RobbReport Luxury Home: Déco Dame

Alexia Brue

01/01/2008

"This room makes me feel the glamour of the ’20s," says Nancy Epstein, founder of the stone and tile firm Artistic Tile, of her personal bath suite. Here, her love affair with Art Déco is clearly evident. From the center of the room’s 20-foot rotunda hangs a period Lalique chandelier, its etched fan-shaped panels setting an elegant tone for the space, which in many respects is more boudoir than bathroom.

The floor pattern, in Calcutta gold marble, recalls Europe’s earlier Art Nouveau movement and features a design based on the works of prominent Belgian architect Victor Horta. Complementing the flooring are detailed vanities—created by Pamela Babey of the architectural and design firm BAMO—that incorporate Murano glass, ivory shagreen, custom metalwork and Breccia Imperiale, a rare Italian marble that Epstein purchased after a decade of searching (Artistic Tile claims to have the last of the world’s remaining blocks).

Though the details are yesteryear, modern-day comforts are not ignored. In addition to a steam shower, LED motion-detector lights, a hidden flat-screen television and medicine cabinets with foldout mirrors, the bathroom includes hidden outlets and high-tech lighting that transport the space into the 21st century without compromising the period feel. "There’s even a special place to charge my cell phone," says Epstein.

Artistic Tile, 877.528.5401, www.artistictile.com
BAMO, 415.979.9880, www.bamo.com