Will the Term "Master Bedroom" No Longer Exist?
Some designers, architects, developers are moving towards a more politically-correct term for the largest room in the house.
Would you ever call your master bedroom, an "Owner's Suite"? Or what about "Owner's Bedroom?" An article on Gawker cited a survey from the Washington Business Journal that found some real estate developers in the Washington, D.C. area no longer use the term "Master Bedroom" in their floor plans. Some people believe that there are negative connotations to the term, gender-wise and historically. Of the survey of 10 homebuilders in the D.C. area, six no longer use the word. Instead, they're using "Owner's suite," "Owner's bedroom," or "Mastre Bedroom." In fact, some in the industry, such as Brian Block, managing broker for McLean's RE/Max Allegiance, told the Washington Business Journal that he prefers those terms because they imply a luxurious space with a lavish bath and custom closets.
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We were interested to see what other designers and architects thought about the name change, here's what three in the New York City area said:
"We work on many new construction projects here, and we have noticed that new marketing collateral identifies what used to be known as the 'Master Bedroom' as 'Bedroom 1' or more commonly 'Owner's Suite.' This makes so much sense as many of our clients have non-traditional living situations. For instance, we're working on a penthouse apartment for two sisters who both need their own suites. We are just removing it from our lexicon, as the term 'Master' just doesn't apply anymore." -Kati Curtis, Interior Designer, Kati Curtis Design
"Oddly, I have mostly seen the term 'Owner's Suite' used with yacht layouts, where it made me seasick. 'Master Bedroom' is so ingrained in our culture that it is value-neutral." -Joan Dineen, Interior Designer and Architect, Dineen Architecture
"I have never heard of this approach. Some people take design terms too seriously! I remember being told that I should say 'sofa' rather than 'couch' as the latter is not as glamorous." -Austin Bradley, Interior Designer, Robert Passal Interior & Architectural Design
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What do you think of changing the term "Master Bedroom" to something more politically-correct? What do you call the biggest bedroom in your house? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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