The first-floor master suite in our clients’ 1990s Central Indiana home needed an update. Its high ceilings towered over a bedroom that stole much-needed space from the bath and made the space feel cold and imposing. The master bath, while serviceable for the time being, clearly wouldn’t meet the needs of aging in place. It was time to inject a little Colorado Rocky Mountain into the space.
The Challenge: Bring the Master Suite into Balance While Adding Western Flair
Inspired by the modern rustic style of their second home in Colorado, our clients engaged us to bring a touch of the West to their primary home in Central Indiana. Built in the 1990s, the home’s first-floor master suite was characterized by towering ceilings in a sprawling bedroom that felt more imposing than cozy and left little space for other uses.
Our clients also wanted to ensure they could age in place in their home, which would require reconfiguring the master suite’s floorplan to make the bath and walk-in closet more accessible. Working with Hoskins Interior Design, we created a western-inspired getaway that will serve its inhabitants for years to come.
Our remodeling goals:
- Balance the master bedroom’s scale to create a more cozy, comfortable space
- Add an office area and expand the master closet
- Make the whole suite more accessible for aging in place
- Import a punch of Rocky Mountain style from their beloved Colorado home
The Solution: A Western-Inspired Master Suite Built for Aging In Place
Making the master bedroom a cozy, rustic retreat
Our clients wanted their master bedroom to give them a sense of coziness and warmth. The original floorplan made the room feel cavernous — high ceilings echoed every sound, and the room sprawled with wasted space. First, we lowered the ceilings and replaced the wide, arched windows with tall, narrow ones that still flooded the room with light but offered more privacy. We installed oak beams across the ceiling to capture the rough-hewn atmosphere our clients so love about their Colorado retreat.
We brought the interior wall in a little to create a more relaxed and comforting space. We built a new fireplace with a stained white oak surround, topping the firebox with a weathered-beam mantel to echo the rustic vibe of the ceiling beams. Forged metal accents on the fireplace screen and candelabra chandelier bring additional depth and texture to the intimacy of the new space.
One of our favorite features of this master suite renovation is the stunning hand-crafted zinc door by our partner Zincsmith of Anderson, IN. Hanging the door required detailed planning and preparation. We began by squaring up an angled wall, widening the space between the bedroom and bath. In order to support the heavy door and allow it to move smoothly and easily on its rail, we added structural support behind the wall. The zinc-wrapped wood will form a natural patina over time, bringing out even more of its rustic beauty.
Future-proofing the master bath — with rugged style
With the space afforded by scaling down the bedroom to a more intimate size, we were able to reconfigure the master bathroom to increase not only its beauty but also its accessibility. We doubled the size of the walk-in shower, reinforcing its walls to install grab bars. Multiple Brizio shower heads in a rich, Venetian Bronze echo the fixtures throughout the room, and a niche wall running the entire length of the back wall and surfaced with Island Stone pebbles keeps bath products within easy reach. Graphite-colored porcelain tiles help hold and radiate heat from the shower, and the pebbled treatment is repeated on the floor to reduce the possibility of slipping.
Our partners at Nathan Allen Design crafted a gorgeous vanity using stained walnut. We used the same material and stain for the wall behind it, mounting mirrors using smaller versions of the sliding rails used to hang the zinc door. Natural quartzite forms the countertop, and drop-in stone sinks add heft to the design. Hand-forged cabinet hardware provide a one-of-a-kind touch, with no two pieces exactly alike.
Pocket-sized home office and systematized master closet, built to order
As we better balanced the scale of the spaces, we were able to incorporate a long, narrow — but comfortable — home office just off the master bath. A pocket door reveals the pocket-sized office with its long, built-in desk and clean, white cabinets for storing files and other household management necessities. One of the cabinets also hides a TV that can be comfortably watched from a western-patterned armchair.
The rough-hewn look of the custom hardware resembles cut branches, carrying the unique, hand-forged look from the bathroom into the office. Natural light from behind the desk adds warmth to the space, and lights installed under one of the overhead cabinets provides brighter light when needed.
Tucked behind the office is the master closet. Most closets — even large, walk-in closets — waste space and are difficult to move around in. For this master closet we maximized our use of space. First, we created different levels of hanging rods, splitting the vertical space to double its capacity but leaving a more traditional hanging area for longer dresses and coats. We built cabinets for seasonal clothing above the rods, out of sight but still easily accessible. A marble-topped center island houses drawers for folded clothing, surrounded by ample space for moving around the closet to select the day’s outfit.
A cushioned bench with additional drawers nestles beneath each of the closet’s windows, allowing our clients to sit comfortably to pull on clothes. The windows also let in natural light, which we supplemented with canned ceiling lights. For an extra touch of style and more subdued lighting, we added a chandelier over the central island.
By listening carefully to what our clients wanted in their master suite remodel, we were able to deliver a space that not only delights them with its unique craftsmanship but will also allow them to live comfortably in their beloved home as they age.
