The Sauna

Photo: Lucas Allen

This triplex is located in a building with a shared gym. A great perk—but even better is the fact that the apartment’s basement leads directly there. The designers turned that space into a clubby alcove reserved just for the unit’s owner, an over-the-top luxury that still feels practical: the perfect place to head post-workout. “The building itself is pretty cold and airportlike,” says Ashe. “We used the richness and texture of the older-looking tiles and fixtures to balance that.”

• Instead of built-in furniture, the team preferred the authentic feel of the bench and freestanding lockers they found at Liza Sherman Antiques.

• One source of inspiration was the tilework inside the Bowery Hotel. The glossy, crackle-finish ceramic wall tiles are Bowling Green, from Waterworks’ Vintage collection; the floor’s cement tiles, from Mosaic House, offer extra warmth underfoot.

Sauna “guts”—including cedar walls, ceiling, benches, and a heater—come as a kit from Finlandia Sauna, available in different sizes and configurations.

The Sauna