Home By Design: The Suite Life

Accessible from the bedroom and bath, the palatial 400-square-foot walk-in closet is complete with custom wood cabinetry, designated dressing area, and refrigerated center island. A modified and stylish kitchenette includes an espresso machine that rests on the island top for the morning and a chilled compartment that houses daytime snacks and evening wine.

The linear 500-square-foot master bath is the opulent pièce de résistance of the Trousdale Estates master suite. Although the two-person shower with steam unit, two-person bathtub, double sink, and water closet with bidet are all functional, it’s the decadent materials that make this simple space so stunning. Bazaza mosaic tile in eggplant, shades of pink, and mother of pearl covers the walls and ceiling, and the interior of the water closet sparkles with pearl-colored Maya Romanoff glass beaded wallpaper.

The white countertops, bathtub, and flooring are all man-made stone formed from cut crystals that shimmer in the diffused skylight sun, and polished nickel hardware serves to complete the modern decor.

Because Butler kept the master suite accessories to a minimum, she was able to emphasize the luminescent lighting fixtures.

In the bath, the Italian chandeliers are comprised of amber and clear square Swarovski crystals, and an Italian Minotti pendant light hangs near the bed.

For additional light and romantic ambience, a modern fireplace with the option of gas or natural fire is poised at the middle of one of the seating areas. Built into the wall facing the pool and backed with a transparent glass panel, this old-time fixture is upgraded with a switch light; simply press a button to make the panel clear during the day or opaque for privacy at night.

When given such a spacious canvas, designers run the risk of leaving it cold and impersonal; however, Butler avoided that fate with inviting colors, materials, and furniture. “Even though it’s a very large space with glass and stone, it’s still a warm and cozy room,” says Butler. And by choosing a warm tone-on-tone palette for the bedroom, Butler created a space that the homeowners would never want to leave—and because of the convenient amenities, would never have to.

What do you include in the master suite of a
6,000-square-foot home that already claims a game room, housekeeper quarters, theater, bar, gym, outdoor living room, and two dining and living rooms? A little bit of everything.

The four-bedroom home in Trousdale Estates, located in Beverly Hills, California, was built from the ground up for the homeowners and was designed by Tracie Butler. Designing independently for the Hollywood elite since 2001, Butler was born and raised in Los Angeles and incorporates the eclectic style and history of the city into her designs by mixing modern and vintage, masculine and feminine, and old and new to create plush surroundings for her clients.

Butler designed this luxurious home for the family of four, and the master suite specifically caters to the needs of a busy television and film producer husband and restaurateur wife. Keeping with the style of the entire house, Butler utilized mid-century modern design.

“That is my style as well as the couple’s,” says Butler. “Clean and minimal but all of the elements in the house still had a glamour quality to it. I wasn’t going to fill it with a lot of accoutrements and accessories.”

Instead, Butler focused on making every feature high-end and functional by turning the master suite into an all-inclusive apartment. “The master quarter is an area of the house where you just feel like you don’t want to leave,” says Butler. “It had to be functional and have all the elements they needed so they didn’t need to go across the big house to get to the kitchen or the home office or whatever they needed. It was all right there for them.”

With the suite totaling about 2,300 square feet, the minimal yet posh bedroom occupies 1,400 square feet of living space. Pure silk wall-to-wall carpeting is a treat for bare feet, custom wool and silk draperies shade floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and local California stone adds an earthy texture. Two seating areas near the fireplace provide ample space for desired entertainment with imported European chocolate leather chairs, bone-colored linen couches, and Macassar ebony wood tables.

Other exotic woods include the honey walnut tongue-and-groove ceiling and the dark walnut built-in book casing between the bed and office area. Although Butler created a multifunctional office space in the suite for the husband, who enjoys working from the bedroom, the couple doesn’t even need to leave their bed to accomplish projects or get the day started. The drapery, lighting, flat-screen televisions over the fireplace and tub, and clothing racks in the closet are all motorized installations controlled through a bedside laptop; the design blends the style of mid-century modern with the greatest gadgets of the 21st century.

This plush Beverly Hills home offers everything one could
need in an expansive master suite

Written by Maresa Giovannini | Photography by Jean-Louis Darville

Nicci Parrish, ASP

240-232-3118

www.ImpressMeHomeStaging.com

As featured in

Home by Design.

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

All measurements are approximate.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2009