Beautiful Baths With Michael Berman

Michael BermanBath Design by Michael Berman

Through his LA-based firm, Michael Berman Limited, this accomplished designer creates timeless, tailored spaces for an enviable client list made up of the business and entertainment worlds’ elite. His wide-ranging interest in history, art, architecture and nature is reflected in his interiors and in the home furnishings, accessories and fixtures that bear his name. We asked him to share his expertise in creating a beautiful bathroom.

What are your 5 must-haves for a luxury master bathroom?

1. Spacious bathtub for two with air jets to create an effervescent bathing experience. 

2. Large shower equipped with steam and rain shower heads with a thermostatic control valve to maintain the perfect temperature. 

3.  Ample counter space for beautiful trays and containers. 

4.  Towel warming bars (because even California gets chilly mornings and evenings).

5. Refrigeration (mini unit) for keeping cosmetics fresh, cooling towels, a pitcher of fresh orange juice for the mornings and bottled spring water.

What stays out on the countertop and what must be put away? Do you have a display or organizational go-to? 

What I keep on the bath counters are always handsome silver trays and a collection of matching containers to hold the essentials...however, toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes are always put away in cabs or drawers. I never leave anything branded on the counter unless the brand is Hermès, Guerlain or Etro (I make exceptions for them of course)!  I always have a box on the counter that contains my eyeglass cleaner and cloths (fogging in a bath is annoying on your spectacles!)

Powder rooms can make an outsized impression on guests. They also give guests a rare opportunity to notice details without being observed. Does that affect your design choices for powder rooms? 

Powder Rooms are always the public space in one’s home that inevitably gets a visit when you entertain. So, the powder room is always a place we use extra special materials that are often more delicate or more dramatic, like pearlized wood veneer wall covering, and French brass lav fixtures that convey a sense of jewelry. 

What’s the best way to create ambiance in a bathroom?

My favorite way to create elegance in a bathroom is with dimmable ambient lighting, preferably sconces that are placed at eye level, fresh flowers that may add a pop of color and one of my signature ‘Rosewood’ scented candles. I love the scent of ‘Rosewood‘ that I created for the home, well suited for the Master...slightly floral with a smokey ancient wood overtone.  It’s both masculine and feminine so it has calming fragrance. 

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