6 Ways to Design a Beautiful Bedroom Suite
See how clever architecture and interior design have maximised space – and style – in these en suites
Kate Burt
7 March 2021
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and various magazines. I'm now excited to part of the editorial team at Houzz UK & Ireland, bringing the best of British and Irish design, interiors and architecture to Houzz.com.
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and... More
An en suite bathroom – and a dressing room if you’re really lucky – can turn a bedroom into a dreamy, self-contained suite. There are many ways to approach the idea, whether you’re working with an already generous-sized space, knocking several rooms into one suite, or dividing up or extending a teeny boudoir. See how these Houzz designers did it.
Maximise your attic
Converting a loft to create an en suite is a popular way to go. This example, designed by Ash Island Lofts, takes the idea and works it beautifully.
Not only do those double sash windows give the feeling this is not a loft so much as an original part of the period house it belongs to, but there’s stacks of discreet storage, too.
The full-height, full-width panelled wardrobes – seen at the end of the bed here – have become part of the room’s architecture, rather than a distinct feature.
Converting a loft to create an en suite is a popular way to go. This example, designed by Ash Island Lofts, takes the idea and works it beautifully.
Not only do those double sash windows give the feeling this is not a loft so much as an original part of the period house it belongs to, but there’s stacks of discreet storage, too.
The full-height, full-width panelled wardrobes – seen at the end of the bed here – have become part of the room’s architecture, rather than a distinct feature.
More barely there storage is tucked into the eaves, again painted to match the walls, so it blends in.
As already seen in the earlier glimpse of this shower room, there’s no sense of being in a cramped space.
The generous walk-in shower spans the entire width of the space, which is 1.5m. A frameless shower screen keeps the feeling of an open-plan room, while natural light floods in through this large skylight. A tiny cupboard with a flush door is built into the wall, creating yet more unobtrusive space for hiding things away.
Learn more about this new loft with period character and plentiful storage.
The generous walk-in shower spans the entire width of the space, which is 1.5m. A frameless shower screen keeps the feeling of an open-plan room, while natural light floods in through this large skylight. A tiny cupboard with a flush door is built into the wall, creating yet more unobtrusive space for hiding things away.
Learn more about this new loft with period character and plentiful storage.
Fashion a secret ‘wardrobe’
When is a wardrobe not a wardrobe? When it’s an en suite bathroom, of course!
This sleek suite, designed by Quartet Architecture, features a clever design trick seen in a few projects across Houzz. The entrance to the en suite is disguised within a bank of wardrobe doors, giving the finish a seamless quality, as the whole wall of cabinetry almost disappears. Step through the ‘wardrobe’, however, and you’re in a spacious bathroom.
When is a wardrobe not a wardrobe? When it’s an en suite bathroom, of course!
This sleek suite, designed by Quartet Architecture, features a clever design trick seen in a few projects across Houzz. The entrance to the en suite is disguised within a bank of wardrobe doors, giving the finish a seamless quality, as the whole wall of cabinetry almost disappears. Step through the ‘wardrobe’, however, and you’re in a spacious bathroom.
This en suite, with cabinetry by The Wood Works, shows how the same idea can be applied to a much smaller space.
By opting for doors that open outwards, this design allows for extra storage, too, with the full depth of the cavity between the bedroom and bathroom put to excellent use. It creates a little corridor to link the two spaces and incorporates slim but tall shelving for towels and toiletries, with a deeper space at the top for bigger, less-used items.
By opting for doors that open outwards, this design allows for extra storage, too, with the full depth of the cavity between the bedroom and bathroom put to excellent use. It creates a little corridor to link the two spaces and incorporates slim but tall shelving for towels and toiletries, with a deeper space at the top for bigger, less-used items.
Build in some transparency
Where privacy is not an issue (or, perhaps, where there’s no loo in the mix), consider a semi-open-plan en suite. This hotel-glamorous space, ingeniously designed by Morph Interior, features a basin and bath as well as a glazed walk-in shower (just behind the radiator).
Where privacy is not an issue (or, perhaps, where there’s no loo in the mix), consider a semi-open-plan en suite. This hotel-glamorous space, ingeniously designed by Morph Interior, features a basin and bath as well as a glazed walk-in shower (just behind the radiator).
The use of glass for all the partitioning, paired with iridescent wall tiles, gives the bathroom a luxurious feel, as well as creating a seamless connection between both spaces.
Thinking of renovating? Find the perfect local professional in the Houzz Professionals Directory, where you can view images of their work and read reviews from previous clients.
