The clients requested a private space where they could relax, entertain and spend time with their grandchildren. They also wanted the ambiance of a high-end day spa.
They got all that and more with their casita spa. A “casita,” which means “small house” in Spanish, is typically an office adjacent to a home. But this casita, set just 20 feet from the house, boasts an 8-by-14-foot gunite spa that easily fits 10 people. The spa includes an offset bench, 12 jets and an in-floor cleaning system.
“The size is perfect, a great venue for entertainment, and large enough so the lady of the house can exercise and move around — yet small enough to heat as a spa,” says Joseph M. Vassallo.
The spa was carefully designed to match the 6,400-square-foot custom home through color and architectural touches. The many brown tones throughout the house are echoed in the casita, as are the myriad small windows, but for a slightly different reason.
“Of course, humidity was a concern [with the casita], and that’s why there are a lot of little windows,” Vassallo notes. “In the house, there are 18-by-18-inch windows throughout, strategically and artfully placed in different configurations. We brought in daylight and aeration with them here in the casita.”
In addition to its windows, the casita spa features a 42-inch, flat-screen plasma TV and speakers that send music from all corners of the room. Comfy chairs from the Andre Agassi/Steffi Graf Collection, nicknamed “tennis balls,” emphasize the stay-and-unwind atmosphere. Throw in a romantic fireplace, glowing candles, and dramatic spa and room lighting, and it’s no wonder this is a place where folks congregate.
