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    Kelly Wearstler designs Los Angeles bar to feel “like it has been there for ages”

    Interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired clay plaster walls with Moroccan cement tiles at this eclectic cocktail bar in the Downtown LA Proper hotel.

    Named after Mexico’s national flower, the Dahlia bar features a blushing interior that was designed to echo the rest of the hotel – also created by Wearstler.
    The designer looked to the same Spanish, Mexican and Moroccan influences that define the wider Downtown LA Proper, such as terracotta Roman clay plaster walls and ceilings when conceptualising the bar.
    Dahlia is a cocktail lounge within the Downtown LA Proper hotel”The warm, earthy tones of the lounge are in concert with the larger hotel while striking their own note entirely,” said Wearstler.
    “Dahlia feels like it has been there for ages,” added the designer, who has been named as a judge for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China.

    Moroccan cement tiles clad the barVisitors enter the bar through yellow-tinged stained glass doors that were custom-made for the venue by Los Angeles’ historic Judson Studios, which claims to be the oldest family-run stained glass company in America.
    Seating was created from a mix of built-in reddish banquettes and low-slung curved armchairs that hug circular timber tables, while a geometric chandelier draped in light-filtering silk was suspended overhead.

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

    In one corner, an embossed and low-slung black cabinet supports two squat table lamps that look like oversized green olives.
    Wearstler adorned the clay plaster walls with a mishmash of vintage and contemporary textural artwork, which was finished in ceramic and sand. Various local artists were included in the mix.
    Kelly Wearstler imbued the venue with her signature eclectic styleDefined by “saturated hues and dramatic lighting,” the cocktail lounge also features a bar clad with lilac-hued Moroccan cement tiles and woven crimson rugs.
    “This is the kind of space where you can entirely lose track of time,” said the designer.
    Known for her distinctively eclectic style, Wearstler has created interiors for various other destinations that are part of the Proper Hotel Group. The designer scoured vintage shops to source the furniture that decorates the living room-style lobby of a Santa Monica branch while an Austin location features a sculptural oak staircase that doubles as a plinth for Wearstler’s own glazed earthenware pots and vases.
    The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

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    Hotel Genevieve in Louisville features colour-coordinated guest rooms

    Room types are organized by bold colours at this hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, which was designed by US hospitality group Bunkhouse and Philadelphia-based design studio Rohe Creative.

    Located in Louisville’s East Market district, also known as NuLu (New Louisville), Hotel Genevieve occupies a new six-storey, black-brick building that’s within walking distance of some of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.
    In the hotel’s lobby, pink terrazzo flooring matches the plasterwork behind the reception deskThe hotel takes its name from a regional type of limestone, Saint Genevieve, which is a key ingredient in local bourbon production and also prevalent in Texas, where operator Bunkhouse is based.
    The company collaborated with Rohe Creative on the interiors, which are intended to reference Louisville’s history.
    Communal spaces for guests include a speakeasy-style bar with a golden vaulted ceilingIn the lobby, pink tones of terrazzo flooring are echoed in the plasterwork behind the reception desk, surrounding an equestrian-themed mural.

    Artworks are displayed on white walls and in front of red velvet curtains to form a gallery around the lobby seating areas and corridors.
    The rooms are coloured by type and the smaller spaces feature a blue paletteThe adjacent all-day restaurant, Rosettes, serves food made with local ingredients and is influenced by al fresco Parisian cafes and chef Ashleigh Shanti’s Southern background. This bright, brasserie-like space combines green-tiled floors with colourful dining chairs and retro light fixtures.
    “Richly decorated, each design accent tells a story, from bold usages of colour to a playful mix of vintage and modern furniture, and a vivacious art program featuring local talent,” said the hotel team.
    The chosen colour in each room extends across the wall and ceiling, as well as into the bathroomsA mini market on the ground floor, which is “part convenience store, part pop art installation”, sells locally sourced provisions, handmade artisanal goods, and coffee and snacks to go.
    There’s also a dark and moody speakeasy-style bar with lounge seats and a golden vaulted ceiling.
    Double Queen rooms are decorated in a terracotta hue”Luxurious and feminine architectural details bring life to the space and reference the city’s namesake, King Louis XVI, heavily featuring Louisville’s vibrant local flora and fauna, with goldenrod [plants] shining throughout the suites and ground-floor restaurant,” said the hotel team.
    The hotel’s 122 guest rooms are each painted a distinct colour that correlates with their size or type. These hues cover the walls and ceilings, and also extend into the bathrooms via floor and shower tiles.
    Four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellowSmaller rooms, including the King Louie and Petite King categories, feature a blue palette, while the slightly larger Double Queens are decorated in a terracotta hue.
    Four Grand King rooms accommodate a seating area and are also painted blue, while an additional four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellow.

