March+April 2011: Arts & Culture

Cover Story: Distrikt Hotel’s City Scenes

Quirky Environment Enlivens Rumor Hotel

Smart Art: A How-To for Designers
Hotel Indigo Docks in Shanghai
w w w.boutiquedesign.com

chris rubino
Artist
 l e t t e r f r o m t h e e d i t o r

A
s a longtime fan of vinyl (records, that is) I love Advaya Hospitality’s marketing www.boutiquedesign.com
kit for its new MODO hotel brand. Measuring 12-by-12-in., the kit mimics ST Media Group International
the fold-out album covers of a bygone musical era—although in this case, the 11262 Cornell Park Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45242
sleeve contains not an LP, but background info and images for the new mid-market P: 513.421.2050 | F: 513.421.5144
lifestyle chain.
This album-based motif was done by design, of course. Music will play an inte-
gral role within the MODO chain’s Bauhaus-based interiors. Each locale will feature EDITORIAL
“a custom-curated collection of vinyl, CDs and MP3s that will provide guests with a Editor | Matthew Hall
[email protected]
distinct musical experience that no other hotel in MODO’s class can match,” says John
Senior Art Director | Kimberly Pegram
Russell, the ex-NYLO exec heading the Advaya team. [email protected]
(For more on where and when the first MODOs will Editor at Large | Mary Scoviak
make their appearance, see page 10.) [email protected]

MODO’s mixed-media approach within its hotels Assistant Editor | Megan Krause
[email protected]
is on trend with the intermingling of arts of all sorts
within many boutique projects. The pages that follow SALES
offer three high-profile examples of this phenomenon. Publisher, Hospitality Products
First up is the Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund (page Michael Schneider
[email protected]
20), where designers from HBA/Hirsch Bedner Asso- P: 513.263.9379
ciates assembled an astonishing collection of “found” Business Development Manager, West
objects and custom artworks to engender a one-of-a- Gerry Kreger
[email protected]
kind, Shanghai-centered experience. P: 323.999.0991
Creating a unique sense of space was also the under- Business Development Manager, Southeast
Scott Rickles
lying rationale for an ambitious art installation in New York’s Distrikt hotel (page 28). At [email protected]
that Midtown locale, OTTE Architecture hired artist Chris Rubino—our cover subject— P: 770.664.4567
to create a series of photo collages of 10 different Big Apple neighborhoods that were Business Development Manager, Southwest
Stuart Freeman
installed on the walls of the elevator lobbies on all 31 of the hotel’s guest floors. [email protected]
In marked contrast to those properties’ hyper-local themes, designers from Tandem P: 972-782-2584
imbued the new Rumor Hotel in Las Vegas (page 32) with a decidedly free-form art
CORPORATE
installation that ranged from a lavender pig statue in the lobby to Warhol-inspired chan-
President
delier graphics on the guest room walls. Then there’s the resort’s four over-the-top Tedd Swormstedt
“mega suites,” which designer Mark Tracy aptly describes as a “wild, colorful backdrop Design Group Director
for people to hang with their friends.” Kristin D. Zeit

As art installations continue to play bigger and bigger roles in hospitality spaces, Audience Development Director
Christine Baloga
designers face the challenge of figuring out how to most effectively integrate such
Director of Book Division
works into the spaces they create—and how to do so within the constraints of today’s Mark Kissling
tighter budgets. Editor at large Mary Scoviak provides some excellent drill-down into Senior Event Manager
those topics in her trend piece on page 12. Kristy Lohre

One final art-related note: Be sure to check out our Last Detail shot (page 56), from Production Manager
Linda Volz
the first-ever restaurant to bear the Rolling Stone magazine moniker. While graphics of
Reprint Information
rock-and-roll icons play a central role in the interior, designer Gavin Brodin chose an 800.925.1110, ext. 399
arresting, oversized image of an unnamed model’s backside to adorn the door to the
restaurant’s ladies’ room. Truly, art is everywhere in today’s hospitality destinations. CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUBSCRIPTIONS
800.421.1321 (U.S. and Canada only)
P: 513.421.2050 F: 513.421.6110
[email protected]
8:30 a.m. to 4:45 a.m., ET
E D I TO R

 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 fabrics
one worldwide standard for fire retardant fabrics

fabricutcontract.com 800.999.5533 fr-one.com hospitality fabrics for interior designers, specifiers and architects
 INSIDE
BD March+April 2011

32

28 Features Departments
12 Off the Wall 2 From the Editor
High-profile designers weigh in on the best practices for
integrating artwork into hospitality settings.
6 Boutique Buzz
38 DreamBook:
Creative Genius
20 Shanghai Surprises
A river-related theme runs through HBA/Hirsch Bedner 42 Call for Nominations:
Associates’ design for the first Hotel Indigo to open in Asia. The Boutique 18
44 Showroom: Bath & Spa
24 Q+A: Luisa Flynn
The founder of ArtScope Consultants tackles such topics 50 Showroom: Surfacing
as why art installations at boutique hotels can be more 56 The Last Detail:
provocative than those at major chains. Rolling Stone Restaurant,
Los Angeles
28 Big Apple Slices
OTTE Architecture and artist Chris Rubino enlivened
the elevator lobbies at the Distrikt Hotel with wall murals
depicting New York neighborhoods.

