Master Suite Before and After

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

The Farmhouse: Master Suite Before and After

As promised, here are some before and after photos to illustrate how many changes we made to this house. I'm starting with the Master Suite, because it saw some major updates. It was originally the living room!

This room was an addition, possibly done in the 80's and it's a nice, solidly built space. But it was off to the side and certainly didn't fit an 'open concept' kind of lifestyle. It had a wood stove, which I initially wanted to turn into a wood burning fireplace, but after meeting with a couple of different masons, they dissuaded me. Building codes have changed and the masonry was far too close to the side wall - resulting in a fire danger. So sadly, we had to remove it.

It also had a drop ceiling - one of my pet peeves. So our first change was to raise it. This was a big change, requiring a 'structural ridge beam' to carry the load of the roof and rafters. We also added hurricane ties to ensure the roof won't move in a major storm. And to keep it toasty warm in winter and cool in the summer, we installed rigid foam insulation.

New Structural Ridge Beam to create a Cathedral Ceiling

And the result? Well it was pretty amazing. While the footprint of the room didn't change, it suddenly felt so much larger.

Master Bedroom 'Before'

Master Bedroom 'After'

We wrapped the new structural ridge beam with reclaimed lumber and added a large light fixture. And we wanted the room to reflect the traditional farmhouse style of the rest of the house. So we tore out the ranch style molding from the windows and doors and replicated the simple flat millwork that helps make this house so charming.

With windows on 3 sides, this room is flooded with sunlight all day long

One of our carpenters is also a metal worker and he made this custom headboard for me. It has black iron and reclaimed chestnut boards, which are just gorgeous. Don't you LOVE it?

Custom iron & reclaimed chestnut headboard

Master Bedroom - Before

But of course a master suite needs closet space, so we had to add that as well. We installed a wall of wardrobes, which provide lots of built in storage. At the Open House, it was fun to hear how surprised everyone was when they opened the doors and saw the lighted built ins! Now that's a closet!!

Wall of wardrobes

The next area we focused on was the master bath. We didn't have a huge amount of space for the bath, but wanted to use really beautiful finishes to make it special. So we installed a stunning Restoration Hardware console sink, to provide a classic touch. Above it is this fantastic fog free mirror, which also has a built in dimmer, - so you can get the perfect amount of light for shaving or makeup application. The tile is pretty special as well - it's a ceramic that mimics carrara marble and reclaimed wood (it was a bear to install, but I persevered!!).

The shower has a built in seating area (great for shaving your legs!) and a hexagonal tile accent that plays on the design in the floor. Couple that with the shower head and spray and you have a pretty amazing shower experience.