    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    All of the rooms boast custom features and fittings by ROHE, as well as paintings and prints by Kentucky-born artist John Paul Kesling.
    The rooftop venue, Bar Genevieve, serves cocktails and French-Mediterranean food from an indoor space that opens to the outdoors.
    Bar Genevieve on the top floor features teal accents and can be hired for private eventsThe bar area is accented with deep teal colours across the counter, stool seats, arched window frames and floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains that can be used to divide up the room.
    Hotel Genevieve has also partnered with local organisations Black Soil Kentucky, Louisville Orchestra, and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy for programming across its varied communal spaces.
    The hotel occupies a new black-brick building in Louisville’s East Market districtKentucky draws visitors for its bourbon production and horse racing heritage, and demand for high-end accommodation in the state appears to be on the rise: a new five-star hotel called The Manchester also recently opened in Lexington.
    Bunkhouse operates multiple properties across North America, including the Austin Motel and nearby Hotel Magdalena, Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco and Hotel San Cristóbal in Los Cabos, Mexico.
    The photography is by Nick Simonite.

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    Ten built-in beds that are embedded into the fabric of the building

    From mattresses on concrete bases to beds encased within timber surrounds, this lookbook rounds up ten single, double and day beds that have been built into interiors.

    Some designers choose to integrate beds into the building’s wider structure to create cohesion throughout interiors, eliminating the need to add matching furniture.
    Built-in beds are often seen in buildings situated in warmer climates, such as Central America and the Mediterranean, where stone or concrete is used to keep spaces cool and to create bespoke, unmovable furniture.
    Incorporated beds are also a popular choice when designing wooden cabins, due to their space-saving nature and the way they lend themselves to creating a cosy atmosphere.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring lime plaster walls, red interior schemes and interiors informed by retro design.

