Light is crucial in home design. We play with it as we orient a home in a specific direction, as we place windows and determine their sizes, and as we consider colors, textures, and materials that will magnify or soften it. Natural light also plays important roles in our health and well-being. It awakens the brain, soothes anxieties, and boosts moods.

As we use light to highlight beauty, we also consider how it will improve the lifestyle of those who inhabit the home. Regardless of style, the master bath–one of the first rooms we enter as we prepare for the day–poses a brilliant opportunity to infuse light into morning rituals.

Ratio House

Inspired by the shoji screens of Japan, Seattle home designer Curtis Gelotte created a wall of translucent art glass in Ratio House’s master bath. The effect is stunning. Light filters through the entirety of the wall, bathing the space in soft, bright light without compromising privacy.

Woodway Manor

The morning sun pours through the vaulted skylight in Woodway Manor’s master bath, illuminating both the clawfoot tub and vanity. The sunlight plays with the yellow walls and white trim and imbues a cheerful elegance to the space.

Casa del Sol

Casa del Sol: the house of sun. An apt name for a home flooded with light. Exposed beams, high windows, and an open design allow light to cascade through the room and illuminate the nature-inspired architecture. The bathtub itself sits in the corner where two windows meet, affording the occupants stunning views of the Puget Sound.