THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 7, 1996 TAG: 9604050052
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARCIA MANGUM, HOME & GARDEN EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines
A MASTER SUITE is a quiet retreat from today's hectic world. Harried couples want an inviting, relaxing room, filled with soft light and comfortable furnishings.
One master suite recently depicted in a magazine creates this restful atmosphere with French doors opening to a backyard terrace, a brick fireplace with an antique mantel, upholstered chairs and a wooden chest for seating by the hearth, sheer fabrics for window treatments, muted tones for fabrics and linens and a delicate floral rug on a hardwood floor.
The master bath continues the open, airy feel with a light-painted, double-sink vanity, a pair of wooden framed mirrors, wall sconces and built-in cabinets for linens, books and curios.
``The master bedroom naturally has to have a prime location within the house,'' says Sharon Webster, interior decorator and manager of Hudgins Interiors in Virginia Beach. Windows and French doors should provide a view to the outdoors, so the homeowner can enjoy the surroundings.
Webster, who works with numerous local builders, says builders should spare no expense with windows, such as half-rounds and palladiums.
This week, you can tell builders what you want in the master suite of The Virginian-Pilot Reader Home. Once the surveys are in, Charlie Anderson Builder of Chesapeake will construct the house for the 15th annual Homearama, to be held Oct. 5-20 at South Shore Estates in Virginia Beach.
Hudgins Interiors has worked with Charlie Anderson to decorate the last seven homes he built for Homearama.
In addition to natural light, Webster says, proper artificial lighting is crucial in a master suite. Specialty lighting, recessed with dimmer switches, provides ambience. For bedside reading, recessed lighting or traditional bedside lamps can provide additional light.
Many of Anderson's recent master bedrooms have a pan, or tray, ceiling with lighting encased in the pan, an effect Webster likes. The graduated ceilings usually are raised to 9 feet or more and create a romantic mood.
The relaxed, comfortable look goes from ceiling to floor. ``We're mostly going for more warmth in bedrooms,'' Webster says.
Often wallpaper borders or faux finishes warm the painted walls. And plush carpets provide a good footing, sometimes with borders to frame the bed area.
One of the most important parts of the master suite is the part you can't see: the closet. Separate his-and-hers closets are preferable, Webster says. And all closets need lots of shelves and compartments.
``We lead such busy lives,'' she says. ``Both he and she work today, so any kind of organization we can have in our homes is a big help. Having things organized in our closets makes for a quick getaway in the morning.''
It also makes for less clutter in the bedroom. Webster favors closets with bins for shoes, sweaters and other accessories. She also likes motorized carousels that are sometimes installed in smaller closets to rotate clothes.
Some homeowners like closets connected to the master bathroom, but Webster says she prefers them within the bedroom, where there are fewer moisture problems.
But watch where those doors and windows open. Misplaced openings make furniture placement a challenge, Webster cautions.
Bedroom size is secondary to organization and placement, she says. But if you have a bigger bedroom, there is room for some extras.
Built-in entertainment centers are popular now. Harried homeowners want to retreat to their bedrooms and flip on their televisions or stereos, Webster says.
Gas fireplaces also are gaining popularity.
``Years ago, we didn't have gas fireplaces, and if you had a fireplace in the bedroom, you'd have to be carting up logs, so we got away from them,'' Webster notes. ``But with the gas fireplace, it makes it really easy.''
Large bedrooms allow for a comfortable chair and a small table by the hearth for reading, sewing or other work.
Fabrics and furnishings play a major role in any bedroom. Sheer fabrics create a light, airy and romantic feeling, Webster notes.
They can be used on windows or beds. People want to be able to see the surroundings and have natural light, so they're choosing either sheer coverings or window treatments that pull down to provide privacy at night but hide neatly behind a swag during the day.
Sheer fabrics also encircle the metal, four-poster beds that create an atmosphere of elegance in many modern bedrooms. These beds, covered with soft chenille, plush velveteen or crisp linen, make a strong statement without destroying the openness of a room.
Light, natural wood furniture, most often in the transitional style, completes the look.
Designers and decorators try to carry the same look into the master bathroom. The paint, window treatments and general style should unify the bathroom and bedroom, Webster says.
As in the bedroom, lighting is important, and Anderson usually places a window next to the whirlpool tub in the master bathrooms he builds.
Bathrooms concern local builders, because there are growing options, but all cost money. Builders want to know such things as:
Is it important to have a ceramic tile floor or is vinyl acceptable?
Do people really use the whirlpool/massage units in their tubs or do they just want a large tub to relax in?
Is a separate, walk-in shower important, and should it have a door?
Is the standard 30-inch high bathroom vanity acceptable, or would home buyers like a vanity 34 or 36 inches high?
Builders acknowledge that it's impossible to please everyone, or even the majority, all the time.
``There are some questions in houses that keep coming out 50/50,'' Anderson says. For example, about half of new-home buyers insists on a separate room or divided area for the toilet, while the other half doesn't care.
Call INFOLINE and let the builders know what you think about master suites. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
STANLEY FURNITURE COMPANY
This light, airy look creates a casual, inviting master bedroom.
READER HOME SURVEY, PART 3
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
KEYWORDS: READER HOME SURVEY HOME DESIGN by CNB