Your Own Winter Retreat: Designing the Perfect Primary Suite for Rest and Relaxation

Updated October 2026 

A primary suite feels like a retreat when the bathroom, closet, and bedroom are planned together around how you actually live. Chicago winters keep us indoors for months, so this is the season when a suite that works, and feels calm, matters most. This guide covers what to consider in each space and how to plan the renovation.

Quick answers

• Bathroom: a larger shower, a soaking tub if you’ll use it, and soft, adjustable lighting.
• Closet: custom storage sized to your wardrobe, with good lighting and a spot to get dressed.
• Bedroom: layered lighting, a comfortable window treatment, and a corner for sitting.
• Planning: decide what you’ll use daily before you decide what looks impressive.
• Timeline: a primary bathroom typically takes about 8–12 weeks, and a larger suite takes longer.

What makes a primary suite feel like a retreat?

A retreat is a suite planned around your routine, not a list of luxury features. Think about how your mornings and evenings actually go. Where do you get ready? Where do you unwind? What makes you reach for your phone instead of relaxing? The best suites remove friction first, such as clutter, glare, and a cramped shower, and add luxury second.

How do you design a spa-style primary bathroom?

Make the shower the star

Many homeowners now give the shower more space. In the 2026 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study of 1,619 U.S. homeowners, 79% of those who removed a tub used the space to enlarge the shower. A walk-in shower can include a rainfall head, a handheld sprayer, a bench, and built-in niches. Frameless glass keeps the room open and bright, which helps in compact bathrooms.

Decide whether a soaking tub fits your life

A freestanding tub is a beautiful focal point, but only if you’ll use it. Among homeowners in the Houzz study who added or replaced a tub, 72% chose a soaking tub. If you take baths, place it near a window with privacy glazing or screening. If you don’t, a larger shower may serve you better.

Warm floors and soft light

Warm floors and dimmable light are two comfort features that suit our winters. Floor warming is usually a comfort feature, not your main heat source, so ask your designer how it would work with your home’s heating. On lighting, the Houzz study found 39% of renovating homeowners say dimmable lighting helps them unwind, and 40% say natural light does. Layer a bright light for grooming with a softer one for evenings.

Storage that keeps it calm

A serene bathroom starts with somewhere to put things. Floating vanities with deep drawers, built-in niches, and medicine cabinets with integrated lighting keep counters clear.

Finishes and fixtures

Choose finishes that stay good-looking with daily use: tile with a grout color you can live with, a countertop that resists water and stains, and fixtures in one consistent finish. Ask to see samples in your own lighting before you commit. For more ideas, read 9 ideas for a luxurious bathroom remodel.

What makes a walk-in closet worth the space?

A closet worth the space is built around your wardrobe, not around a catalog. Chicago closets carry a wide seasonal range, from heavy coats to summer linens, so storage needs to flex.

• Adjustable shelving that changes as your wardrobe does
• Double-hang rods to use vertical space for shirts and pants
• Drawers for jewelry, accessories, and delicates
• Dedicated shoe and handbag storage
• A built-in hamper so laundry stays out of the bedroom
• Good lighting: LED strips under shelves, plus task lighting by the mirror
• A dressing area with a full-length mirror and a place to sit

If space allows, an island adds drawers and a surface for folding. If it doesn’t, a well-planned wall of storage can do most of the same work.

How do you make a bedroom feel cozy?

Layered lighting, comfortable materials, and a spot to sit make a bedroom feel like a retreat.

• Lighting: dimmable overhead lights, reading lights at the bed, and a lamp or two for soft evening light. Smart controls can save “reading” and “winding down” settings.
• Window treatments: layered shades give privacy and let you control light, and room-darkening options help sleep. Ask about options that help with drafts.
• A sitting area: a chair by a window, a chaise, or a window seat with storage beneath.
• A fireplace, if it suits your home: options differ in installation and venting, so ask your designer what works in your house.
• Colors and textures: soft neutrals, calm blues and greens, or deeper tones all work. Warm tones can help on gray winter days. Layer linen, wool, and wood for warmth.

How do you plan a primary suite renovation?

Start with a short list of decisions.

1. Decide what you’ll use daily. Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves.
2. Decide what you can change. Combining rooms or moving walls needs a structural look first.
3. Plan your timeline. A primary bathroom typically takes about 8–12 weeks, and a larger suite takes longer. Your project manager confirms your schedule once the design is final.
4. Plan where you’ll live. Ask how the work will affect daily life, especially if the bathroom will be out of service.
5. Compare proposals. Ask each company the same questions. See remodeling contractor questions to ask.

What does a primary suite renovation cost?

There’s no single price, because every suite is different. The size of the bathroom and closet, whether walls move, the tile, fixtures, and cabinetry you choose, and what’s found behind the walls all affect the total. Prices can also change if your scope or selections change or if material costs move. Many homeowners set aside an extra 10–15% as a cushion. Once your design and scope are final, you receive an itemized estimate. For more on what drives cost, read our bathroom remodel cost guide and home remodeling mistakes homeowners make.

How do we handle a primary suite project?

We design it, then we build it, with one team. Our process starts with a consultation, then a design and build proposal with a floor plan, 3D concepts, and a cost breakdown. After selections, a project manager coordinates the build, and your work is backed by our warranty. See our process and design-build vs. general contractor. Our bathroom remodeling page covers the bathroom side in more detail, and custom closet and cabinet pieces come from our AnnTucker Cabinetry line.

Primary suite questions

Is a soaking tub worth it?

Only if you’ll use it. If you rarely take baths, a larger shower may give you more value.

How long does a primary bathroom remodel take?

About 8–12 weeks is typical. Adding a closet or reworking the bedroom takes longer.

Can I combine a bathroom and closet?

Often, yes, but it depends on the structure. A designer checks the walls and layout first.

What should I do before winter?

Start planning early. Design and material selection take time, and our guide to winter remodeling in Chicagoland can help you decide on timing.

Where do we serve?

We remodel in Chicago and the suburbs, including Winnetka, Naperville, Hinsdale, Northbrook, Glenview, Oak Park, and Chicago. See all service areas.

Ready to plan your retreat?

Tell us how you’d like your suite to feel, and we’ll talk through what’s possible in your home.