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      Flack Studio designs Ace Hotel Sydney as a “deep homage” to Australia

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      References to the landscape and industrial heritage of Australia are woven into the Ace Hotel’s new outpost in Sydney, with interiors designed by local practice Flack Studio.

      Situated in the city’s historic Tyne House factory in Surry Hills, the 257-room Ace Hotel Sydney marks the American hotel group’s first location in the southern hemisphere.
      Ace Hotel Sydney houses a lobby, bar and lounge on the ground floorOn the ground floor, public spaces include a lobby, bar and lounge, a neighbourhood restaurant and a day-to-night cafe, while the building’s top floor is occupied by a rooftop restaurant designed by Australian interiors studio Fiona Lynch Office.
      Describing the project as a “deep homage” to Australia, Flack Studio said the interior draws on the warm neutural tones of the country’s desert landscapes and the paintings of Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira.
      The sunken lounge features brown leather sofasThe hotel has sandstone feature walls on the ground floor, a red marble staircase that stretches from the lobby to the first floor and terracotta-coloured tiles in the guest bathrooms.

      A sunken lounge on the ground floor is rendered in shades of caramel and burnt orange – reminiscent of the easygoing design favoured in Australia’s suburbs in the 1970s – while abundant planting throughout the hotel recalls the country’s lush rainforests.
      A red marble staircase leads up to the first floorFlack Studio also took cues from the work of Australian architect Robin Boyd, who proposed a functionalist and regionally grounded approach to architecture using simple forms and local materials.
      In the Ace Hotel Sydney, this can be seen in the off-form concrete walls, locally sourced timber and aged brass that reflect the utilitarian history of the building and the neighbourhood.
      Guest rooms are designed to feel cosy and residentialThe hotel’s 18-storey brick building was originally erected in 1916 to house the factory and distribution centre of chemist chain Washington H. Soul Pattinson.
      It also sits on the site where one of Australia’s oldest ceramic kilns was discovered, used by potter Jonathan Leak to produce domestic pottery as early as the 1820s.

      Luchetti Krelle creates eclectic bar Jane inside former butcher shop

      Ace Hotel Sydney’s wayfinding and signage were created by graphic design practice Studio Ongarato, incorporating elements of 70s modular design alongside bold geometric forms and textured materials.
      A sense of craftsmanship is conveyed through glazed ceramic room signage and hand-painted details on the entry signs.
      They feature custom lighting, furniture and fixturesThe hotel’s guest rooms feature custom lighting, furniture and fixtures and are designed to feel cosy and residential. Each room features a Rega turntable and a vinyl collection put together by Melbourne-based record label Efficient Space.
      Other highlights include an art collection curated by Flack Studio that showcases the works of contemporary Australian artists and a minibar stocked with goods from local producers.
      In the coming months, the hotel is also set to launch a residency programme spotlighting First Nations artists.
      Terracotta-coloured tiles line the walls in the guest bathroomsAce Hotel was founded in Seattle in 1999 and now has locations in cities including Los Angeles, New Orleans and Kyoto.
      Last August, the hotel chain opened its Brooklyn outpost, which features art in every room and a public gallery in its lobby that houses rotating exhibitions. Ace Hotel’s next location in Toronto is due to open in 2022.
      The photography is by Anson Smart and Nikki To.

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      Nate Berkus designs panoramic sunset bar for luxury cruise ship

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      Celebrity Cruises has tapped several well-known designers for the interiors on board its newest vessel, which include a sunset lounge by Nate Berkus and bedroom suites by Kelly Hoppen.

