Why Double Master Suites Are The Growing Trend In Luxury New Developments

Longing for a master bedroom? A hideaway big enough for a king-sized bed, with a private bathroom and maybe even a walk-in closet. Many dream of a home where there is one such sanctuary, let alone two. But as builders work to accommodate the needs of modern families, double master bedrooms are a growing trend among luxury new developments.

Take, for example, unit 7D in Time Equities’ 50 West St. in the Financial District of Manhattan. The five-bed, 5 1/2-bath duplex was offered with two master suites, one of which leads to a 920-square-foot private terrace and includes not just a walk-in closet, but also a steam shower, a free-standing tub and a sauna. The other, located on the second level, is topped off with a pair of double sinks.

Similarly, the duplex penthouse 78B in Silverstein Properties’ 30 Park Place in Tribeca, listed for $25 million, also features one master suite per floor.

So what exactly constitutes a master bedroom? Also known as an owner’s suite, it’s typically the largest bedroom in a home, has an attached bath, and usually has the best exposures, Warburg Realty’s Rachel Ostow Lustbader says. “There is no specific size requirement,” however, “and as our housing construction has transitioned from prewar buildings to post war buildings to new condo developments, the size of the master has decreased in lockstep.”

For example, she notes that master bedrooms in the prewar 740 Park Ave. on the Upper East Side can measure 420 square feet, the size of many studio apartments, whereas in the famed new 220 Central Park South, where Ken Griffin recently bought a home for $238 million, they’re about 288 square feet. 

National builder K.Hovnanian Homes has several townhouse communities in New Jersey with two master bedrooms, including Arbors at Monroe in Monroe Township, Hilltop at Cedar Grove, and Four Ponds at Lincroft in Middletown. Designed for ultimate privacy, they offer large bathrooms with attached walk-in closets.

Over in San Francisco, luxury developer Troon Pacific designed a secondary master suite with its own separate entrance at 2646 Union St. (currently listed with Compass for $29.8 million).  And down in Florida, Toll Brothers’ gated Casabella development in Windermere has homes with not two but three master bedrooms.

The trend, developers say, is due to a growing desire among Americans to live in close proximity to their families. While many live in multi-generational households, or with siblings or other relatives, to save money, others just choose to – whether it be to easily take care of children or aging parents, or simply to retain close bonds with each other.

“We include features like secondary master suites so that families and loved ones can maintain close connections as they grow,” explains Gregory Malin, CEO and founder of Troon Pacific. “These spaces also allow the owners to age in place, as they can maintain their independence while having their children just steps away.” 

First-floor suites have become increasingly popular too, adds Chris McGrath, community manager for K.Hovnanian’s Hilltop at Cedar Grove. “It gives adults the option of a separate living space and allows for children to have a more flexible space on the second floor,” he says. “Two owner suites … gives owners the option to fill a current need or a possible future need.”