    Photo by Spyros Hound PhotographyWooden Cave, Greece, by Tenon Architecture
    A double and a single bed were sunk into this striking cave-like hotel suite in Greece designed by Tenon Architecture, which is made from over 1,000 pieces of spruce wood.
    The tiered wooden stricture has a smooth, biomorphic appearance that recalls the grotto dwellings used by early humans.
    Find out more about Wooden Cave ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerCasa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy
    Two stark bedrooms are found in architect Ludwig Godefroy’s brutalism-informed home, situated in a pine forest in Mexico.
    Concrete was used for the walls, ceilings, floors, storage and furniture of the house – the harshness of which is offset in the plush day bed in its office area.
    Find out more about Casa Alférez ›
    Photo is courtesy of Caspar ScholsCabin Anna, The Netherlands, by Caspar Schols
    A double bed – including headboard and bedding – was integrated into the floor of this modular cabin created by architectural designer Caspar Schols.
    The structure and some of the furniture within it are flat-packed, allowing the space to be reconfigured depending on the needs of the user.
    Find out more about Cabin Anna ›
    Photo by César BéjaVilla Petrico, Mexico, by CO-LAB Design Office
    A glazed arch-shaped door dictates the shape of the rest of this tunnel-like bedroom in a concrete holiday home in Tulum.
    Platforms are present throughout the bedroom, one of which acts as a broad base for an understated mattress bed.
    Find out more about Villa Petrico ›
    Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenSwedish forest retreat, Sweden, by Norm Architects
    A sunken day bed takes advantage of the dramatic views of a pine forest in this cabin by Norm Architects.
    Linen upholstery and pillows compliment the natural wood texture of the bed’s base and the rest of the floor – a combination that extends throughout the rest of the interior.
    Find out more about Swedish forest retreat ›
    Photo by Edmund SumnerCometa House, Mexico, by Mauricio Rocha and Gabriela Carrillo
    A rustic wall made up of irregularly shaped stones provides the backdrop for the pared-back built-in bed in this coastal home in Oaxaca.
    A jute mat separates the mattress from its wide stone base, which has built-in steps separating it from the rest of the space.
    Find out more about Cometa House ›
    Photo by Taiyo Watanabe4/Way House, USA, by Deegan-Day Design & Architecture
    A birch plywood platform bed blends into the interior of a house in California by Deegan-Day Design & Architecture.
    The bed is surrounded by integrated panelling with a shelf for books and has an angular footprint to accommodate a built-in bedside table.
    Find out more about 4/Way House ›
    Photo by José CamposChestnut House, Portugal, by João Mendes Ribeiro
    A double bed saves space in this small-scale rural cabin by sitting flush with the surrounding structure that makes up the floor.
    The mezzanine bed is flanked by a bedside table area on one side and a ladder platform on the other that allows access to the level above.
    Find out more about Chestnut House ›
    Photo by Yiorgis YerolymposNCaved house, Greece, by Mold Architects
    Pale bedsheets blend in with light-coloured cast concrete platform and steps in this split-level bedroom.
    The built-in bed allows for other design features to take centre stage in the double-height space, including the stone wall, lancet windows and exposed structural beam.
    Find out more about NCaved house ›
    Photo by Ondřej BouškaCabin Above the Town, Czech Republic, by Byró Architekti
    A curtain separates a sleeping nook from the rest of this hilltop cabin’s open-plan interior.
    A single plywood volume snakes around the edge of the space and provides storage, seating and a bathroom as well as a built-in bed, with a further guest bed atop the structure accessible by a ladder.
    Find out more about Cabin Above the Town ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring lime plaster walls, red interior schemes and interiors informed by retro design.

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    Luchetti Krelle brings laid-back luxury to social spaces of Manly Pacific hotel

    Spicy shades of turmeric, cinnamon and ginger feature alongside mosaic tiles and hand-painted murals in the public spaces of this hotel in Sydney, following a makeover from local studio Luchetti Krelle.

    The renovation encompassed Manly Pacific’s lobby as well as its 55 North bar and a few neighbouring lounge areas, all located on the hotel’s ground floor, which opens directly onto Manly Beach.
    Luchetti Krelle has overhauled the lobby of Sydney’s Manly Pacific hotelIn the reception area, Luchetti Krelle created an intimate lounge setting to bring a sense of warmth and welcome into the otherwise vast white space while creating a link to the more richly decorated drinking spaces beyond.
    Tactile sofas and clubby armchairs are clustered around a chequerboard table looking onto a fireplace that mixes tile and timber in a mid-century-influenced design.
    Latticed screens create a loose separation between Manly Pacific’s reception and the adjoining bar area, which introduces a richer palette of colours and materials to forge a sense of laid-back luxury.