ON THE COVER Artist Chris Rubino

32 Betting on a Boutique with one of the photo collages
At Las Vegas’ Rumor Hotel, Tandem and Chemical Spaces he created in tandem with OTTE
Architecture for the elevator lobbies
created interiors that intermix the whimsical and the sexy. of the Distrikt Hotel.
Photography: Anna Wolf

20

4 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

Luxury  details
www.royalcustomdesigns.com T 626.967.5261 F 626.967.5324
Boutique Buzz EDITED BY MAT THEW HALL

Dream Bangkok Millesime Restaurant Mixes

Art Deco and Oysters

O yster bars and art deco are on the

rise, and so is a stretch of real estate
in the Big Apple that’s embracing both
those concepts. Among the new restau-
rants helping revive New York’s Flat-
iron/Gramercy area is Millesime, a new
French seafood bistro located inside the
Carlton Hotel.
The space was designed by Douglas
Fanning, a newcomer to the hospitality
scene but not to design. His 17-year-old
New York architecture and design firm,
DYAD, is known for its contemporary
furnishings and lighting, in addition to archi-
tecture/design projects and installations.
Millesime is accessible from the hotel’s
Night New York lobby, and the restaurant consists of two

Courtesy of Wyndham Hotel Group (Dream and Night); Melissa Hom (Millesime)
separate spaces joined by an inner stair.
A lower level houses the Salon Millesime
Wyndham to Franchise Two Chatwal Brands and lobby bar, while its brasserie is located

I s the phrase “boutique hotel franchise” an oxymoron? Wyndham Hotel Group and
Chatwal Hotels & Resorts LLC clearly don’t think so. Wyndham has entered an
agreement to exclusively franchise and manage Chatwal’s Dream and Night boutique
on the mezzanine. In all, the restaurant
has about 6,000 sq. ft. of space and can
seat about 250.
hotel brands globally. “For me, the idea of the Salon was to
Sant Singh Chatwal, chairman and ceo of the company bearing his name, says that create a space with hints of early deco and
teaming with Wyndham will “take the development of the Dream and Night brands the feeling of luxury in materials,” says
to the next level” by leveraging Wyndham’s global distribution system, loyalty program Fanning. “Tables are ebony with inlaid
and extended reach of its development professionals. Chatwal Hotels & Resorts will bronze bars lining the middle, and the large
continue to own the Dream and Night brand trademarks and intellectual property. cube shades and sconces are a lamination
Dream and Night hotels currently are open in New York, Bangkok and Cochin, of brown linen with a glowing burgundy silk
India. In addition, the 108-room, art-deco-inspired Dream South Beach is sched- interior. Low, streamlined banquettes wrap
uled to open soon in Miami Beach, Fla. Chatwal has also announced plans to open the open stage with hand-stitched leather
a Dream hotel in New York’s Meatpacking District during the second quarter of this panels accenting columns and walls.”
year, and to expand that flag in South Asia. — Kelly Hushin

 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

TM
Lyocell
Fiber from Eucalyptus™
 b o u t i q u e b u z z

call for NomiNatioNs

For more information about the Boutique 18

or to fill out a nomination form turn to
page 42 of this issue or visit
www.boutiquedesign.com

DeaDline for nominations:

London Hotel to House Live-In Sculpture
March 28, 2011
A new Corbin & King boutique hotel planned for London’s Mayfair district will
include a rather unusual amenity: a sculpture you can sleep in. The art instal-
lation, designed by Antony Gormley in conjunction with architecture firm Rear-
donSmith, will consist of a series of interconnected stainless-steel clad vertical
slabs sitting atop the hotel’s south wing. That structure’s interior will be a self-
contained chamber housing a king-sized bed; the suite’s lounge area and bathroom
will be accessed through a connecting door.

Courtesy of Rezidor Hotel Group

Patrick Reardon, co-founder of ReardonSmith Architects, says that “a funda-
mental element of our initial concept was that public art must be an integral part of
what we do, rather than a tick-the-box add-on. We’re all thrilled that Antony Gorm-
ley’s iconic contribution has fulfilled our dream in such a spectacular fashion.”
The hotel will be housed in a 1920s-era art deco building that’s owned by Gros-
venor West End Properties. If all goes according to plan, the 75-key locale—which
will also house a restaurant and a spa—should be open by the end of 2013.

