Split Personalities

Designer James Rixner knew the 25th anniversary of the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Decorator Show House called for something special. He took the task to heart when designing lavish his-and-her baths in a Park Avenue mansion in New York.

It would have been easy to create side-by-side, carbon-copy baths off the master bedroom, then add a few accents to make each gender-specific. But Rixner chose a different path, giving each room a distinct identity.

 

In the woman's makeup area,
upholstered walls, wooden
picture frames wrapped in
18-karat white gold, and
woodwork painted with a metal
finish insert high style.

Case in point: Her bath sparkles in a sea of precious metals set against a dusty pink backdrop. His bath is bathed in rich woods punched up with dark green stripes. "I didn't want the rooms to look like bookends," Rixner says, "but yet, you are aware of similar features in each of the rooms."

Indeed, two baths that may appear to be polar opposites actually are a case of opposites attracting. Both rooms brilliantly straddle the centuries with a confection of furnishings and accents from different periods. Plus, both are stylized to make their long, narrow spaces seem larger.

In the woman's bath, furnishings and accessories span the late 1700s to the 1920s. A mirrored dressing table gives a nod to Art Moderne styling, while a gilt mirror exemplifies the style of Louis XVI. The space-expanding, high-sheen theme repeats in the crystal boudoir lamps, crystal inserts on the faucets and fixtures, and wooden picture frames covered in 18-karat white gold. Even the marble countertop was carefully chosen for its glints of crystal and copper.

 

In the man's bath, touches of
black, plus strong, simple lines,
add interest.

In the man's bath, mahogany wood takes center stage. Intricately crafted cabinetry featuring inlaid ribbon mahogany adds a contemporary feel with a traditional undertone. The focal-point vanity, flanked by shelves, soars to the ceiling. Because it covers clerestory windows, Rixner lit the vanity and shelves from nearly every angle, even adding sconces to bring in light. "The vanity makes a huge impact when you walk into the room," he says.

A radiator covered with the same ribbon mahogany and topped with marble reinforces the idea of cabinetry as furniture. A 19th-century garden urn and a Biedermeier chair cozy up to it.

Mahogany-stained flooring furthers the men's club ambience. Rixner inset the wood into marble for a more welcoming feel. "I didn't want to step into a sea of marble," he says.

 

The focal-point vanity resembles
furniture. Glass shelves provide
space for both art pieces and
grooming necessities.

An unexpected addition of white beaded board diminishes the room's formality and helps open up the space. Walls upholstered in a sophisticated hunter-green-and-cream-striped fabric introduce pattern.

While it's clear Rixner enjoyed adding opulence to this anniversary ensemble, those who passed through the baths were equally impressed. "Don't be afraid of the luxury factor in bathrooms," he says.

And though separate baths may not be the norm, they get Rixner's stamp of approval. "This is certainly one way to extend the life of a marriage," he says with a laugh.