      The Celebrity Beyond, which completed its maiden voyage around Western Europe this spring, is the third in the Miami-based company’s Edge series of cruise ships.
      Spaces unique to this 1,073-foot (327-metre) vessel include a larger, updated version of the outdoor Sunset Bar, which enjoys almost 360-degree views from an upper deck at the back of the ship.
      Spaces unique to the Celebrity Beyond ship include the Sunset Bar designed by Nate BerkusHere, American interior designer Nate Berkus aimed to create a laid-back atmosphere for guests wishing to enjoy cocktails after spending the day at the pool.
      “I’m always inspired by my own travels and in this case, it’s the international beach clubs I’ve been to in places like Mexico, or Europe,” he told Dezeen. “They always feel so effortlessly chic, and casual. The opposite of fussy.”

      The main entrance to the bar is through a plant-covered pergola that frames the gently sloping walkway leading down to the deck.

      BG Studio take design cues from reptiles for a luxury cruise ship sailing the Galápagos Islands

      This curves around a series of seating niches and planters before reaching the covered area where drinks are served.
      An arched colonnade and patterned floor tiles give the bar a Mediterranean feel, which is continued to the outdoor seating through custom Kravet fabrics based on Ancient Greek motifs.
      “We also incorporated timeless materials like terracotta, bronze, brass and wood,” Berkus said.
      Kelly Hoppen is behind many of the ship’s interiors, including the suites and stateroomsThe Celebrity Beyond joins the Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex in this class of vessel, which first launched in 2019, and is the largest of the three – accommodating up to 3,260 guests.
      The trio share many of the same design elements, including the 1,646 bedroom suites and staterooms by British designer Kelly Hoppen that feature neutral decor with red and orange accents.
      Hoppen also designed the ship’s rooftop garden, its spa and The Retreat – an exclusive section for suite guests that includes private spaces like a lounge, a sundeck and a restaurant called Luminae.
      Other spaces by Hoppen include The Retreat, an exclusive area that includes a private pool deck”The Retreat deck and resort deck have been designed in a way to allow for a multifunctional space, by creating private pods and moments alongside the busier areas, allowing all to enjoy,” Hoppen told Dezeen.
      Another of the ship’s features is the Magic Carpet: a deck cantilevered from the side of the ship that travels up and down at different times of the day.
      A bright orange structure supports a bar and lounge, where guests can take in uninterrupted ocean vistas.
      Like other ships in the Celebrity Edge series, the Beyond features a moving cantilevered deck known as the Magic CarpetAmong the other spaces to eat and drink on board are Eden, which has a garden-themed design by Patricia Urquiola, and the World Class Bar with its dark beige and brass decor.
      Le Voyage restaurant offers a menu created by chef Daniel Boulud, while the Grand Plaza at the heart of the ship serves martinis beneath a giant light sculpture programmed to sync with the music.
      British architect Tom Wright, best-known for designing the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, was the principal architect for the ship.
      The World Class Bar is among the places to enjoy cocktails on boardCelebrity Cruises frequently taps well-known designers like Berkus and Hoppen in a bid to attract younger generations to luxury cruising.
      “We really wanted to embrace the challenge of getting the younger demographic onto these glorious ships along while not isolating the older generation and current clientele,” said Hoppen.
      “With that in mind, we have made sure that we have given a fresh feel to the accommodation while keeping the key elements the same but with a modern twist.”
      Signature restaurants include Le Voyage, with a menu by chef Daniel BouludIn a similar move to entice Millennial and Gen Z cruisers with A-list designers, Virgin Voyages’s first ship features suites by Tom Dixon, while its crew wears uniforms by Gareth Pugh.
      The Celebrity Cruises fleet also includes the Celebrity Flora, which sails the Galápagos Islands and was designed by BG Studio and has a reptilian theme.
      The cruise industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, but has bounced back following strict vaccination and testing policies.

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      Bachmann Associés gives Belle Époque hotel in French ski resort a modern update

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      Bare brick and concrete are exposed in this renovation of a grand hotel at the foot of Mont Blanc by French architecture practice Bachmann Associés.