Meeting Rooms That Rock

R ezidor Hotel Group has added some

rock-and-roll soul to its Aberdeen Park
Inn hotel in Scotland, by commissioning
local artist Bob Harper to create paintings
of seven musicians that hang in the 185-key
locale’s conference/meeting rooms. Harp-
er’s portraits are of John Lennon and Paul
McCartney—who are pictured together—
as well as solo likenesses of Elvis Presley,
Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Angus
Young of AC/DC and Aberdeen-born Annie
Review: NEWH Leadership Conference, Orlando Lennox (pictured above with the artist).

A n estimated 200 hospitality professionals attended the recent biannual NEWH

Leadership Conference at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort Hotel & Confer-
ence Center at Universal Orlando in Florida. Conference highlights included an
All the rockers portrayed by Harper
have some tie to Scotland, notes hotel
general manager David Allan. Presley and
opening keynote speech by Raul Leal on the newly formed Virgin Hotels and a Springsteen, for example, have ancestors
banquet honoring Lynda Sullivan of JLF and David Mahood of Olive Designs for from that country, “while The Beatles regu-
their dedication and service to the organization. Shown here at a dinner out during larly toured Scotland before they hit the big
the event are: Hope Quintanar Case, OW Hospitality; Robert Polacek, Puccini time,” Allan says. And don’t be surprised to
Group; Rosa Pacateque, ISG; Leigh Mitchell, Mitch Zweig & Associates; Michael see admirers of the paintings inspecting
Schneider, ST Media Group; Sally Thomas Cooper, Lusive Décor; Rachel Cline, R. them at very close range—Harper inte-
Cline Consulting; Kelly DeWees, Wynn Resorts; Andrea Thomas, Thomas Design grated lyrics from the rockers’ songs in very
Source; and Elaine McCorkle-Castro, EMC Interior Designs. small type on their faces.

 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 b o u t i q u e b u z z

CorreCtIon
The caption
with photo of
the Saltworks
Showroom in New
York that ran in the
January+February
2011 edition (page
31) should have
also credited
Steed Hale for
helping create that
space, in addition
to Jared Sherman
Epps Design.

Music-Centered MODO Chain to Debut

A dvaya Hospitality has unveiled brand and design details for MODO, its new
global lifestyle hotel chain. Advaya, whose principals include ex-NYLO execu-
tives John Russell and Chris Jones, say that the new chain will debut with a minimum
of five properties in Brazil and another five in India. The company also says it is
establishing a fund to acquire strategic assets and build new hotels, targeting major
U.S. markets like New York, Kansas City and Miami.
“Modo means ‘the way’ in Spanish, and we think of it as ‘the way to stay,’” Russell
explains. “The name captures our brand’s personality—music-centric, original, design-
focused and on track with the way people travel today.” V Restaurant Whets Appetite
Advaya reports that the brand’s locales will sport an urban, Bauhaus loft design, for Hotel Viridian in Florida
featuring concrete-and-glass construction with exposed beams and polished concrete
walls. Full-service MODO hotels will house 100 or more rooms, an RPM restaurant-
lounge, courtyard, pool, meeting/event space, retail shop and gym. Each property
D evelopers used a two-step approach
to opening the 40-key Hotel Viridian
in Seagrove Beach, Fla. First, they unveiled
will also feature its own collection of vinyl records, CDs and MP3 content, allowing the 6,700-sq.-ft. V restaurant, followed a
MODO to showcase independent artists around the globe. few weeks later by the debut of the adjacent
During the next three years, MODO will roll out 150-room hotels in several major hotel. Opening the development’s 120-seat
metropolitan markets in Brazil, including Sao Paulo, Campinas, Curitiba, Vitoria and restaurant first had its benefits, according
Manaus. MODO’s Brazilian locales will be developed by ABR Brazil LLC, a joint to co-owner and partner Chip Haring. “As
venture between MODO and BridgeRock Capital Management LLC. a central gathering and dining venue, V will
Additionally, during the second half of this year, Advaya plans to open the first of be the heartbeat of Hotel Viridian and will
at least five budget-oriented versions of the MODO chain in India. Those 60- to 80- act as a showpiece to our master plan of
room locales will have limited food and beverage offerings and small meeting rooms, what life will be like there,” Haring says.
and are slated to be located in Chennai, Tuticorin, Kakinada, Vizag and Vellore. Architect Roger Godwin, principal
of Destin, Fla.-based DAG Architects,
designed the campus-style Hotel Viridian in
collaboration with McWhorter Architects of
Seagrove Beach. The hotel—whose name
“Ifyoudothemright, pays homage to the blue-green water of the
youthhostelscanoffer Gulf of Mexico—features luxury king-size
units outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows
obscenelyhighmargins.” overlooking private terraces, custom-
—Chip Conley, chief creative officer, Joie de Vivre,
designed furnishings, oversized closets and
at the “Innovative Visionaries” seminar at this year’s freestanding sauna tubs in the bathrooms.
Americas Lodging Investment Summit. On-site amenities at the complex include
a lobby bar, retail shops, a spa/wellness
Chip Conley center and a rooftop infinity-edge pool with
five permanent cabanas. BD

