We spend more time in our sleeping space than any other living area in our homes. Not only is a third of our lives lived in bed, but wouldn’t it be great to enjoy these countless hours in a luxurious bedroom suite? Discerning Detroit homeowners know how to transform an otherwise lackluster bedroom into a lavish primary suite, one that not only boosts overall quality of life, but substantially increases home resale value. Now is the best time to design and build an ideal primary suite addition, and this article offers a step-by-step guide for doing it as effectively and efficiently as possible. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Visualize & Budget Your Dream Bedroom
An ideal primary suite addition is the perfect balance between form and function, practicality, and aesthetics. Formerly known as a “master suite,” your primary suite is the largest bedroom in your home. When creating a home addition, you have the chance to make it as luxurious as your creativity can indulge, and your checkbook can afford. You’ll usually hear it referred to as an “ensuite,” which is to say your renovated primary bedroom will have another area attached, such as a bathroom, walk-in closet, entertainment center, or all of the above.
The first step is to imagine your dream bedroom, then partner with a design build firm to create a vision and design that also fits your budget. A qualified interior designer will ensure the style blends seamlessly with the rest of your home. Make sure to take the time to determine your family’s specific needs and expectations. For example, an ensuite catering to health and wellness might prioritize a whirlpool and steam shower. If additional storage space, privacy, or other special needs are paramount, design accordingly.
A major consideration for design and layout will be the location. Will this new suite be easily accessible on the first floor or added to the second floor? First-floor additions may be easier and less disruptive, but they require extending your home’s foundation and mechanical systems. Your lot size and setbacks will need to be verified and taken into consideration. If you choose to add to the second floor, complexity and expense might increase. Sometimes adding over an existing space, such as the attached garage, is the perfect spot and a simple extension. This is where an excellent design team will help guide you to the best location for your family’s needs, ease of access, and architectural aesthetics.
Step 2: Indulge the Architectural Details & Luxury Elements
Traditional bedroom designs and layouts, characterized by four-poster beds, nightstands, and dressers, have evolved into amazing primary suite additions that offer personalized experiences, delighting all the senses. Classic architectural elements like vaulted ceilings, skylights, stacked windows, and custom lighting add sophistication and comfort. Collaborate with your designer to incorporate a custom fireplace, sitting room, wet bar, and other fabulous ensuite amenities. Custom shelving and specialized storage in your new walk-in closet are likely a necessity.
The devil is in the details, and so is the fun. Let bursts of natural light in with the perfect window layout. Consider adding a detailed tray ceiling with a recessed central panel and crown molding for indirect mood lighting. Accentuate your cozy fireplace with custom wainscoting and natural stone. Custom design a spacious walk-in closet with everything from shoe racks to clothes carousels, and a tiny kitchen with under-counter refrigeration, a coffee maker, and other amenities. And don’t forget interior design basics and accouterments such as calming colors and textures to take relaxation to a whole new level.
Including a private outdoor oasis directly off the new primary suite is a wonderful addition to the space. Whether it’s an enclosed screened-in porch, a patio with a pergola, or a simple deck, any of these options will expand your suite even further. Furnishing the outdoor space with specialized lighting, heaters, a fireplace, and beautiful plantings will only add to its allure. If building on the second floor, adding an enclosed or open balcony with similar features is feasible, allowing you to make the most of Michigan summers while staying warm during the winters.
Step 3: Luxuriate in Your Home Health & Wellness Spa
Let’s face it, no ideal primary suite would be complete without a luxurious ensuite bathroom addition. Upscale homeowners in Birmingham demand nothing less than soaking tubs, with air and whirlpool options. Enhance your shower experience with steam, built-in seating, and smart controls. Today, the wet room, combining both of these features, has become wildly popular. With all-new electrical and plumbing, heated floors, multiple sinks, and numerous conveniently placed outlets, form and function are taken to new heights, seamlessly complementing the newly renovated sleeping and storage areas nearby.
Smart toilets with built-in bidets, touchless faucets, linear drains, heated flooring, and warming towel bars may seem extravagant, but they are definitely worth considering. Would you prefer a completely smart toilet ranging in the $5,000-$15,000 price point, or would you rather simply add a bidet seat for a more modest cost? Collaborating with your design team early on will ensure that your new primary suite bathroom layout is sufficient to accommodate all your new fixtures, appliances, and provide enough room for you and your family to enjoy and indulge.
Beyond the fixtures, make sure to discuss decorative decisions such as fixture finishes—bold matte black or soft brushed brass—cabinetry options (stock, semicustom, or fully custom), mirror and shower door styles. Will your finishes reflect a clean contemporary style or include a more transitional feel with a wainscot surround and over-tub chandelier? The world is your oyster when it comes to choices.
Partner with your design-build experts to choose everything from personalized lighting to tiling. Large marble or porcelain tiles exude elegance and cleanliness, while herringbone or subway tiles in multiple colors create a fun, contemporary feel. Natural stone, exotic mosaics, and intricate glass and ceramic tiles each possess their own unique style and purpose, allowing you to craft the perfect experience. The latest LED light fixtures offer endless preset choices to match your mood. Once all the hard decisions have been made, finishing touches such as scented candles and tasteful art selections will make it hard to ever want to leave your gorgeous new space!
Step #4: Make Sure Your New Addition Blends
Your ideal primary suite addition, whether done on the first floor or second, will involve structural changes to your home. Partner closely with your design-build firm to ensure that every choice you make, both inside and out, blends seamlessly with your home’s existing architecture. This will be evident in the selection of roofing materials, siding, exterior doors, windows, and trim details. Success is assured when your brand-new primary suite addition looks like it has always been part of the original home.
Step 5: Partner with Birmingham’s Most Trusted Design Build Firm
MainStreet Design Build is a full service, design-build remodeling firm dedicated to creating a luxurious end-to-end experience through personal care, accountability, timeless design, and exacting attention to detail. Voted the #1 remodeler in Detroit and #2 general contractor in all of Michigan, since 1991 their in-house design team, staff of carpenters, and deep bench of skilled tradespeople have made the renovation process comfortable, enjoyable, and safe.
Having produced elegant results that transform remodeling dreams into stunning and functional ideal primary suite additions, MainStreet Design Build is favored by discerning homeowners in Southeast Oakland County who value a high level of comfort and trust in knowing that their trending remodeling project will be done RIGHT. Browse our gallery of award-winning modern home additions for 2024, and schedule a virtual design consultation. Let’s partner today!