A Moved and Improved Master Bath

Light and White

Baths are often designed for efficiency, with amenities like a steam shower almost an afterthought. Architect Aleck Wilson faced a different challenge when the owners of a century-old shingled house in San Francisco asked him to revamp their master bath. "They wanted a retreat," he says, "a real room with symmetry and presence and a sense of entrance."

Shown: Moved to a larger, light-filled spot, the bath now holds a windowed shower, a marble-framed tub, and finishes in keeping with the rest of the late-1800s house. Paneling, based on wainscoting in other rooms, opens for access to plumbing.