Elegant period furniture and subtly colored bath fixtures suggested the direction for the late Norman DeHaan's sumptuous master suite. DeHaan, FASID, FAIA, employed classical design themes to create the look of a centuries-old Italian palazzo, but with all of today's comfort considerations. Using a variety of architectural and interior design techniques including arches, varying ceiling heights, draped fabrics, sections of marble inlaid in a ceramic tile floor, and bordered carpets, he created an arrangement of parallel spaces that leads the eye from one to another.

At the foot of the four-poster bed is an airy greenhouse space furnished with whirlpool bath, lounge chair and an elegant marble-topped vanity fitted with a lavatory. In this space, the whirlpool is the focal point. "Bathing," the designer observed, "has once again become a very social act, much as it was in Renaissance times."

The rich woods of the furniture, the sleek shapes of the bath fixtures, and a profusion of textures make the design statement. The pink and taupe tones of the marble vanity top are repeated on the platform surrounding the whirlpool and in the floor. To define the sleeping area, the designer selected a creamy silken fabric which was shirred and gathered over the bed to lower the ceiling and create a formal canopy. Draperies of rosy beige are hung across the opening at the foot of the bed. When drawn, the draperies function like medieval bed curtains, creating a room within a room.

Mirrors at opposite ends of the greenhouse reflect endless images. Taupe carpeting with a sculptured geometric border defines the limits of the sleeping and sitting areas. Near the end of the entrance hall, a console table with ornate cast bronze legs is positioned on one wall opposite an alcove which houses the toilet and bidet. To give privacy, the alcove is out of the sight line from the entrance to the suite. Sparkling panels of beveled glass further delineate the space without making it appear confining.

About the Designer
At the time of his death in 1990, Norman R. DeHaan, FAIA, FASID, was president of Norman DeHaan Associates of Chicago, Illinois. He studied under Mies Van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology. DeHaan lectured widely here and abroad on interiors and architecture. He held memberships in a variety of architecture, design and art groups, and served on numerous juries and panels for the American Society of Interior Designers, the American Institute of Architects, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other industry-related organizations.

PRODUCT/RESOURCE LIST

Kohler Co.
K-1384-H1 Watersilk whirlpool bath in Almond
K-9698 Whirlpool trim kit in polished brass
K-3068/K-3071 Northern Italian bath apron
K-3065 Northern Italian bath vanity
K-110-4/K-126 Antique bath faucet w/riser tubes in polished brass
K-2211 Caxton lavatories in Almond
K-108-4 Antique lavatory faucets in polished brass
K-3067 Northern Italian mirror
K-7945/K-3005 Natural marble console table with Uccello leg styling in verdigris
K-3384 San Raphael toilet in Almond
K-4854 San Tropez bidet in Almond
K-142-3 Antique bidet faucet in polished brass
K-208/K-205 Antique towel rings and towel bars in polished brass