Suite Spaces

Samantha Brooks

09/01/2005


Jumby Bay, Antigua
As a guest in some of the world’s finest hotels, you are often privy to the latest and greatest in bathroom design. A stay at these stylish havens provides the opportunity to use accessories and products you may have been contemplating for your own home—or ones that spark instant devotion. 

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At Jumby Bay, a Rosewood Resort, the treatment of the exterior spaces was just as important as the interior design, since the lush island paradise is hardly the type of place where guests come to spend time indoors. The secluded 40-room property is set on a 300-acre private island two miles off the coast of Antigua, and is home to endangered turtles and rare birds. “When we came in to do a refurbishment of the property, we wanted to make better use of the courtyard areas,” says Peter Bowling, managing director of Jumby Bay. “We expanded the bathrooms so that there would be about 100 square feet of indoor vanity space and about 150 square feet of outdoor space, with a shower and bathtub.” New double doors open onto a terrace where an additional open-air shower was installed. “When you’re in the bath you feel like you’re part of the island; to be in that kind of setting—among the birds and tree frogs—is amazing,” says Bowling.

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Colors were kept to beige and cream to help the indoor fixtures blend with the outdoors, and the floor makes a subtle transition from mosaic tile to stone gravel and flagstone as it leads outside. “We also used mirrors above the indoor vanities to help ease the flow between spaces.” explains Bowling. The $6 million bathroom refurbishment is still underway, but 35 of the hotel’s 40 guest rooms will have outdoor bathrooms by Christmas.

Jumby Bay, 268.462.6000, www.jumbybayresort.com

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Hansgrohe
The designs of Philippe Starck, whether they be for cars or interiors, always manage to subtly merge sleek contemporary elements with nearly any kind of environment (his work with hotelier Ian Schrager at such properties as the Delano in Miami and the Mondrian in Los Angeles gave new meaning to the phrase “design hotel”). Collaborating with Hansgrohe for the high-end Axor line, Starck created a collection of more than 50 streamlined pieces for the bathroom that include everything from showerheads and faucets to mirrors and lotion dispensers. The chrome Axor Starck Classic Tall Lav Mixer used at Jumby Bay is priced at $657.

Hansgrohe, 800.488.8119, www.hansgrohe-usa.com

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Waterworks
Since 1978, Waterworks has been operating under the philosophy that a bathroom does not have to be a room used solely for hygiene. And while most high-end companies focus on contemporary designs, Waterworks offers an array of different styles. “Our signature style is the transitional. Our collections look equally appropriate in a Cape Cod beach house as they do in a modern New York penthouse,” says senior vice president of design and cofounder Barbara Sallick. The cast iron bathtub from the Savoy collection is an update of an Edwardian design that has been around since 1890, and the exposed outdoor shower system from the Easton collection includes a thermostatic shower valve, which maintains a consistent water temperature. The tub’s trim is available in 16 different finishes, from antique bronze to matte nickel, and is priced from $2,050. Pricing for the shower system starts at $2,500.

Waterworks, 800.998.2284, www.waterworks.com

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Porcher
Since partnering with American Standard in 1992, French company Porcher has been bringing its modern European designs for the kitchen and bath to the American market. Combined, the companies under the American Standard umbrella are the world’s largest producers of bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings (it is estimated that three out of every five bathrooms in the United States have at least one product from the American Standard family). Shown here, the Como above-counter basin sits six inches above the counter and has a 16-inch diameter. Available in white for $330, the basin has a clean vitreous china surface that is an ideal canvas for custom handpainted designs.

Porcher, 800.359.3261, www.porcher-us.com
Aleph, Rome
All of the projects I do, especially hotels, have a story behind their design—they’re all very scripted and site-specific,” says Adam Tihany, who based the design of Rome’s Aleph hotel on Dante’s Divine Comedy. Tihany’s portrayal of the struggle between heaven and hell is demonstrated through blissful and pure private spaces like the light-colored guest rooms and spa areas, and the public areas like the lobby and restaurant, which are decorated in seductive shades of red.

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“We created a restaurant in the hotel called Sin that serves only red food and, obviously, only red wine,” explains the designer, who also counts New York’s Per Se among his impressive list of restaurant designs. “The bathroom is part of the restaurant’s environment, so it was very important that we kept the same color-saturated atmosphere.” The bathroom on the hotel’s main floor, a public space, uses shimmering red Bisazza glass tiles on the walls and black granite on the floors. The troughlike, translucent glass sinks from Axolo were custom-designed by Tihany, who also chose to use Axolo’s faucetry. To keep the concept and experience consistent throughout the spaces, the lighting in the bathroom dims at the same time as the restaurant lighting does, so that the mood is never broken or interrupted—a detail Tihany considers especially important. 

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The color schemes and overall tone are vastly different in public and private spaces, but the materials used throughout the hotel are consistent. The same mosaic tiles and glass sinks unify the spaces and save the rooms from design schizophrenia. Accessories like door handles, towel racks and escutcheons were also custom designed by Tihany for Valli & Valli. “Everyone has an image in his or her mind of heaven and hell,” explains Tihany, who says he prefers sin to sainthood. “The design of the hotel forces you to think about it while also having a good time.”