    The studio also renovated the adjoining bar”A loose luxury defines our approach to the reappointment of the bar and neighbouring lounge areas,” Luchetti Krelle said.
    “Layered textures, spiced tonal triggers and punchy patterns were selected to energise the drinking spaces with a graceful attitude that prioritised home comfort.”
    55 North is centred on an impressive island bar that curves outwards into the room to create a sense of welcome.
    Crazy paving in autumnal hues defines the bar areaThe bar’s outlines are mirrored by the lines of the bulkhead ceiling above, creating a shape reminiscent of a clamshell that draws the eye across the room and brings a cosy intimacy to the bar area.
    “Hospitality design is about making people feel welcome, relaxed and confident so less noticeable elements drove our process,” the studio said.
    “We lowered the bar’s original height so smaller guests didn’t feel intimidated by its stature, adding custom leather swivel stools with curved returns to encourage lengthier sittings.”
    Lattice screens help to loosely divide the spaceThe client had originally requested a new bar closer to the lobby. But Luchetti Krelle chose instead to improve the existing design to conserve waste and save valuable build time.
    “As with all hospitality projects, there is an added pressure to complete the build and installation within deadline, given commercial pressures to open for business,” the studio said.
    “So we saved time finding creative solutions to transform existing elements, avoiding demolition and the waste of materials.”
    A series of lounge spaces lead off the barOpening off the main bar area is a series of lounges.
    Through the careful use of curves, arches and latticed screens, Luchetti Krelle designed these spaces to flow from one to another with a clear sense of continuity, while each area maintains its own distinct character and sense of purpose.
    “We created adjoining rooms to encourage hotel guests to treat the space like an extension of their home during the day,” the studio said.

    Luchetti Krelle fashions playful interiors for RAFI restaurant in Sydney

    On the beach side, a sunroom takes its cues from the vista with striped and patterned upholstery in a palette of cooling blues that tether the space to the seascape beyond.
    To the rear of the bar, a former gaming room has become an expansive cocktail lounge, where arches frame three intimate booths and the eye is led across the room by an underwater scene, painted onto Venetian plaster by local mural studio Steady Hand Studio.
    Cool blue tones connect the sunroom to Manly Pacific’s beachside settingTiles are the protagonist material of this project, defining each area.
    “Intricate autumnal crazy paving lures eyes through latticed screens that lightly separate the lobby and bar,” said Luchetti Krelle.
    “Waves of fanned pearl-hued marble mosaics accentuate the rear lounge’s sophistication. Within the front sun lounge, tessellated Indian green and Carrara marble mosaic arrangements mimic the effect of a rug.”
    The sunroom opens straight onto Manly BeachTimber, too, plays a large part in the design, used across walls, ceilings, arches and booths – particularly in the bar.
    “It was important to use varied timber species, including Blackbutt and walnut, to add textural depth and warm shades,” the studio said.
    A variety of plaster finishes introduce another level of texture while helping to convey a sense of history and permanence, according to Luchetti Krelle.
    A hand-painted mural dominates the cocktail lounge in the rearThese include the teal plaster applied to the bulkhead surround of the main bar, which features a glossy underside to bring a sense of lightness to the structure.
    And in the ocean-side lounge, the pale sand shade of the fireplace wall cools the space during summer, reflecting the sunlight.
    Seating booths are enveloped in cosy archesThe Manly Pacific is among a number of hospitality projects that Luchetti Krelle has completed in Sydney over the last two years.
    Among them is a bar set inside a former butcher shop as well as the restaurant RAFI, characterised by vivid abstract paintings and patterned floors.
    The photography is by Tom Ferguson.

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    Dorothée Meilichzon reimagines historic Biarritz hotel with nautical nods

    French interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon has renovated a Belle Epoque-era hotel in Biarritz, France, blending maritime and art deco motifs to add contemporary flair to the historic building.

    The Regina Experimental sits on a clifftop overlooking the Bay of Biscay in the French seaside city, which was once a royal getaway and is now a popular surfing destination.
    Nautical designs decorate the corridorsConstructed in 1907 by architect and landscape designer Henry Martinet, the grand building features a 15-metre-high atrium, large bay windows, a glass roof, and hints of art deco throughout.
    The majority of its spaces were well preserved, so Meilichzon’s input involved modernising the furnishings and decor – adding colour and pattern to enliven the spaces while playing on the hotel’s coastal location.
    Totemic sculptures were used in the hotel’s atriumIn the light-filled atrium, dark red and green sofas were arranged to create intimate seating areas within the expansive room.

