With a $3 billion price tag, the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi was said to be the most expensive hotel to have been built when it opened in 2005. Its hallways, rooms and lobbies feature more than 1,000 ...

Baker’s work is particularly evident in the splashes of color that are impossible to miss in almost every room: the gold leaf in the dining room, the light blue built-in cabinets and chandelier in one ...

A handful of city homes now listed for sale or rent include unusual built-in elements made from gold, crystals, even marble once favored by the ancient Romans. A look at them — and more — below.

It’s posh. It’s chic. It’s ritzy and a little bit fun (case in point: the silvery Tuscan columns in the living room). It all starts outside, where a sharply arched entrance leads into a foyer with ...