Classic Primary Bath by Madison Avenue Design
A new construction luxury spec home in a prestigious neighborhood—it was just the kind of blank canvas that inspires Madison Miller. As the founder and principal designer of Houston-based Madison Avenue Design, Miller specializes in ultra-luxury residential and commercial architectural design, a field she was born into as the daughter of a custom luxury home builder. “It was non-stop architecture, design and build in our home for my entire upbringing,” she says, adding that she led the design and renovation of her family home when she was still in seventh grade. Bringing her lifelong passion to this project, she worked with one of her favorite builders Sasha Luxury Homes for this River Oaks home.
On a spec house project, there’s no homeowner to collaborate with, so Miller says it’s important to focus on a design that will have wide-spread appeal. “I lean heavily on my intuition when designing homes–whether it be a spec with a builder or for a custom home with a client,” she says. “I could feel this home needed to be a little soft, with almost a feminine touch. I did not know why until we finished the house and after only 13 days on the market, it got its first offer—by a plastic surgeon who is a woman.”
Designer Madison Miller decided to create a spa-like retreat using super luxe fixtures paired with natural stone, and high-end finishes
But For the primary bath to achieve the aesthetic she was going for, Miller decided on super luxury plumbing, natural stone, and high-end finishes. “One of my biggest visions for space was for this to feel like a spa retreat—somewhere you can come home to and completely unwind in after the hustle and bustle of our days,” she says. That translated to a bath nearly completely covered in marble—bath floors, shower floors, full slab tub surround, shower walls, counters, and backsplash.
Hydro Systems’ Marquis freestanding bathtub “is truly the star of the show,” Miller says. “As soon as you open the double sliding doors to this primary bath, the Marquis tub is the very first thing you see. I needed a tub that could read both traditional and modern at the same time.” With its “elegant and timeless” style, the tub was “the missing link” the brought the design elements together. Miller chose THG Paris faucets and a tub filler with arched spouts and to compliment the tub’s “beautiful, elegant curves and exceptional proportions.” The decorative marble slab surround served as the “frame” of the tub, she says. “If you’re going to select a free-standing tub, why not make it really stand out?” The upper left and right corners of the slab surround were shaped for a softer silhouette, “almost mirroring the curvature of the Marquis tub,” Miller says.
The finished design projects the elevated, sanctuary-style feel that Miller hoped to achieve. The classic materials and elegant tub, cabinetry, and hardware contribute to the sense of sophistication. Miller says her firm’s approach is to “design within, through, and beyond the built environment to transform ideas into a reality.” In this light-filled bath space, all the elements come together to achieve that goal.
The marble slab’s scalloped edges frame the Marquis tub’s curved silhouette. Subtle patterns in the slab and mosaic floor highlight the Marquis’s sculptural shape.
Interior Design: Madison Avenue Design
Build: Sasha Luxury Homes
Photography: Gisele Parra Photography