    Totemic wicker sculptures form a line down the centre of the room, and cylindrical paper lanterns by designers Ingo Maurer and Anthony Dickens hang from the columns on either side.
    Guest rooms feature geometric, art deco-influenced headboards and striped upholsteryGuests in this space are served cocktails from a bar top shaped like an ocean liner, designed as an homage to modernist architect Eileen Gray, while listening to live piano music.
    While the bar top nods to Gray’s designs, the sofas in the room play on the shapes of the Itsasoan footbridge in nearby Guétary.
    Mirrors wrapped in rope continue the maritime theme in the roomsCarpet patterns vary between the different areas of the hotel – in the corridors, they carry a nautical motif, while the markings are reminiscent of fish scales in the guest rooms.
    The hotel’s restaurant, Frenchie, offers Basque-inspired cuisine within a bright room that features more nautical references, such as rope-hung shelves and shell-shaped sconces.
    Shell-shaped sconces decorate the dining roomHighly patterned tiled floors and furniture contrast the restaurant’s neutral plaster walls and ceiling, which are punctuated by arched niches and curved plywood panels.
    The dining area spills onto an outdoor terrace, populated by red cafe tables and chairs lined up against pale blue banquettes, around the corner from a swimming pool.

    Ibiza’s first hotel gets bohemian refresh from Dorothée Meilichzon

    The hotel’s 72 guest rooms are accessible from corridors that wrap around the atrium, and face either the ocean or the Golf de Biarritz Le Phare golf course.
    Shades of blue and green dominate the art deco-influenced bedrooms, which feature glossy geometric headboards and marine-striped upholstery.
    A cool palette of greens and blues is used in the bathroomsSmall lamps extend from rope frames that wrap around the mirrors, and red accents on smaller furniture pieces pop against the cooler hues.
    “Bedrooms are awash with Japanese straw and rope combined with marine stripes and plaster frescoes with aquatic motifs,” said the hotel. “Evocative of an ocean liner, each bedroom incorporates curved forms and long horizontal lines.”
    Built in 1907, the hotel overlooks the Bay of Biscay from a clifftopMeilichzon, founder of Paris-based design agency Chzon, is a frequent collaborator of the Experimental Group, and has designed the interiors for several of its properties.
    Earlier this year, she gave a bohemian refresh to Ibiza’s first hotel, now called the Montesol Experimental, and previously completed the Hotel Il Palazzo Experimental in Venice.
    The photography is by Mr Tripper.

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    Andrew Trotter and Marcelo Martínez refresh 17th-century home where time “stood still”

    Casa Soleto, a 17th-century house in Puglia, Italy, has been carefully renovated using lime plaster, terrazzo and furniture salvaged from a monastery.

    The four-bedroom house, parts of which are over 400 years old, was given a refresh by its owners – architecture firm Studio Andrew Trotter and its studio manager Marcelo Martínez.
    Casa Soleto is located in southern ItalyWhile no structural changes were made, the designers redid some of the building’s roofs, which were falling apart, added two bathrooms and powder rooms, and swapped the living and dining spaces around.
    “The street front had all the baroque details of a small palazzo and inside it was like time stood still,” Studio Andrew Trotter founder Andrew Trotter said of the house.
    Parts of the house are over 400 years oldNone of its walls were straight and the layout was designed for the needs of past occupants, with a chapel located behind the kitchen so that the family did not need to leave the house to pray.

    This place of worship was transformed into a media room and a powder room with an outdoor shower, creating a space that can be used as an extra guestroom if needed.
    A former chapel was turned into a media room that can also serve as an extra guest roomTrotter and Martínez aimed for the renovation of Casa Soleto to resemble the original building as much as possible and the team preserved much of its original flooring.
    “We tried to use natural materials as much as possible,” Martínez told Dezeen.
    “We used lime plasters to give a natural and raw feeling to the walls, terrazzo floors – battuto alla veneziana – in the areas where new floors had to be made, wooden windows and doors seeking to imitate the original ones, cast iron hardware and linen sofas.”
    The 17th-century house was decorated with modern and antique furnitureThe designers also chose a discrete colour palette for the lime plaster used on the walls of the house, which on the ground floor culminate in five-metre-high ceilings.
    “We chose subtle earthy and greeny colours,” Martínez said. “Colours played a central role, as some make spaces feel light, others moody.”

