Today's new homes feature an owner's retreat

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Master suites get royal treatment in today's new homes.

Once a utilitarian room in the house, the owners' bedroom was simply a place to sleep. Only in the past 25 years has the master suite been a common feature in new-home building.

Today the master suite is plush, comfortable and full of luxury. It is often comprised of a good-sized bedroom, his-and-hers closets and a spalike bath. And if homeowners desire, the suite can include all the amenities of a five-star hotel.

If early morning coffee is a must -- voila -- a coffee bar can be installed. Or if relaxing before bed is your style, a lounge chair can be delivered. Whatever your desire, the master suite -- a haven within your home -- can indulge your senses.

"Today, most of our clients want what we now call the "owners' suite," a large bedroom, one or two walk-in closets and a bath with dual vanities, soaker tub and separate shower," said Ray Blankenship, area vice president for K. Hovnanian Homes.

To complement the suite, a soft color palette of cool pastels creates a relaxing, welcoming ambience. And ambience is an important part of the suite package.

That ambience comes in many forms. At Hovnanian's new Regency model, the designer creates a dramatic look in the bedroom with a coffered ceiling and a beautiful chandelier, which give the appearance of largeness and draws the eye upward.

In its Auburn model, Modern Homes Inc. shows a backlit tray ceiling that sets the mood in the sleeping area along with soothing colors and luxurious fabrics.

To enhance the bedroom space, a lot of KLM Builders' buyers do some sort of volume -- tiered or tray -- ceiling, said Kim Meier, president of the company.

KLM Builders also features beautiful silk fabric draperies and bed covers in its model homes. A four-poster bed covered with luscious soft peach silks and an array of beautiful pillows beckons homeowners in the decorated Sonoma model.

Many builders feature lots of glass in the bedroom area with picturesque views of the outside.

"We place the master in the back of the house, and always use a lot of glass with triple views of the outdoors," Meier said. "People have more privacy, and they're looking at trees or a natural wooded setting, and they really like that."

Beth Van Dyke, sales manager for Modern Hones, says buyers are no longer looking for a huge oversized master, but a more moderate-sized space outfitted with large walk-in closets with organizers.

"Big walk-in closets are very popular with all our masters," Meier said. "But the room is still a pretty good size. We haven't shrunk our masters, and there is room to put in a chair or two."

Furnishings also contribute to a room's ambience and provide the comfort and convenience homebuyers desire. For example, The Regency model shows a touch of glamour in its master bedroom with a white love seat at the foot of the bed.

"We wanted to illustrate how people can enjoy the serenity of reading a book or watching a movie in their space," Blankenship said.

Of course, no master suite is complete without a luxury bath where homeowners can start and end each day with a little pampering using fluffy towels, pretty soaps, scented oils, lotions and candles.

People like windows or skylights in the bathroom to let in the natural light, and these features are very popular, Meier said. Builders use lighting to create a relaxing mood and comfortable ambience in the bath, making the room as bright or intimate as clients wish. A chandelier adds a touch of elegance, while recessed lighting distributes the light more evenly.

Will a custom walk-in shower be the centerpiece of the master bath? Yes, it's a new trend some builders say, including Van Dyke.

People have no desire for whirlpools anymore, and some people are replacing the whirlpool that no one uses with an oversized shower with nice benches, ceramic floor and niches for bath essentials, Van Dyke said.

"We're doing a lot of master suite remodels where people are ripping out the whirlpool tubs and using the space for the larger showers. We just completed a very sleek master bath that has white marble in the entire bathroom and only (no tub) the deluxe shower."

"Although the whirlpool is going out, most of our buyers opt for a soaking tub, and they still want the tub and shower," Meier said. The Brentwood model illustrates how inviting a corner soaker tub is with a canopy feel, candles on the ledge and windows above.

Blankenship says they too are doing the soaker tub and separate walk-in shower in their master baths and haven't seen the new trend yet.

Tile in master baths is still a popular feature with ceramic or porcelain on the floors, around soaking tubs, showers and backsplashes. A newer item is glass mosaics that can be used alone or with the more traditional tiles.

"We use ceramic and porcelain tiles in our master baths," Meier said. "We offer so many beautiful porcelain tiles, which are harder than ceramic and look like real stone."

Some builders have banned the toilet from the main bath, placing it in a separate room or using a half wall to separate it from the rest of the room. "We're still doing the compartmentalized toilet," Meier said.

When it comes to the vanity area, single sinks are out, and his-and-hers vanities are in. What a great feature to ease the morning rush. Many builders split his and hers into completely separate countertops, sinks and storage.

Yes, storage. The master bath has not escaped the growing storage movement, and often the basic cabinet under the sink is not adequate for today's buyers.

"People want a lot of space for storage, such as a large linen closet in the bathroom," Van Dyke said.

Cabinetry might also include sets of small drawers, corner cabinets or tall, narrow cabinets on either side of a long single countertop.