A sanctuary of arches, mosaics, and retreat.

Yellow Wood

L2: Master Suite

Overview

The second floor of Yellow Wood is devoted to calm and restoration. Anchored by a reconfigured master suite, the level transforms what was once an awkward, L‑shaped bedroom and undersized bath into a cohesive retreat defined by proportion, light, and ritual.

Cara reimagined the suite to align with the home’s rhythms of use—moving the laundry to this floor, expanding the bathroom, and reorganizing storage to create balance and flow. The result is a serene, deeply personal environment where everyday routines feel architectural.

Design Approach

The former L‑shaped bedroom was re‑proportioned into a rectangular plan oriented toward Hudson River views. Salvaged period bookshelves with arched glass doors frame the new bed wall, while a portion of an adjacent underused room was reclaimed for closet storage.

The reconfigured master bedroom—arched storage, river light, and the quiet company of cats.

The master bath extends into what was once part of the bedroom, organized as a series of spatial zones reminiscent of a Roman bath. An existing half‑moon window became the motif for a sequence of new arches—one framing the shower and another defining the tub alcove. The shower features a stone peacock mosaic from Lebanon; the soaking tub, a black Kohler model, is set against a Tree of Life stone mosaic, echoing themes from the lower level.

The original half-moon window that inspired a language of arches throughout the master suite.

Arches, mosaics, and morning light—the Roman bath reimagined in marble and story.

The Tree of Life mosaic anchors the arched tub alcove—ritual, symmetry, and restoration.

Layered thresholds—salvaged doors, marble underfoot, and light connecting the suite.

Salvaged wooden partition doors from a local bar were repurposed to define the bath’s zones, allowing privacy while maintaining openness. Pocket doors further compartmentalize the suite, connecting the bath to both the bedroom and a small “cat room”—a light‑filled space with built‑in feeding stations integrated into vintage cabinetry. The cat sink, an illustrated enamel Kohler basin inset into a marble‑topped Victorian dresser, continues the home’s pattern of adaptive reuse.

Fixtures and finishes span eras and sources: Restoration Hardware lighting and plumbing fixtures, a salvaged vanity, a leather stool from a Connecticut estate, and local auction art. Walls and floors are clad in Calacatta Gold marble mosaic from Artistic Tile, complemented by Carrara marble countertops and whimsical Schumacher Chinois Palais vinyl panels wrapping the toilet vestibule. Even the Kohler bidet toilet carries a quiet luxury, complete with touchscreen remote control.

An illustrated enamel Kohler sink set in a marble Victorian dresser —where craft meets ritual.

Salvaged arched cabinets reimagined as storage—order, ritual, and quiet delight in the everyday.

Daily Rituals

Living in the house revealed a practical challenge: laundry was being generated on the upper floors but managed downstairs. Cara resolved this by transforming an underused room off the back stair into a combined laundry and half bath, moving the washer and dryer upstairs for the first time.

Rolling laundry carts now travel directly from the master suite to the laundry, with a dedicated stair run serving the guest level above. The compact room incorporates custom hanging systems, a mop sink, and a salvaged stained‑glass door—a recurring Yellow Wood signature that filters colored light into the space.

Laundry elevated—utility made graceful through light, proportion, and reuse.

A salvaged stained-glass door transforms function into ritual—light filtering through the everyday.

Atmosphere & Materials

The master suite captures the essence of Yellow Wood: refined yet personal, historic yet adaptive. Calacatta marble, stained glass, and salvaged wood coexist with modern amenities. Every fixture, tile, and threshold serves both function and feeling—proof that comfort and beauty can share the same footprint.

Realized in collaboration with local contractor Chris Fisher, the design merges discipline with intimacy—a private architecture of daily life.