    Studio Andrew Trotter transforms 19th-century school into family home in Puglia

    Studio Andrew Trotter kept the house’s original kitchen and commissioned local woodworkers from the city of Lecce to recreate the home’s original wooden doors.
    To add to the natural feel of the interior, the team used jute rugs to cover the stone floors and sourced linen upholstery and curtains from local artisans.
    Lime plaster was used to give the walls a natural feelFurniture and accessories by Danish brand Frama were juxtaposed with antique furniture pieces including an 18th-century dining table that was salvaged from an Abruzzo monastery.
    The studio also sourced a late 18th- early 19th-century wardrobe from Lombardy for one of the bedrooms in Casa Soleto, which can only be accessed by going through the front patio and up an outside staircase.
    The original kitchen was kept and refurbishedStudio Andrew Trotter, which has worked on a number of projects in Puglia, plans to use Casa Soleto as a rental property.
    “We purchased and restored it mainly to rent it out, and also to invite creative minds that we appreciate, make gatherings and exhibitions,” Martínez said.
    An exterior staircase leads up to the bedroomsPrevious projects the studio has completed in the area include a 19th-century school that was turned into a family home and an earth-toned villa made from local sandstone.
    The photography is by Salva López.
    Project credits:
    Interior design: Andrew Trotter and Marcelo MartínezPlaster application: Tullio Cardinale and teamWoodwork: Alba Falegnameria

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    Giannone Petricone Associates rescues Ontario hotel from ruin

    Toronto studio Giannone Petricone Associates has spent a decade restoring a dilapidated hotel in Ontario, linking the building’s past and present through regionally influenced design details.

    Located in Picton, a town in Prince Edward County (PEC) that lies close to the shores of Lake Ontario, The Royal Hotel was in bad shape when the Sorbara family purchased it in 2013.
    The Royal Hotel’s interiors draw upon a mix Victorian and contemporary influences, as seen in the reception area. Photo by Graydon HerriottThe new owners hired Giannone Petricone Associates (GPA) to save what they could of the existing building, which was first completed in 1879, and transform it into contemporary lodgings.
    “Its central staircase was lined with a lush carpet of green moss, and early in the planning phase, the roof caved in,” said the hotel team.
    One of four hotel bars is lined with tambour panelling”But the family vowed to restore the property and bring it back to life as a nexus for both locals and guests of PEC’s burgeoning food and wine region.”

    The architects were able to salvage three of the original brick walls, and within them created a cafe, three bars, a fine-dining restaurant; and a spa, gym and sauna.
    Playful design elements include ceiling rosettes that mimic water ripplesA landscaped terrace overlooks a fourth bar and a brick patio with lounge seating, while an outdoor swimming pool flanked by a row of cabana beds lies beyond.
    A total of 33 guest rooms are available: 28 in the main three-storey hotel building, and a further five suites in a rebuilt stable named The Royal Annex.
    Another cosy lounge area features dark tambour panels around its fireplaceFor the interiors, GPA played on tropes of Victorian railway hotels, mixing formal elements of British tradition with PEC’s more laid-back rural sensibility.
    “The Royal is designed to be a transporting experience while deeply rooted in the local context,” said GPA principal Pina Petricone. “The experience benefits from the charged contrast between ‘genteel’ and ‘real’ elements.”

    Ace Hotel Toronto by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects features a suspended lobby

    In the lobby, the reception desk is wrapped in a floral pattern and a wooden shelving system forms a boutique displaying items for sale.
    Tambour panelling lines the adjacent bar area, which flows into a lounge where softly undulated plasterwork frames a fireplace.
    The hotel offers 33 guest rooms, which feature details like cross-stitched headboardsA variety of checkered and tartan patterns are found across hallway carpets, mosaic bathroom tiles and cross-stitched headboards. Ceiling rosettes throughout the spaces are designed to mimic mushrooms and water ripples.
    “We wanted to have moments in the hotel that were a bit nonsensical,” Petricone said. “The Royal is about escapism, and our research into the hotel’s history demonstrated that it was always a pretty quirky place.”
    A variety of checkered patterns are found throughout the hotel, including in the mosaic bathroom tilesOther recently opened hotels in Canada include the Ace Toronto, which boasts a suspended lobby and rooftop bar.
    Last year, the 1 Hotel Toronto by Rockwell Group and The Drake Hotel Modern Wing by DesignAgency, also in the city, were longlisted in the Hotel and Short Stay Interiors category for the Dezeen Awards.
    The photography is by Doublespace, unless stated otherwise. Main image is by Jeff McNeill.