10 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

B L O C . D E S I G N M A R K G A B B E R TA S ( L O N D O N )

S U P E R B LY C R A F T E D T E A K , W O V E N A N D S TA I N L E S S S T E E L O U T D O O R F U R N I T U R E

C ATA L O G R E Q U E S T S . 8 8 8 4 5 6 7 8 3 7

G L O S T E R , P O B O X 7 3 8 , S O U T H B O S T O N , V A 2 4 5 9 2 . T E L . 4 3 4 5 7 5 1 0 0 3 . FA X . 4 3 4 5 7 5 1 5 0 3

E M A I L . S A L E S @ G L O S T E R . C O M . W W W. G L O S T E R P R O . C O M
 a r t- i n s ta l l at i o n t r e n d s

Fabrice Knoll, Mari Balestrazzi, Stanford Hughes,

DFKnoll Morgans Hotel Group BraytonHughes Design Studios

Off the
Wall
Designers share their
best practices for finding
provocative art that
doesn’t break the bank.
Andrea Hofer DeRosa, Ken Kulas,
Avenue Los Angeles Cleo Design
B y M a r y S covi a k

B
outique hotel design used to focus Smarter Commissioning compelling pieces within a wide range of
on the art of living. Now, it’s just Original art commissioned just for a partic- budgets,” says Mari Balestrazzi, senior vice
as much about the art. Guests ular project is still number one on most president, design.
expect a gallery atmosphere that’s going to designer’s wish lists. But it often carries a Fabrice Knoll, co-founder of DFKnoll
keep them engaged and entertained from hefty price tag—too heavy for some reces- (Paris), literally takes the search for made-
the minute they check in to the hours they sion-era budgets. “In years past, half of our to-order art to the street. “Living in Paris,
spend in their guest rooms. The challenge projects involved commissioned art. Today, it is quite easy to go to certain areas where
for designers is how to dazzle with expres- it’s closer to 10 percent,” says Kulas. artists have their ateliers,” says Knoll. “We
sive arts and crafts that stretch the imagi- But some boutique hotel operators, go into their studios, talk, have a coffee
nation, not the bottom line. such as Morgans Hotel Group (New York), with them, explain the project and our
The upside is that many owners under-
stand the need to earmark money for an art
Making the most of the dollars available has led to creative
program. “Generally, the art budget hasn’t
been as hard hit as other areas of the hotel new strategies for sourcing interesting work and broadening
design budget,” says Ken Kulas, principal, the definition of what art is.
Cleo Design (Las Vegas). “The problem is
that it’s such a small piece, maybe a half are bucking that trend. “For us, it’s most vision. We see who is in line with the archi-
percent to 1 percent of the total project important to tie artists’ work into the larger tectural intent and what the artist wants to
cost.” Making the most of the dollars avail- context of the hotel concept. We rarely bring to the environment.”
able has led to creative new strategies for include pieces not created specifically for Knoll cautions designers to be specific
sourcing interesting work and broadening us. Our commitment to partnering with both in discussions and in the contract,
the definition of what art is. artists allows us to create unique and while being careful not to impinge on

12 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 A R T- I N S TA L L AT I O N T R E N D S

Lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe at night,

designed by BraytonHughes Design Studios.

creative freedom. “From the first conversa-

tion, you have to be as concise as possible
so that he or she will be inspired by the
place and will understand how the work Morgans Hotel Group’s design
will be integrated into it. In the contract, for the Ames Hotel, Boston.