      Set in the ski resort of Chamonix, La Folie Douce Hôtel Chamonix occupies the former Savoy Palace – an 18,000-square-metre Belle Époque building with 250 rooms and five restaurants that was originally constructed in 1904.
      La Folie Douce Hôtel Chamonix is set in the renovated Savoy Palace hotelIn the 1920s, the hotel hosted lavish balls and tennis tournaments. But it later fell into disrepair and was abandoned by French travel operator Club Med in 2018 after it stated that “the site simply no longer meets our criteria”.
      Commissioned by the hotel’s new operators – hotel groups La Folie Douce and Les Hôtels Très Particuliers – Bachmann Associés wanted to reconnect the hotel with its opulent heritage and create spaces that would appeal to an “eclectic clientele”.
      Concrete and brick are exposed throughout the interiorThe Dinard-based studio, founded by architects Christophe Bachmann and Jérôme Gesret, left many of the hotel’s walls and ceilings intentionally rough, using lighting to accentuate any cracks and uneven textures.

      These raw surfaces are contrasted with opulent antique furnishings and finishes, including velvet-upholstered chaises longues, bespoke patterned carpets and brass fixtures.
      Modern fixtures replace old-school chandeliers in the atriumIn the public areas, dark and intimate spaces are alternated with generous light-filled rooms blessed with expansive Alpine views.
      In the lobby, partitions and false ceilings were stripped out to create a grand atrium with a sweeping staircase and a series of contemporary suspension lights that replace the hotel’s old-fashioned chandeliers.
      On the first floor, a cocktail lounge called Le Janssen is anchored by a brass-fronted bar and surrounded by arched floor-to-ceiling windows.

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      “For this project, we had an exciting playground,” Gesret and Bachmann explained. “It was demanding because we had to bring an old palace back to life by completely reinventing the codes of the classic hotel industry. But that is really what appealed to us.”
      “We really like to shake up and reinvent places and we had a lot of fun exploiting the volumes, imagining spaces of freedom and conviviality in the very spirit of La Folie Douce.”
      The cocktail lounge has a brass-fronted barWith a similar aim, Snøhetta recently updated another Belle Époque hotel set in a tiny mountain village in Norway, while Roman and Williams converted a historic London police station into the first international outpost from American hospitality chain NoMad.
      The photography is by Gaelle Le Boulicaut.

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      The Hoxton opens Ricardo Bofill-informed hotel in Barcelona

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      London-based hospitality group Ennismore has opened a hotel in the Poblenou neighbourhood of Barcelona that draws on the bright colours and architectural style of Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill.

      Named The Hoxton Poblenou, after the neighbourhood in the east of the city that was once a hub for the production of textiles where it is based, the 240-room hotel is The Hoxton first Spanish location.
      Ennismore’s design team looked to the work of the late architect Bofill, whose studio is situated nearby,  for the hotel’s interiors. The Spanish architect, who passed away earlier this year, was known for his use of colourful geometric forms and conversion of a dilapidated cement factory into his own studio.
      The Hoxton, Poblenou has opened in Barcelona”Our chief inspiration for the entire project was the infamous late architectural designer, Bofill,” said Ennismore senior designer Charlotte Flynn.
      “His ingenious way of reframing and reimagining old industrial buildings led to many of the architectural features,” she told Dezeen.

