Architect Randy Mars designed this McLean, Va., master bath to give its owners every reason to relax and unwind. The house sits on a secluded, tree-shaded site overlooking the Potomac River, and Mars further emphasized privacy through thoughtful details like built-in shutters on the windows above the tub. The shutters fold back into wall pockets when not in use. “Every bath ought to have these,” he says. The room exits onto a private deck, and a frosted-glass panel separates the water closet from the rest of the bath.
The gentle arc of that glass panel echoes the home’s overall plan, which Mars laid out along a C-shaped axis. A tiled, curved wall enclosing the shower, an oval tub, circular vanity mirrors, and rounded-off fixtures all reinforce the same idea.
All those curves help soften the space, as do shades of white in different materials and textures. Small white ceramic tiles line the shower, and a similarly hued marble covers the tub surround and floor. Mars let a bit of the tub ledge continue into the shower, providing additional storage space for toiletries. Translucent-glass panels cover the walls around the tub, and the trim and remaining walls are all painted white. The maple vanity, topped with a floating glass panel, adds visual warmth.
Mars especially likes the wall-mounted faucets above the sinks—he used them in his own house, as well. “They allow you to have a counter that’s a completely clean horizontal surface,” he says. He chose outdoor light fixtures for the shower to support the room’s spare, Modern aesthetic.
Project Credits: Builder: Pollard Construction Co., Alexandria, Va.; Architect: Randall Mars Architects, McLean, Va.; Interior designer: InDesign, McLean; Project size: 130 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Hoachlander/Davis Photography.
Resources: Bathtub: Duravit, Circle 430; Faucets, shower faucet, hand shower, and sinks: Vola, Circle 431; Shower lighting: Bega, Circle 432; Shutters: Pinecrest, Circle 433.