you have to spell out the kind of work, the

weight [for structural reasons], the size and relies on art consultants for most projects. aimed at the hotel’s target demographic.
so forth,” he says. Balestrazzi agrees that “Art consultants’ connections give us access Works include off-the-radar pieces such as
respecting the artist is key. Like Knoll, she to new artists that we might not be aware tin cans carefully hand cut and fashioned
details exactly what’s expected and makes of,” he says. For the Ritz-Carlton Lake into brilliant blue butterflies that seem to
sure the artist is given a reasonable fee Tahoe, for example, the project’s art consul- alight on the walls.
and reasonable deadline. “I’ve never had a tant (Mary Hannah, owner of San Francis- Andrea Hofer DeRosa, principal
problem with delivery,” she says. co’s Kay + Hannah Associates) tapped into designer at Avenue Los Angeles, says that
Stanford Hughes, principal, Brayton- the local pool of artists to create a region- while she occasionally works directly with
Hughes Design Studios (San Francisco), ally connected, eco-friendly atmosphere artists, she prefers consultants for any
volume purchases because of their ability
Dining area at Regina Hotel Baglioni, Rome.
to work with budgeting issues. Frequently,
these advisers present a turnkey package
that includes responsibility for on-time,
on-budget delivery and installation.
Sometimes, though, finding artists comes
Chris Cypert (Ritz-Carlton); Michael Mundy (Ames); Duriez Exhibition (Regina)
down to gut feelings. “We have discovered
some of our personal favorites on our own,
either through magazines such as Luxe
Magazine or online at lifestyle and/or design
web sites like Luxury Culture and The Cool
Hunter, respectively,” says DeRosa.

Off the Rack

Commissioned pieces may provide an
aesthetic punch, but fitting them into
tight financial strictures can be impossible
for some projects. That’s when designers
have to get more creative, looking for solu-
tions that don’t smack of mass produc-
tion or the pastels hyped on infomercials.
DeRosa found that out while working on

14 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

SINCE 1986
 A R T- I N S TA L L AT I O N T R E N D S

The Redbury SBE in Los Angeles. “The

design concept for the property lent itself
to a vintage feel, so we sourced our art
and accessories package almost exclu-
sively from local flea markets. We filled
the spaces with unique collectibles and
objects. So both the public areas and guest
rooms felt authentic,” she says.
Collections offer another route to
resolving the less-is-more approach to art
budgets. More and more, designers and
consultants are shopping for series of etch-
ings, prints, photographs and graphics that
provide an unexpected visual showcase. In
a few cases, like the Hotel Eclat Taipei,
Artwork in the prefunction space
it’s the client who supplies the art. LRF at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe.
Designers (Hong Kong) had the once-in-
a-career opportunity to draw from hotel the thrill of something new each time cultural ante of the space. For example,
owner George Wong’s art collection—one they visit; the hotel gets added marketing Marco Milocco, general manager of the
that included some of the best of current support from their creative partners and Regina Hotel Baglioni in Rome, treats
Chinese art as well as a pair of Salvador the artists get major exposure to a new pool his property as a dynamic exhibit space to
Dalí sculptures. of prospective buyers. add another dimension to the cultural and
”We had a very limited art budget for artistic side of the city. He typically finds
Art House one project, so we reached out to the local artists among his own social connections
Another approach that’s gaining momentum art community. We arranged for our client and friends.
is enhancing a core art program with exhi- to contract with a local art gallery to install Milocco contracts directly with the
bitions mounted in the lobby or restau- works by local artists on consignment,” artist. His secret to keeping this arrange-
rants. Working directly with artists or says DeRosa. ment on track? “Basically, the artist
local galleries, hotels can change up their Beyond the financial reasoning, some supplies the art—all we do is provide the
art programs with each show. Guests get hotels seek out art installations to up the space and the marketing,” he says, adding
that the hotel does not take a commission
Avenue Los Angeles’ design for a on anything sold. It’s not a cheap way of
guest room at The Redbury SBE. using art (a two-week exhibition can cost
$5,000), but it transforms the hotel into a
destination, he says.
Not all designers embrace dynamic
displays, however. “I am always worried
about ‘art turnover’ when galleries want
to use the hotel premises as a supple-
mental exhibiting window for themselves;
Mary Hannah (Ritz-Carlton); Matthew Rolston (Redbury)

I’d rather encourage a gallery to suggest to

meet some artists than to propose ready-
made art,” Knoll says.
No matter whether a hotel’s art is
commissioned, inventoried or consigned,
such installations offer an opportunity for
a locale to make a big impact for a rela-
tively small chunk of its overall budget.
That means designers and hoteliers need
to draw on all their collective knowledge
and expertise to deliver on guests’ expecta-
tions of an artful experience. BD

16 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

GET CARRIED AWAY.
Let the spirit of your style bask in the breeze and turn
the open air into your own personal paradise. After
all, Ellington fans are about more than moving the
air. They’re about moving you.
EllingtonFans.com
A BETTER
WAY TO BUY…
Have projects on the books for 2011? Fast track the buying process at
HOSPITALITYmatch, June 19-21 at San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo Inn.