      “The use of simple local materials such as ceramic tile, terracotta and concrete was also something that rang true to us from Bofill’s aesthetic.”
      It is the first Spanish site of The Hoxton hotel seriesAlongside the guest suites, the hotel has a rooftop with a pool and bar, pizza restaurant and a bodega. Three meeting and events spaces make up an area named The Apartment, while a basement space called La Cave hosts local events.
      The Hoxton Poblenou’s lobby was framed by floor-to-ceiling windows and curved doorway arches. The focal point of the space is a curved all-day bar serving coffee and drinks that is fronted by a colourful hand-painted mural.
      The designers used colours and forms associated with architect Ricardo BofillElsewhere in the lobby, potted plants, rattan chairs and other seating upholstered with tactile fabrics and patterns can be found.
      Lobbies at The Hoxton’s range are open twenty-four hours to both guests and members of the public as they are designed to be social, community hubs.
      The hotel also houses a pizza restaurantAccording to Flynn, the designers opted for Mediterranean colours in the common areas, as in the peachy plastered walls and tan-hued leather sofas because The Hoxton Poblenou was their first opportunity to design a hotel in a hot and sunny climate.
      Similarly, material choices such as vivid toned glazed tiling were inspired by local Spanish building materials used for roofs and floors.
      Three meeting rooms are located on the ground floor”Bright, sun-drenched palettes, swathes of sheer materials and Mediterranean planting were an absolute must to provide some exotic escapism,” said Flynn.
      “The colour palette ties all the spaces together; reminiscent of a typically Spanish vista featuring terracotta, ocean blues, sunny yellow hues, olive greens and our own addition of pastel and raspberry pinks.”
      Rooms are furnished with natural materials and vintage sourced furnitureUpstairs in the guest rooms, faded floral prints embellish the soft furnishings while bespoke tapestries handmade in India hang above every bed in a nod to Poblebou’s fabric-making past.
      In many of the rooms, the designers departed from their usual choice of timber flooring, which can be found in The Hoxton Southwark. Instead, they opted for terracotta, in an echo of traditional Spanish homes.

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      “Typically, we’ve always designed bedrooms with a timber floor, but it felt like an appropriate and natural departure point for us given the location,” explained Flynn.
      “We layered the space with plenty of rugs in natural Jutes and a deep saturated jewel-toned blue natural wool,” she added.
      “Earthy and oceanic tones are chief in the fabrics and artwork sat against a breezier green and white backdrop.”
      Bedrooms have a muted colour palette and faded floral furnishingsNatural materials like wool and rattan were used throughout the suites in the furniture and lighting, as an ode to Esparto weaving – a traditional Spanish craft. In the bathrooms, several of which have bathtubs, terracotta tiles line the floors and walls.
      A large majority of the furniture and lighting at The Hoxton, Poblenou was designed in-house and produced in Spain and Portugal.
      The hotel bathrooms have terracotta-tiled floorsKey vintage items were sourced from around Europe such as a pair of woven armchairs from the Dutch department store Vroom & Dreesman and a floor lamp from the 1960s by Vico Magistretti for Artemide.
      Contemporary items include a Gustaf Westman Blob Table coffee table and Tino Seubert’s Corrugation Pendant light.
      The first hotel in The Hoxton series was opened by Ennismore in 2006 in London. The Hoxton now has 11 locations across Europe and the US, three of which are in London.
      For The Hoxton Portland, Ennismore transformed a historic building in Portland, Oregon, into a hotel with refreshed modernist-influenced interiors while The Hoxton Chicago which is located on the site of an old meatpacking facility references the industrial nature of its past.
      The photography is by Heiko Prigge.

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      The Standard and Oskar Kohnen design island hotel to reference “golden age of Ibiza”

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      Boutique hotel group The Standard has housed a hotel in Ibiza in a former movie theatre with interiors designed by its in-house design team and architect Oskar Kohnen.

      Located in the heart of Ibiza Town in a former movie theatre, The Standard Ibiza contains 67 guest suites, restaurants, a rooftop bar and a swimming pool with panoramic views of the island. The project was overseen by architect and interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán.
      The Standard Ibiza was designed by its in-house design team and Oskar Kohnen”The specific location was the former site of an old movie theatre in the heart of town,” The Standard International’s chief design officer Verena Haller told Dezeen. “It was a place where locals came together throughout the year.”
      “Inspired by that, we knew we wanted to create something which would revive that energy for the local crowd, which is also always a hallmark of what we do so it was a good match in that regard.”
      The hotel is housed within a former movie theatreWhen designing the interiors, The Standard team and London-based interior architect Oskar Kohnen drew on the “lore and sensibility” of the island’s bohemian and “flower power” history, which emerged from Ibiza’s role as a haven from Spain’s dictatorship and the Vietnam War draft.

