Inspired by the glamorous black and white bathrooms of Hollywood classics, the design for the 2016 Kips Bay Decorator Show House master bath is a study in high style modernist drama—thoroughly formal and symmetrical in layout, but completely contemporary in detail.

Given a raw space with an awkward layout, the room was transformed via a thoughtful architectural intervention—glass partitions define a “wet zone,” housing the rain shower and toilet and separating it from the bathtub and vanity. This singular gesture immediately organized the space, specified functions and transformed the central area from disjointed, to harmonious.

The main space or “glam zone” features a striking geometric tub sheathed in white marble, framed by two large windows and a dazzling vintage chandelier overhead. The vanity, in black hand-rubbed lacquer and topped in the same black marble used on the floor, floats on the wall opposite the wet zone.

Though relatively small, the room feels airy and spacious due to a variety of shimmering, reflective and translucent surfaces. The shower wall, in sandblasted glass, provides a subdued sparkle; the smoked glass partitions provide a sense of privacy, while keeping the space as open as possible. The inherent reflective and translucent qualities also add a dramatic voyeuristic aspect—they shield, as well as, reveal. Combined with the mirrored wall above the wainscoted vanity, the different reflective surfaces create a “hall of mirrors” effect and the illusion of an infinitely larger room.

This elegant bathroom fuses sumptuous materials–burnished bronze, bold draperies, and gleaming brass. The dramatic high contrast scheme is softened with glamorous accessories and important art, including two dramatic sculptures. This refined, harmonious space exudes an air of sophisticated simplicity and personal indulgence.