An Alexander McQueen skull pillow was the catalyst for this daring en suite bathroom in Chicago’s trendy Wicker Park neighborhood. When designer SuzAnn Kletzien’s clients, a young, fashion-forward couple, pulled it as inspiration, she knew she could infuse the room with serious attitude.

The impact begins immediately upon entering with a dynamic hexagonal-tile “rug” by Artistic Tile. In Nero Marquina, Pacific White and Thassos marbles, it’s a luxe take on the traditional porcelain penny-tile flooring of the 1920s. “I wanted drama!” says Kletzien, who notes that placing a modern, jewelry-inspired chandelier over a claw-foot tub “definitely satisfied that need.”

Gilded mirrors, brass fixtures and antiqued mirror tiles add touches of bling to the classic palette. “A high-contrast color like black can be daring, so subtle transitions are key — like continuing the black paint that’s on the upper third of the wall into the shower with black tiles,” says Kletzien. Warehouse-style shower doors keep the narrow room feeling open and bring that final note of coolness to the space.