Real master suites to inspire your next project

Posted on 17th August 2023

A grand yet relaxing bedroom with a stylish ensuite and an adjoining walk-in wardrobe is top of my wishlist…

If you’re lucky enough to have a large main bedroom, it can be easy to divide up the space to include a dressing room and even an indulgent roll-top bath – but how about those with smaller rooms? Fear not – with the help of KBB journo Laurie Davidson, we’ve found three amazing real master suites to show you just what’s possible.

Read on to find out how the designers have achieved the right balance between beauty and function…

Nice and neutral

“This master suite is situated in a six-bedroom townhouse in Fulham, west London,” says Amy Stoddart, interior designer and creative director at AR Interiors. “The homeowners wanted the bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardrobe to suit their busy working lifestyle.

“The layout is slightly unusual, but this was dictated by the need to close each room off. It was paramount the room opened into a small hallway. This allows the couple to individually get ready in the mornings without waking each other up. The space can also be opened up during the day, so it feels like one large open-plan area. A sliding door helps to achieve this.”

View from bedroom into master suite — Looking into the gorgeous ensuite from the bedroom. Design: AR Interiors.

“When it came to the bedroom, we felt it was important that the wall behind the bed was a feature, as this is the first thing you see when walking into the room. With that in mind, my team and I commissioned a bespoke design that stretches from the floor to the ceiling,” adds Amy.

Elegant bed with fabric headboard and mirrors either side in a master suite — The striking headboard stretches from the floor to the ceiling. Design: AR Interiors.

“Adding bespoke mirrors on either side of the bed, behind the side tables, helps create a sense of space and bounces light around the room. Lastly, to tie the different areas together, the overall scheme focuses around browns, taupe and green colours. All three rooms feel earthy and warm,” she says.

Dressing room design with large mirrors — The spacious dressing room features dark furniture. Design: AR Interiors.

Moody master suite

“We designed this open-plan bedroom, dressing area and ensuite across the rear of the first floor in a semi-detached home in Kew, south London,” says Ioana Ungureanu, senior architectural designer at Studio Werc. “We were converting a smaller bedroom into an ensuite and replacing the existing space with a dressing area.

“The bedroom layout was also reconfigured to allow access through the dressing area and into it. We then incorporated built-in storage on either side of a central walkway in the dressing area.”

Master suite: View of a blue bedroom down to the en suite through a walk-in wardrobe — From the bedroom you can look into the dressing room and ensuite. Design: Studio Werc.

Click here for dressing room ideas to organise your getting-ready station

“Hidden sliding pocket doors are a good way to ensure privacy and separate the bedroom, dressing area and ensuite without losing any usable room,” continues Ioana.

“Make sure you have consistency across the spaces in terms of décor, so all three areas work well together. For example, in this project, we used a dark blue accent colour on the bedroom walls, skirting boards and doors, and it continues throughout the dressing area, including the new bespoke wardrobes.

“You could also centre a freestanding tub under a window with wall lights on either side, as in this project, to provide a calming experience. A vinyl wall mural in the bathroom can also provide an interesting alternative to tiling and avoids the issue of keeping grout lines clean.”

Bathroom with mural design — This calming ensuite features a dark floral mural and statement tiles. Design: Studio Werc.

Luxurious master suite

“This project required us to create a master suite of three separate spaces, consisting of a bedroom, dressing space and bathroom, from what was originally two separate bedrooms,” explains Laura Passey, interior designer and founder at Laura Passey Interiors.

“One of the rooms had an adjoining bathroom, and we needed to block up one door and create a new one between both spaces. We kept the look of all three rooms using the overall style and colour palette of the house. But we made sure this suite stood out as the jewel in the crown, with an elegant, well put-together, and luxurious look.”

An elegant pale bedroom with chandelier as part of a master suite — The neutral colour palette helps create an elegant look. Design: Laura Passey Interiors.

“A calm, neutral colour scheme unites all three spaces and we’ve created a romantic atmosphere by using high-quality materials, furnishings and fittings. Mouldings applied to the walls give a panelled effect and we designed bespoke joinery for the fitted furniture,” says Laura.

“Lastly, we splashed out on chandeliers throughout to emphasise the opulent ambience. My advice for anyone taking on a similar project would be to spread your budget evenly on all three rooms – don’t scrimp on one part of the project.”