Thinking of renovating? Find the perfect local professional in the Houzz Professionals Directory, where you can view images of their work and read reviews from previous clients.
Work a walk-through
When Zulufish renovated the second floor of this period townhouse, the design turned the entire floor into a beautiful suite.
Before the renovation, there was a bedroom and a large bathroom on one floor. Now, the bedroom – at the front of the house, and visible in the antiqued, mirrored door here – opens onto this ‘corridor’ of elegant cupboards, forming a glamorous walk-in dressing area.
The grooved, handleless doors, which almost look like lavish, pleated curtains, lead to the mirrored wall at the end, which opens onto a bathroom.
Look around the whole of this stunning house.
When Zulufish renovated the second floor of this period townhouse, the design turned the entire floor into a beautiful suite.
Before the renovation, there was a bedroom and a large bathroom on one floor. Now, the bedroom – at the front of the house, and visible in the antiqued, mirrored door here – opens onto this ‘corridor’ of elegant cupboards, forming a glamorous walk-in dressing area.
The grooved, handleless doors, which almost look like lavish, pleated curtains, lead to the mirrored wall at the end, which opens onto a bathroom.
Look around the whole of this stunning house.
Capitalise on a cupboard
This simple bedroom and en suite in a rustic setting – a former stables – make good use of the space, while also retaining some of the building’s characterful features. AR Design Studio was responsible for the sensitively reworking the entire building.
While the cupboard provides essential storage for the small room, it also handily partitions off a good-sized bathroom.
The unusual basin in the corner is made from a horse trough original to the property. This feature is the part that’s visible from the room and it complements the retained wooden stable wall.
At the other end, which has tiled walls, there’s a loo tucked out of sight, parallel to the wardrobe, and next to that, lengthways, is a bath.
Tour the rest of this unusual renovation.
This simple bedroom and en suite in a rustic setting – a former stables – make good use of the space, while also retaining some of the building’s characterful features. AR Design Studio was responsible for the sensitively reworking the entire building.
While the cupboard provides essential storage for the small room, it also handily partitions off a good-sized bathroom.
The unusual basin in the corner is made from a horse trough original to the property. This feature is the part that’s visible from the room and it complements the retained wooden stable wall.
At the other end, which has tiled walls, there’s a loo tucked out of sight, parallel to the wardrobe, and next to that, lengthways, is a bath.
Tour the rest of this unusual renovation.
Expand with a landing
If adding an en suite to your bedroom compromises space, consider whether there’s somewhere the room can ‘spill’ into.
In this clever reworking by Kia Designs, there was little space in the bedroom for a dressing table. However, there was a small landing outside, originally filled with a built-in cupboard.
The cupboard was removed and replaced by this dinky desk for putting on make-up and getting ready.
By accepting the existing layout, the designer managed to fit in this, the bedroom, a shower room and also a narrow dressing room (see the next photo), all on this compact top floor.
If adding an en suite to your bedroom compromises space, consider whether there’s somewhere the room can ‘spill’ into.
In this clever reworking by Kia Designs, there was little space in the bedroom for a dressing table. However, there was a small landing outside, originally filled with a built-in cupboard.
The cupboard was removed and replaced by this dinky desk for putting on make-up and getting ready.
By accepting the existing layout, the designer managed to fit in this, the bedroom, a shower room and also a narrow dressing room (see the next photo), all on this compact top floor.
This used to be a cramped study, but the door was removed to free up a little more space. Flexible shelving and storage were then built in, giving the homeowners the option to reconfigure the dressing room as needed.
To help you picture the spaces more clearly, this doorless room is ahead of you as you reach the top of the stairs. The landing dressing table is on your right and the bedroom, leading to an en suite, is on the left.
To help you picture the spaces more clearly, this doorless room is ahead of you as you reach the top of the stairs. The landing dressing table is on your right and the bedroom, leading to an en suite, is on the left.
The view from the shower room into the bedroom.
See the clever layout ideas all over this family home.
Tell us…
Which of these en suite ideas is your favourite? Let us know in the Comments.
See the clever layout ideas all over this family home.
Tell us…
Which of these en suite ideas is your favourite? Let us know in the Comments.
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The wood works one is my favourite, with the doors closed you'd never know it was there.
I built myself a en suite bathroom capitalizing on a wardrobe and leaving it without a door. At the beginning I was afraid that this will increase humidity and will cause some bad odor in the bedroom. However, two strong fans - one above the WC and one above the shower make the air fresh and dry