Playing up the vista of Rock Creek Park was high on the list when architects Patrick Cooke and Neal Thomson carved out the new primary bath in a Forest Hills home they were renovating for clients with two young daughters. In fact, they placed the Waterworks soaking tub in an alcove cantilevered so high above the greenery that window treatments were deemed unnecessary.

Designer Martha Vicas outfitted the refuge in crisp, modern style. A steam shower to the right of the tub is clad in statuary marble; the same stone repeats on the floors and the top of the vanity, situated on the tub’s left. Innovations wall covering made from recycled paper warms the material palette. “My clients, both men, wanted the space to be clubby, luxurious and masculine,” explains Vicas. “So we selected rift oak for the double vanity in a dark espresso color.” TV screens and outlets are hidden in the Robern medicine cabinets, she adds, “because they wanted nothing out on the countertops.”

Real espresso is also on hand, courtesy of a built-in Miele coffee machine tucked away in a handy bar opposite the vanity. “The idea,” says Vicas, “was that the owners can enjoy their espresso on the balcony off their bedroom, take a steam and a shower. Then, when their daughters wake up in the morning, they’ll be ready to begin their busy days.”

Architecture: Patrick Cooke, AIA; Neal Thomson, AIA, Thomson & Cooke Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Martha Vicas, M.S. Vicas Interiors, Washington, DC. Contractor: ThinkMakeBuild, Washington, DC. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.

THE DETAILS
Light Fixture: alliedmaker.com. Sconces: jonathanbrowninginc.com. Vanity: carolinaheartwoodcabinetry.com. Medicine Cabinets: robern.com. Marble Floor Tile & Countertop: marblesystems.com. Tub, Cabinet Hardware & Plumbing: waterworks.com. Wallpaper: innovationsusa.com.