Why stop with one master bedroom?
Separate suites satify personal space needs
Miami modern: She snores, gets up before dawn for Mideast trading, and claims the entire closet for her wardrobe.
He watches big-screen TV, relaxes on the terrace till the wee hours, and jumps straight in the pool for his wake-up dip.
Two divergent lifestyles, schedules and interests. The solution for this composite couple? Two master suites, each one designed and outfitted to suit the occupant.
“They share a life and a home, and like to share the same bed, but from sunset to sunrise is when the secondary master suite comes into play,” Miamibased architect Kobi Karp says of homeowners riding the trend.
Karp, who’s seen more demand for dual master suites in the last three years, says people are seeking out separate bedrooms complete with bathroom, closet and special appointments to satisfy their personal needs.
Double masters also appeal as deluxe accommodation for guests, senior family members or boomerang offspring, says the founder of Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design.
He provided two suites in one of his glass-and-light-filled projects that sold for $20 million (U.S.) last year. The 11,568-sq.- ft., open-concept residence is located on Biscayne Bay, eight kilometres north of Miami Beach. The spec home was bought by an older couple who planned to use one suite for sleeping and the other as transitional space bridging night and daytime activities, according to Karp.
The same-size suites, which account for two of the ultramodern home’s seven bedrooms, have different layouts and separate outdoor spa areas but share a terrace. Rural Ontario retreat: Double master suites serve multiple purposes, according to Toronto-based broker Janice Williams, who’s seen boomers use them to host aging parents and newly married children saving for their own place.
One of her listed properties is a prime example: the $3.278 million, 7,000-sq.ft. country estate was built in 2000 as a multi-generational home with five bedrooms and 5-1/2 bathrooms.
Nestled in the hills on “10 perfect acres,” says Williams of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, the large, stonefront house is located just north of Hwy. 401 between Port Hope and Cobourg, about an hour east of Toronto.
The open-concept layout and design features are “straight out of the pages of Architectural Digest,” says Williams.
The main-floor master suite, while spacious at almost 700 square feet, is “cosy, like a co- coon” with taupe walls, his-and-hers walk-through closet and walkout to a private terrace. Above, the second-floor, west-facing master suite is a bit smaller at 530 square feet with a reading alcove, views of the valley, a large walk-in and ensuite with Jacuzzi. Sumptuous in Sarasota: Comfort and classical elegance are part of the appeal of this Mediterranean-style island home on Longboat Key.
Ten kilometres from Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida, the 5,496- sq.ft., tileroofed residence is listed by Luxury Portfolio International for $4.25 million (U.S.).
With five bedrooms in total, the home boasts two spacious masters where crown mouldings, artistic wall finishes and walkouts to terraces contribute to the look and feel of luxury. Onyx, granite and marble abound in the ensuites and kitchen, contrasting with warm wood built-in cabinetry.
The dual suite trend is growing, according to Stephanie Anton, president of Luxury Portfolio International.
“While we have always seen dual toilets and sinks, and more recently closets, in significant properties, today we’re seeing completely separate, dual masters more and more frequently,” says Anton.