This three-day “speed meeting” event brings key decision-makers from

top design firms, purchasing companies and hotel groups together with
relevant suppliers—in 20-minute, one-to-one meetings.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

˘ You apply online to qualify as a buyer.
ONCE QUALIFIED:
˘ You choose in advance the vendors you’d like to meet with.
˘ We organize and schedule your matches.

You’ll receive complimentary travel, hotel and meals plus admission to

seminars and networking events with fellow designers. Not to mention
face time with select FF&E vendors who have what you're looking for—
and are ready to field your questions.

Qualified buyers are selected in early April.

Apply now at guest.matchsandiego.com to qualify.
AND SELL.
SUPPLIERS: Build lasting customer relationships with 50+ highly
qualified contract buyers at the sixth annual HOSPITALITYmatch.

With a guaranteed minimum of 20 meetings per vendor—the most for your

money—and a full slate of casual networking activities, HOSPITALITYmatch
gives you the platform to make meaningful connections with designers and
other decision-makers who are actively buying.

You decide who attends. We organize and schedule your matches.

When you arrive, simply set up a tabletop display and you’re ready to sell.

YOU’LL ENJOY:
˘ Condensed travel
˘ Efficient use of time and budget
˘ An intimate setting (approximately 100 people)
˘ Quick and easy set-up/break-down
˘ Ease of follow-up with well established contacts
˘ A shortened sales cycle

For more information, contact Michael Schneider at 513-263-9379 or

[email protected].

Limited spots remaining, visit HospitalityMatch.com to sign up today.

June 19-21, 2011

Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego, CA
PRIOR TO NEWH LA REGIONAL SHOW (6/23)
HospitalityMatch.com

PROducEd by: MEdIA PARTNERS:

 H O T E L I N D I G O

This bedroom suite at the Hotel Indigo

Shanghai on the Bund features a full-
wall reproduction of photographer

Ken Hayden
Chen Rui Yan’s image of a nearby
neighborhood.

Shanghai Surprises
At the first Hotel Indigo in Asia, designers from HBA installed
an array of local “found” items and custom artworks.
BY MAT THEW HALL

T
alk about your immersive envi- steel-paneled wall made of metal recovered
ronments: Within the span of just from a nearby ship scrap yard.
a few hundred feet, the lobby of Those elements, combined with the use
the Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund of concrete, exposed brick and polished
takes visitors on a startling visual journey plaster, work together to create “the sugges-
that reflects the longstanding role that the tion that the lobby is a gallery space that’s
adjoining Huangpu River played in the been repurposed from a wharf-side, water-
city’s development. The lobby’s river-related front loft,” says Andrew Moore, a principal
elements include a rusted raw-steel ellipse with the Singapore office of HBA/Hirsch
that serves as a sculptural representation Bedner Associates, which created the
of a steamship’s funnel; a cross-sectioned hotel’s interiors.
Andrew Moore, HBA/Hirsch
Bedner Associates wall sculpture made from the wood of a The Hotel Indigo Shanghai is the first
deconstructed Shanghai river boat; and a member of that InterContinental Hotels

20 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 The hotel’s lobby houses contemporary
art and furniture, as well as historical
references to a nearby river, including
the LED-studded steel sculpture of a
steamship funnel at its center.

Group (IHG) boutique chain to open house art group. such features as a wall painting showing
in Asia. In all, that seven-year-old flag “The teams worked together to create contemporary visitors walking the streets
consists of about 40 properties, and IHG a concept that was based on the neighbor- of Shanghai and curvy, modern chairs at
says each is designed to reflect the culture, hood, its history and how Shanghai resi- the reception desk. The new and old also
character and history of its surrounding dents see their place in the world,” says intermix in the hotel’s other public spaces,
neighborhood. Julian Coombs, a Singapore-based project as well as in its guest rooms. The Quay
Hence all those river-themed features director with HBA. “The result is an envi- Cafe, for example, features a dining space
in the Shanghai locale’s lobby. But HBA ronment that’s designed to respect history modeled after a traditional tea house, as
also adopted several other design motifs without being overwhelmed by it, by well as an ultra-modern, pod-like lounge
to inject a local flavor into the 184-room blending traditional details and contempo- for TV viewing.
hotel. Those various looks, in turn, were rary touches.” In the guest rooms, Moore says, “we
jointly created by HBA’s interior designers Consequently, to counterbalance the put a lot of emphasis on using locally
and staffers from Canvas, the firm’s in- lobby’s historical touches, designers added produced building materials that might

Boutique Design | March+April 2011 21

 H O T E L I N D I G O

The Quay Cafe offers a modern twist on the traditional

tea house, while the rear of the space is given over to a
curved, pod-like lounge for TV viewing.