Aleph, 888.626.7265, www.boscolohotels.com;
Adam Tihany, 212.366.5544, www.tihanydesign.com

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Bisazza
Since 1956, Bisazza has been creating some of the world’s most beautiful glass mosaic tiles. Used for interior and exterior design on both floors and walls, the tiles offered by this family-run company come in more than 60 different colors and seven different finishes. The newest decorative surfaces from the company include mosaic patterns of snowflakes, tapestries, wood floors and even large framed wall panels with neoclassical sculptural motifs that can be placed against a wall like a painting. Shown here, the Damasco collection is designed to take the place of wallpaper and is available in black, opal, white on gold, and red on gold. Bisazza’s most basic, solid glass tiles start at $9.20 per square foot. However, the Damasco tiles start at $30.60 per square foot and can reach upward of $230 per square foot for shades of gold.

Bisazza, 212.334.7130, www.bisazza.com

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Axolo
In 2001, Adam Tihany collaborated with Italian manufacturer Axolo to create custom crystal washbasins for the Aleph. Of particular note were the 61¼2-foot washbasins featured in the restaurant’s restrooms. Similar in design (but smaller in scale), the basins in the hotel’s rooms, suites and spa are from Axolo’s Genesis, Exere and Xfly collections, which are priced between $3,500 and $10,000. “I have one of their sinks in a powder room at my own house,” explains Tihany. “It’s startling and fun for guests to turn on the water because it looks like it’s falling onto the floor.” Through a subsequent collaboration with the company in 2004, Tihany created Rain. Pictured here, the washbasin unit is formed from a stainless steel ring that sits on top of a glass countertop and includes an under-counter rotating unit for storage. Rain is sold as a complete unit including faucet and is priced from $10,000 to $22,000.

Axolo, 909.390.0549, www.axolo.com

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Valli & Valli
“Any product made from only one material is a challenge—there’s not that much you can do,” says Adam Tihany, whose collaboration with Valli & Valli yielded a collection of cast brass hardware that includes everything from towel racks to toilet paper holders. “It’s not about function or technology or a compromise of materials—it’s exclusively about form.” The Milan company frequently collaborates with top architects and designers to create diverse collections of bathroom and kitchen hardware. The company also has produced collections with Antonio Citterio, Frank Gehry and Michael Graves. Tihany’s collection is priced from $105 to $198.

Valli & Valli, 800.423.7161, www.vallievalli.com

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Wynn Las Vegas
The recently opened Wynn hotel in Las Vegas—a five-year, $2.5 billion undertaking—was designed to be a refuge from the rest of the city. “We didn’t want you to feel like you were in a hotel, especially when you were in the bathrooms. We wanted it to feel like a residence,” says Roger Thomas, architect of Steve Wynn’s newest eponymous venture, as well as previous projects such as the Bellagio and Mirage and Wynn’s private homes and planes. The designers planned the rooms as if they were building their own dream homes. “That translated into large spaces with enclosed commodes for privacy, as travelers are often in pairs,” continues Thomas. “Also important when two people are sharing the space is the relative location of things—how a man shaving at the sink doesn’t interfere with his wife stepping out of the bathtub. We designed around all of that.”

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When searching for the best possible products, Thomas and his staff ran exhaustive tests. The team tried out 10 different bathtubs—filling, emptying and splashing in them—and installed and used the showers before deciding on the right showerheads. The results yielded seven unique bathroom layouts and designs, different for each room type, which incorporate a variety of products. But consistent throughout every space is the equal amount of consideration given to both experience and function. “Most hotels use vinyl on the walls because it’s the only material that will withstand frequent use from guest to guest,” explains Thomas. “I normally hate it, but we spent months developing our own that looks like it was handpainted.” Next for Wynn and Thomas is the hotel’s new wing, a slightly smaller $1.4 billion project to be completed in 2008.

Wynn Las Vegas, 888.320.7123, www.wynnlasvegas.com

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Bainultra
Used in the Wynn’s Salon suites, BainUltra’s ThermoMasseur bathtub is designed to provide the ideal balance between heat and massage. The bath is ergonomically designed with a raised seat to help jets of water reach the backs of the legs, and an inverted “V” backrest to better target the neck and spine. The tub contains no pipes or valves; it is a one-piece construction. The turbine motor can be placed up to 15 feet away or below the floor to reduce noise, and the air injection system uses the excess motor heat to warm the back and headrests. Models used at the Wynn are priced at around $3,000, but freestanding versions with room for two are available for about $9,900. 

BainUltra, 800.463.2187, www.bainultra.com

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Dornbracht
The Meta Pur faucet used at the Wynn was chosen for its simple clean lines, which helps make the bathroom feel more like a sanctuary. “They have a single lever—no knobs—which is the most efficient. I have the same one in my own home,” says architect Roger Thomas. The faucet is available in standard finishes of polished chrome or brushed platinum and is priced between $700 and $1,000. Custom finishes are also available, as are full Meta Pur shower/bath systems, priced between $1,400 and $1,800. 