      This design choice was a “perfect nod” to the island’s style and provided a juxtaposition with the starker exterior of the former movie theatre, said Haller.
      The interiors take cues from 1960s bohemian design”Our team rallied around this direction because it felt spot-on for us and it’s something that has been lost over time despite it perhaps being the golden age of Ibiza in a way,” Haller added.
      Kohnen and The Standard designed the guest suites as a respite from the business of the town and the hotel’s public spaces. The suites have a pared-back beach-villa look with retro-informed furnishings that speak to the hotel’s bohemian identity.
      The hotel is located in the heart of Ibiza townTones of white, grey and beige were used for the walls and floors.
      The furnishings and fixtures are made with natural materials and light woods.

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      The team used the “layering” of texture, furniture and plants to bring dimension to the interiors and play off the Spanish sun, which enters the hotel through its shutter-lined windows.
      “It is important to see layering and pattern, textures and colour, the shadow play of the plants inside and out through sunlight during the day and warm temperature lights at night,” said Haller.
      Natural materials were used throughout the hotelContrasting to the hotel’s guest suites, the hotel’s public spaces, which include Jara, a ground-floor restaurant, and Up, a rooftop lounge and pool, were designed with more of a maximalist look.
      Retro-style shapes and patterns were incorporated throughout the interior of the ground-floor restaurant while seating was upholstered in rich greens and tropical leaf-printed fabrics.
      Public spaces employ a maximalist look”We wanted the interiors to convey the feelings we love about Ibiza,” said Haller. “The effortlessness of a chic holiday on the island with your closest friends. Not the mega clubs!”
      “The public spaces are a clear departure from that, filled with rich layers of colours, patterns and textures and the type of casual vibrancy that only The Standard can create.”
      The hotel opened in AprilIn 2o19, The Standard opened its first UK hotel inside the former Camden Town Hall Annexe, a brutalist building in King’s Cross, which featured colourful interiors.
      Elsewhere in Ibiza, architecture studio Marià Castelló designed a retreat that is formed of five bright white volumes and linked by glass corridors.
      Images are courtesy of The Standard.

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      Norway's remote Hotel Finse 1222 undergoes subtle update by Snøhetta

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      Architecture firm Snøhetta has carried out a sensitive refurbishment of this hotel in Finse, a tiny mountain village in Norway that can only be reached by railway.

      Built in the shadow of Norway’s Hardangerjøkulen glacier, Hotel Finse 1222 sits 1,222 metres above sea level and started life as a humble lodge for railroad workers before becoming a fully-fledged hotel in 1909.
      Hotel Finse 1222 is located in a tiny Norwegian mountain villageOver the decades, the establishment attracted a steady stream of visitors but its interiors grew tired.
      When Snøhetta was tasked with bringing the hotel up to date, the firm steered away from major structural changes and instead settled for making a few aesthetic tweaks.
      Snøhetta introduced colour to the hotel’s reception and lounge”We wanted to ensure we preserved the historical qualities of the place by attentively adjusting and upgrading the existing building mass, only adding new elements where it was absolutely needed,” said Heidi Pettersvold Nygaard, senior architect at the firm.

      “Bringing back to life the long and diverse history of Finse’s heydays was a delight, ensuring that also new visitors could become aware of this completely unique nature and hotel experience.”
      Floral-print William Morris wallpaper covers surfaces in the dining roomThe firm wanted to foster a “warm and hearty” ambience in the hotel’s reception and lounge area so that arriving guests feel instantly at ease.
      Here, surfaces are painted tangerine orange while the soft furnishings are different hues of red.
      Just beyond the lounge, Snøhetta designed a new wooden terrace to match the building’s original carpentry.
      The room’s original ceiling was preservedIn the dining room, floral William Morris wallpaper now blankets the walls. This is a nod to some long-forgotten furnishings Snøhetta found in the hotel’s attic that were upholstered in a similar fabric by the prominent British textile designer.
      The room’s decorative plaster ceiling was preserved and complemented with ornate brass-stemmed lamps, which the studio says are historically appropriate.
      Photographs of famous guests that have passed through the hotel are mounted on the walls, including portraits of Prince Charles and Norwegian figure skater Sonia Hennie.

