Perfect Pairings: The Art of a Home Spa
Works of art and design add a spa-like ambiance to a master bathroom
Of all the comforts of home, a well-appointed bathroom might just be the key to relaxation and serenity. There is nothing quite like a hot shower or a long soak after a busy day, especially in thoughtfully designed surroundings. A luxury master bath can serve as an elegant and private place in which to recharge and refresh. Bathrooms today feature amenities that would dazzle even the hygiene-conscious Ancient Romans, who invented indoor plumbing and turned bathing into a social ritual on par with an extravagant dinner party. Discretely mounted television screens for enjoying a favorite movie, gorgeous (and flattering) lighting, saunas and steam rooms and, of course, works of art and design fit for a personal retreat all give today’s most luxurious bathrooms a spa-like ambiance.
From Connecticut to Cartagena, we explore three extraordinary homes with sumptuous spa-like bathrooms accoutered with the latest luxury amenities and interior décor. These designer showpieces have it all, however, we’ve selected exquisite objet d’art from Christie’s upcoming sales to further enhance their serenity.
18th-Century Style in Connecticut
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Mallard Pond, a five-bedroom estate in the picturesque equestrian region of Ridgefield, Connecticut was built in 2006, yet its gracious proportions, symmetry, and period details immediately bring to mind American colonial architecture. Inspired by Georgian and Jeffersonian styles, this house is full of meticulously crafted details such as vaulted ceilings, a collonaded piazza, a covered arcade, and formal gardens. The design of the master bath takes this classical inspiration to heart: the round marble bathtub is encircled by three windows that open onto a private terrace with views of the property’s lush greenery. With doors on either side, the area bears a subtle resemblance to a greenhouse. This lovely (and rare) combination of privacy and beautiful views makes this bathroom an elegant escape, indeed.
The architectural spirit of this estate makes it a natural setting for works of art and antiques from the 18th century. Two such treasures are on offer in Christie’s sale of Arts and Textiles of the Islamic and Indian Worlds in London. An exquisite album page from a late 18th-century manuscript depicting a lively scene of ladies bathing in a pool full of lotus flowers was painted in Lucknow during India’s Mughal Dynasty. A group of sedan chairs sits in the background against a dense forest, while the bejeweled women enjoy themselves in the foreground, and one adventurous soul smokes a huqqa. The rich colors of this delicate Ottoman embroidered towel from Greece would complement the painting beautifully. Also dating from the 18th century, it has two bands of floriated scrollwork embroidery in shades of blue, red, and green. An antique Swiss walnut stool once owned by members of the de Rothschild family and included in Christie’s October 14th Visual Odyssey sale, paired with a 19th-century three-fold dressing mirror, would give this marble bathroom a layered sense of history. Upholstered in peach-colored cotton, the stool sports classic Rococo carvings. And though the dressing mirror likely dates from the late 19th century, it would be chic in any era.
Contemporary Luxury in Historic Cartagena
Cartagena, Columbia
Located within the enchanting walled city of Cartagena, Colombia, this 18th century republican house features completely renovated contemporary interiors with clean and serene open spaces. A breathtaking 380-square meter rooftop terrace is one of the largest in the city and is replete with stunning ocean and city views as well as a large hot tub for the ultimate in relaxation. Centro Historico includes 12 luxurious bedrooms—each with its own private granite bathroom—that mix the past with the present by exposing its original brick walls. Huge angular wooden doors, high ceilings, a carved Turkish screen and restored mosaic floors portray a serious attention to details and aesthetics.
A contemporary bathroom in a historic estate like this one deserves modern design with a legacy. A cheery “Contour” lounge chair by Vladimir Kagan (b. 1927), featured in Christie’s October 14th Visual Odyssey sale, would be a perfect perch from which to relax while drawing a bath. Designed in 1954, this classic walnut set was produced by Kagan-Dreyfuss, Inc. and is upholstered in white leather. Two slightly earlier pieces would lend this space a touch of Art Deco glamour: an amber-colored French dressing table, circa 1940, is geometric and understated, and an elegant Miroir Brot illuminated triptych dressing table mirror, circa 1930 and also in the Visual Odyssey sale, is not unlike Centro Historico itself: a timeless masterpiece that looks as though it could have been designed this year.