Dornbracht USA, 800.774.1181, www.dornbracht.com

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Kohler
Various Kohler products, from faucets to toilets to bathtubs, were used throughout the Wynn’s many guest rooms and public areas. “They’re one of the longest and most reliable leaders in the plumbing, fitting and fixture market,” says Roger Thomas. “One of the things we do is to have an engineer dissect the plumbing fittings to reveal the quality in how they are made and to make sure they can handle rigorous usage. We not only choose the Kohler products for their looks, but for their durability, too.” Shown here, the Sok chromatherapy tub was used in 54 of the Wynn’s Fairway villas. The bath can be filled from the ceiling and has room for overflow so that the entire body is submersed. And, as its name suggests, the lights change color to alter your mood. The tub is priced at $8,590.

Kohler, 800.456.4537, www.kohler.com

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Four Seasons Provence
The Four Seasons Terre Blanche is the kind of hotel Americans lust after. About 30 minutes from the Côte d’Azur, the resort is the perfect compromise between a traditional French countryside aesthetic and elegant modern luxury. “The architecture was conceived as a cluster of typical Provençal buildings, scattered on a hillside like its own village, to convey a residential feeling,” says Dana Kalczak, vice president of design and construction for Four Seasons. The interiors, however, reflect a more modern lifestyle. The walls are a rustic plaster and most wooden surfaces are given a smooth whitewash finish, but amenities are decidedly fresh and modern. “If we were really true to the regional style, it would probably be a little bit too rustic for our guests, so we found a balance between what a typical Provençal home would have and what our guests would expect,” explains Kalczak. That meant opting for marble floors rather than terra-cotta, but in tones that resemble terra-cotta. Small squares of black marble were inserted to create a rug-like mosaic on the floor. And since marble can be cold during the winter months, the floors are heated.

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The hotel features three different kinds of bathrooms corresponding to the different room and villa types. Each had to meet stringent design standards. “There’s been more of an emphasis on the bathroom lately. The ones here are particularly generous in size—you could probably fit four or five people in the showers,” says Kalczak. Showers are made from marble, and all feature Hansgrohe’s Mistral showerheads, which meet the hotel’s requirement that water flow at a rate of at least five gallons per minute. “These days, showerheads have become so complicated and overdone, but these are simple and straightforward—you don’t need to leave guests an instruction manual in order to use them,” jokes Kalczak. Standard rooms have vintage-looking Kohler tubs from the Iron Works Tellieur collection, but the villas feature the modern Agape Spoon tub. Villeroy & Boch sinks are used throughout, in styles ranging from modern to traditional. “The bathrooms here are complete rooms, not just a small space for a sink and a shower,” says Kalczak.

Four Seasons Resort, Provence at Terre Blanche, +33.49.439.9000, www.fourseasons.com

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Agape
The opportunity to try out the Agape Spoon tub in itself is worth a trip to France. The iconic design, with its spoon shape and clean lines, debuted in 1998 and set new standards for the bathtub. The freestanding unit, with handheld body spray, looks great up against the wall but is transformed into a piece of art when placed in the middle of a room. The simple construction comprises layers of Exmar, which retains heat. It comes in a satin white or sand finish and is available through Moss and Luminaire showrooms for approximately $9,000. Matching sinks are also available for around $1,500.

Agape, +39.0376.250311, www.agapedesign.it;
Luminaire, 305.448.7367, www.luminaire.com;
Moss, 866.888.6677, www.mossonline.com

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Nuheat
“People tend to think that heated floors are just a comfort product, but what they don’t realize is that they are also an energy-efficient way to warm up a room,” explains Colin Campbell, director of marketing for Nuheat, whose heated floor mats are Energy Star–certified. “California is our largest-growing market after New England, because in the West Coast’s moderate climate, people find that they don’t need another heat source.” Nuheat’s mats come in more than 60 different sizes and also can be custom-fit for curves and angles. While other companies use single-string wires that can move and shift, Nuheat’s wires are embedded in a durable, porous fabric that provides even, consistent heat without any cold spots. A floor mat for a 250-square-foot room costs about $2,900 and comes with a 25-year warranty.

Nuheat, 800.778.9276, www.nuheat.com

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Villeroy & Voch
Most Americans know Villeroy & Boch only for its traditional collections of china and tableware, but in Europe, the most popular Villeroy & Boch products are found in the bathroom. “Our collection includes everything from dishes to plumbing,” says Marc Nover, general manager of Villeroy & Boch’s U.S. bathroom, kitchen and tile division. “Our approach to the American market is to make them more aware of the wide range of our products.” The Evana sinks used in the Four Seasons Provence were chosen for their perfect proportions and out-of-sight overflow, maintaining a modern French aesthetic. The similar version shown here from the Loop line has an applied Colorline basin and starts at $695.

Villeroy & Boch, 609.409.6792, www.villeroy-boch.com