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      A moodier atmosphere reigns in the hotel’s lounge, where surfaces are rendered in a deep shade of indigo to amplify the dazzling blueish light of Finse’s winter sunsets.
      Guests can sit back and observe the day drawing to a close on the room’s plump blue sofas or bench seats lined with furry throws.
      The hotel’s lounge is filled with shades of blueThe most dramatic intervention made by Snøhetta as part of the refurbishment involved elevating the hotel’s roof to make way for two more guest suites beneath its peak.
      Both suites come complete with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape. Even the bathtubs are positioned to overlook nearby mountain Lille Finsenut.
      Draped over the beds are bespoke woollen throws depicting an abstract image of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier.
      Two new guest suites were created beneath the hotel’s roofSnøhetta currently has a number of projects in the works.
      Earlier this month, the firm released plans to extend the Hopkins Centre for the Arts at Dartmouth. It is also erecting a library in Beijing that will feature a “forest” of pillars on its interior.

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      Esme Hotel in Miami draws on the “bohemian grandeur” of its past

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      Saturated tones, Mediterranean patterns and decadent furnishings are found throughout this renovated boutique hotel in Miami with interiors by New York studio Jessica Schuster Design.

      Originally built in 1927 as a cultural hub for artists, the building, formerly known as Spanish Village, is located on Miami Beach’s pedestrian plaza, Española Way.
      Esme Hotel is located along Miami Beach’s pedestrian stripEvent planning and design company Infinity Hospitality Group collaborated with Jessica Schuster Design on the transformation of the hotel, which has 145 guest rooms.
      The architecture of Española Way resembles the Mediterranean villages of Spain and France. Schuster looked to the rich local architectural history as a starting point for the interiors.
      Jessica Schuster Design transformed the building into a boutique hotel”We wanted to create an artful collage of bohemian grandeur alongside Miami’s historic Española Way,” said Jessica Schuster, founder of Jessica Schuster Design.”We had fun playing with furniture, lighting and fabrics to create something timeless and exciting at the same time,” Schuster told Dezeen.

      The interior has Art Deco elementsGuests arrive at a lobby with plush velvet flooring and benches clad in a fabric that recalls the patterned ceramic tiles often seen in southern European countries. Plants potted in wicker pots add to the hotel’s bohemian theme.
      “We wanted to create something that spoke to the Mediterranean culture of South Beach, Miami,” said Shuster.
      “This was achieved using vibrant colours, fun textures and details that remained true to the historical aspect of the hotel’s original design.”
      Clashing patterns feature throughout the hotelAfter passing through the lobby, visitors can sip cocktails or sample Latin-inspired dishes at El Salón, a cocktail bar inside the Esme Hotel.
      Here, stools fringed with tassels are stationed around the edge of a circular mahogany bar. The adjoining, dimly lit dining area has a similar decadent arrangement, with candlelit tables spread across the checkered floor.