have been reclaimed from demolished old viated, curved canopy that was designed
homes. That meant using wide paneling, by HBA. “The canopy helps soften the
with characteristic Shanghai woodworking room and contributes to the creation of a
details and gray brick.” The rooms are also romantic and comforting boutique atmo-
home to a variety of Chinese lanterns, sphere,” Moore says.
authentic furniture, ceramic pieces and The walls behind the beds, meantime,
antique accessories. are home to murals consisting of photos
“Those pieces were sourced by the taken in surrounding neighborhoods by
hotel’s manager,” Moore notes. “We estab- Chen Rui Yan, a leading Shanghai photog-
lished the design and style direction in a rapher. The images were rendered in black
room mock-up, and the manager then went and white, with rooftops and certain other
shopping in nearby markets and bought features called out in red.
interesting things that any foreign tourist “The photos differ widely in scale, with
would collect when first visiting the city.” some covering the entire wall, while others
Two other notable room features are are scaled to the bed head,” Moore says.
the beds and the wall murals behind “Each room’s view onto the city influences
These “bird cage” chairs in the Quay give guests a them. Guests sleep on traditional Chinese the image on the bed wall, delivering a
chance to chill out on their own. wedding beds supplemented by an abbre- highly personalized sense of place.” BD

22 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 Q + A

BD: How did you break into art

consultancy for hotels?
Flynn: It happened by chance. I was intro-
duced to Moya Manassero, the designer
who was working on the renovation of the
old Alrae Hotel in New York. The prop-
erty had been bought by [what was then]
Trusthouse Forte and was being trans-
formed into The Plaza Athénée. The theme
was “elegant French.” I made four trips to
Paris to find 19th and early 20th century
engravings, drawings and paintings for the
suites, guest rooms and corridors. One of
the reasons I got that job was because I
understood how to assess the authenticity
Luisa Flynn with a Japanese art
deco painting at the Excelsior Hotel. of the prints and also because I knew the
“serious” shops in Paris that sold these
kinds of work. It helped that, though this
was my first assignment, I wasn’t new to

Q+A: Luisa Flynn the art scene nor to the business world.

BD: It sounds like a dream job. Was it

The founder of ArtScope Consultants details some best just that easy?
Actually, I had delivered all of the art after
practices for finding artwork that enhances hotel design. my first two trips to Paris. But then, half
BY MARY SCOVIAK
of the framed pictures were stolen! That
happened despite the fact that, during
construction, every floor had a security

G
rowing up in Buenos Aires, Luisa department with a British-based merchant guard. I had to go to Paris and buy part
Flynn was drawn to art in all its bank. The attempt at a conventional job was of it again. That was a one-time occur-
forms. But she saw her career short-lived. “It just wasn’t satisfying,” she rence. On an ongoing basis, there is always
path unfolding in the more conventional says. “That’s when I started to deal in art.” the concern that some guests will take
world of international business. So, she Her first venture, Art in Progress, anything that fits into their suitcases. For
applied herself to learning banking and morphed into its current form, ArtScope that reason, I always apply security mount-
finance as well as five languages. In the Consultants, in 1986. While nurturing her ings to the frame of pictures. If somebody
midst of her coursework, she added studies start-up company, she built out her connec- wants to steal a picture, he or she has to
in experimental theater, which led to an tions in the international creative scene take part of the wall.
acting job on German television. as founder and international editor of the
While visiting Paris, she found a new publication Art/World, art critic of U.N. BD: What are some of the boutique
home and a new direction. “I decided to Plaza magazine and a correspondent for the hotels you’ve worked on?
stay in France, got married and enrolled Italian journals Business Art and Audrey. The Iroquois Hotel, Beacon Hotel, The
in French literature and art classes at the Plugged into a network of painters, Blakely, the Inn at Great Neck, The
Sorbonne,” she says. “I didn’t work during collectors and dealers, she delivered the Gotham Hotel, Marx Hotel Syracuse, The
that time because my then-husband didn’t pieces that made her New York-based Warwick Hotel, The Excelsior, the Wash-
want me to. Art may not have been my firm a recognized specialist in supplying ington Jefferson Hotel, Le Marquis, Pick-
profession, but my interest was always hotel art. Her client list is big, broad and wick Arms, Hotel Metro and the Hotel
present.” eclectic—from major casino projects such Casablanca.
For a while, that passion persisted only as The Mirage and Bellagio in Las Vegas
in her private life. After getting a divorce, to icons such as The Waldorf-Astoria, the BD: How are the art programs different
she moved to New York and took a job as Barclay and The Plaza Athénée in New for such properties?
an associate in the mergers and acquisitions York to dozens of boutique hotels. Boutique hotels can be more art-provocative

24 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 because they have fewer corporate people/
owners to please and fewer people who
have to agree on the art program. The
budget also differs for each hotel depending
upon its location and needs. In the United
States, the art at boutique hotels can be
more thought-provoking—that’s expected
by many American travelers.