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    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    American designer Jenny Bukovec has looked to Kentucky’s heritage for the interiors of a hotel in Lexington, a city famed for bourbon production and horse racing.

    Described by the hotel team as “the first high-end hotel in the horse and bourbon capital of the world,” The Manchester sits on the site of the historic Ashland Distillery – the city’s first registered bourbon producer, which was established in 1865.
    The lobby bar at The Manchester hotel features vaulted ceilings and eclectic lounge furnitureIts location in the heart of Manchester Street’s historic Distillery District places guests within close proximity to a host of bourbon distilleries, breweries, bars, restaurants and event spaces.
    Hoteliers Nik Feldman and Hank Morris tapped New York City-based Bukovec to design “soulful” interiors for the public areas and 125 guest rooms that draw upon the region’s heritage.
    The equestrian-themed main restaurant, Granddam, is designed with walnut wainscoting and green accentsIn the lobby, a wall of hit-and-miss brickwork is modelled on the neighbourhood’s historic rickhouses – structures used for storing and distilling spirits.

    Corbelled arches within the brick wall lead through to a bar with vaulted plaster ceilings, eclectic lounge furniture, and details that include handmade bejmat tiles and amber-toned fluted glass.
    Geometric patterned tiles and wicker furniture decorate the Lost Palm rooftop barThe hotel’s main restaurant is named Granddam “after a wise, figurative matriarch racing horse” and serves a contemporary take on traditional Appalachian cuisine.
    Seating 140 covers, the space is encircled by square-panelled walnut wainscoting, huge floor-to-ceiling windows and teal-hued leather banquette seating.
    The rich hues in the guest rooms evoke those associated with Kentucky’s Bluegrass music tiesGreen floor tiles and cushions match the ceiling colour and complement the taupe tones of the walls and furniture upholstery.
    “The 140-seat dining room follows the hotel’s equestrian aesthetic and is designed as a modern reinterpretation of nearby stables, featuring rich walnut walls and horse saddle-inspired woven leather seating,” said the hotel team.
    Among the room categories are five with wooden bunk beds that sleep four guestsA very different aesthetic was chosen for Lost Palm, a rooftop bar and lounge that takes cues from art deco nostalgia while repeating the same arched forms found in the lobby.
    Bukovec combined wicker furniture, rattan panels, geometric patterned floor tiles and tropical planting as a nod to 1960s South Florida and its horse racing culture – for which Lexington is also famed.

    Fettle returns The Georgian hotel in Santa Monica to its 1930s “glory”

    The dark woods and rich hues used in the guest rooms evoke those commonly associated with Bluegrass music, another regional specialty.
    Room categories range from standard kings and double queens up to one- and two-bedroom penthouse suites with clawfoot tubs, as well as five bunk-bed rooms that each sleep four guests.
    The 7th-floor gym is kitted out with tanned leather equipmentA gym located on the 7th floor features herringbone parquet flooring and tanned leather equipment.
    The Manchester also offers a variety of guest experiences, including distillery tours, bourbon tastings, fly fishing, polo lessons and trail riding.
    The hotel occupies a brick building on the site of a historic bourbon distilleryMany visitors to Kentucky come for its whisky heritage and industry, which has ties to several big-name architecture firms.
    In 2018, Shigeru Ban unveiled a proposal to build a trio of mass timber pyramids for the Kentucky Owl distillery, and more recently, RSHP unveiled its design for Horse Soldier Bourbon’s new home in the state.
    The photography is by Matt Kisiday.

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