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      Schuster worked closely with the Historic Preservation Board of Miami to replicate some of the original building’s elements.
      The studio used materials such as the limestone travertine and plaster, which featured heavily in Mediterranean revival design in Miami.
      The rooms are coloured in saturated, rich hues associated with opulence”It was a historical property, so we worked to bring back the integrity of the original designs that are unique to South Beach, being that most buildings are from the Art Deco period,” Shuster explained.
      “We reused a lot of pecky cypress wood detailing on the ceilings and throughout the hotel. We also uncovered an original fireplace that we gave life to again and kept the original arches,” she added.
      The bathrooms incorporate gold elementsThe Art Deco aesthetic is continued upstairs in the hotel’s bedrooms and bathrooms where bath and skincare products by Grown Alchemist can be found.
      Many of the rooms have a rose and emerald colour scheme with gold accents and vibrant clashing patterns that create striking decorations for floors and walls.
      On the rooftop, there is a vintage bar and swimming pool with frilly red awnings and pinstriped seating.
      The rooftop has pinstriped furnishingsEsme Hotel isn’t the only interior that references the opulence of Miami’s past. American designer Ken Fulk styled The Goodtime Hotel to reflect the art deco architecture of the area.
      Fulk also decorated the interior of the Swan restaurant in Miami with soft, candy colours that remind diners of Miami’s 1920s heyday.
      Photography is by Christian Harder.
      Project credits:Client: Infinity HospitalityInterior design: Jessica Schuster Design

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      Kelly Wearstler renovates swimming pool for suite in Downtown LA Proper Hotel

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      American designer Kelly Wearstler has refurbished a pool for a suite in the Downtown LA Proper Hotel, which opened earlier this year.

      As part of her studio’s extensive refurbishment of the building, Wearstler took the 35-foot (10.6-metre) pool from its previous use as a YWCA and turned it into a feature for the Pool Suite on the seventh floor.
      Kelly Wearstler remodelled the swimming room as part of a standalone suiteWith Omgivning as the project architect, the 2,777-square-foot (258-square-metre) room is one of 148 that she renovated for the launch of the hotel in February 2022. It is the only location in the Proper Hotel group chain thats feature an in-suite swimming pool.
      The room’s interior takes art deco influences from the club that the building was originally designed for in the 1920s.
      The Italian marble tile continues into the kitchen”During our initial research into the landmark building, we discovered this pool room originally shared a floor plate with guest rooms and so thought it would be a novel idea to transform it into an iconic suite with a private pool,” said Wearstler.

      Over the pool is an ivory ceramic mirror mural that covers the whole wall, created by artist Ben Medansky, who also worked with Wearstler on the Proper hotel in Santa Monica.
      The bedroom has a Kelly Wearstler-designed Matador bed”It was important to me to avoid a repeating pattern and instead treat each tile as its own canvas – no two are exactly alike,” said Medansky.
      “I drew inspiration from my Los Angeles-to-Arizona road trips over the years, and incorporated motifs of tire treads, traffic signs, and cacti, which were then minimized, abstracted, and put back together in a puzzle formation.”
      A mustard yellow shade covers the bedroom wallsIn the pool room, there is also an expressive wooden statue that sits in front of a window that naturally illuminated the space. Against the mosaic, Wearstler has placed a thin black metal bench.
      The floors surrounding the pool comprise multicoloured marble tiles – contributing to the 136 unique types of tile used across the hotel.

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      A small lounge area with pink chairs by Michael Felix is placed in the entryway that separates the pool from the rest of the suite.
      The pool deck leads into an open kitchen, with similarly tiled floors and pink plaster walls by Studio One Plaster.
      The bathroom tile design was completed in houseA marble backsplash, custom millwork made with light wood, and an island with Lostine barstools also feature in this space.
      Meanwhile, a small dining table is accompanied by a set of Kelly Wearstler Martel Chairs.
      Much of the furniture in the suite was sourced from vintage outlets in the US and EuropeA bedroom and lounge area have dark-stained wood floors and walls painted a rich yellow colour that surround windows overlooking Downtown LA.
      The bathroom was lined with bronze and black tile made in house by Wearstler’s team.
      The LA-based designer is also behind a third Proper hotel in California, located in San Francisco and featuring an as the “eclectic” interior filled with vintage and European furniture.
      The photography is by The Ingalls.
      Project credits:
      Design: Kelly WearstlerArchitect: OmgivningCompany: McGuire BuildersHospitality: Group Proper HospitalityDeveloper: The KOR Group

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