BD: How far can you go in terms of chal-

lenging viewers in a hotel environment?
Art for hotels shouldn’t be confronta-
tional. That means no negative references
to race, nothing about nationality (other
then emotionally pleasant imagery) and
respect for unconventional ideas, such as A mural in the dining room
not depicting birds in casinos because of of the Cornell Club.
superstition.
the inside pool wall with a stunning mural of using prints on Plexiglas, computer projec-
BD: How far will most designers and cutout, Matisse-style figures. In the restau- tions and light boxes. Hotel guests like to
clients venture into new media or avant- rant, we installed Plexiglas boxes containing find a place that makes them dream.
garde approaches? origami executed on the theme “Life of
We generally don’t use graffiti art or spray Man.” We had to print a brochure with BD: Describe a typical first meeting with
paint art for hotels, but other contempo- the explanation to satisfy enquiring guests. the design team.
rary styles can be used. For example, at a Overall, any technical innovation would be Every project has different needs and a
Holiday Inn in Fort Lee, N.J., we furnished welcome as long as it’s in good taste. We’re distinct personality. I ask the designer to

This stairwell in the Hotel

D.A Wagner

Casablanca features a mural of

the city in the 19th century.

Boutique Design | March+April 2011 25

 Q + A

define those concepts so that my staff and I and Europe while living there. And writing Americans, Russian, Chinese, Latin Amer-
can structure the art program accordingly. I about art has certainly broadened by ican, creative people from various cultures.
want to know who the clients are and what network of contacts. Many good artists are We look for artists, printmakers, sculptors
their aesthetic preferences are. The goal is also teachers at art schools or universities and graphic artists who can create works
to establish a consistent mood throughout with strong art programs. I attend the major that capture the mood of the interiors. We
all of the hotel’s spaces. So I like to see art fairs in Basel, London, Paris and Miami. discuss the original concept provided by
the blueprints and elevations. For renova-
tions, I prefer to walk the property. I want
“Art should reflect the fact that being in a hotel is an emotional
to see how the light comes in through the
windows, how the works would be viewed sensation, even if it’s being experienced by a guest traveling
from various angles and how they would on business.”
fit together within the circulation pattern
and the architecture. Art should reflect the Technology has changed my job signifi- the architect and the interior designer and
fact that being in a hotel is an emotional cantly. I used to travel more, but now I can ask the artists to make models or render-
sensation, even if it’s being experienced by find much of what I need online. Nearly ings for a presentation. Then, when the
a guest traveling on business. every artist has a web site, so I can look preliminary work is accepted by the client,
at his or her work and decide if it’s worth and we get a deposit, commission them
BD: How do you find the range of artists a visit. and they start work.
to suit so many different design styles?
I’m lucky that I live in New York. I have BD: Before commissioning a project, BD: Do you work only with commis-
access to artists who work in every style, how do you make sure the artists not sioned art?
every period, and especially in contem- only understand the design vision, but I rarely buy art “off the shelf.” When I do,
porary art. I go to different galleries and can create on deadline and on budget? it’s likely to be prints for public spaces that
studios nearly every day. I have also built Once the budget is established for each area, specifically complement or express the
international connections in South America we work with a stable of excellent artists— design intent.

BD: How do you stretch a tight budget?

Good, quality posters, photography and
textiles are one solution. At the Best
Western in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., which is
near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library,
we used vintage sepia-toned photos of Pres-
ident Roosevelt’s life from his childhood to
his years as President to define the lobby.
At Hotel Metro, a boutique hotel near
Broadway, vintage stars’ photos and posters
of the 1920s and 1930s are featured in
the lobby. For Hotel Casablanca, another
boutique in New York, we commissioned
a mural of a cityscape of Casablanca and
used small, framed Moroccan antique rugs
and prints to decorate the walls.

BD: What are the biggest mistakes

clients make regarding art programs?
The biggest mistake is to underestimate the
importance of art. Guests are very aware
of the quality of the art. Another problem
The décor in the Cornell Club’s meeting room
centers on the use of mass reproductions.
includes a mural of the university campus. The price difference doesn’t justify the
resulting gap in quality and impact. BD

26 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 Invis
ible
by
Intro
Dua ducing
l-flu
sh I Invisi ™
nno S Des
vati eries
on
Me II
ets
Sm
art
ign
Des
ign

1.28gpf/4.8L (solid flush)

0.8gpf/3L (liquid flush) www.caromausa.com
 D i s tr i k t hote l

Chris Rubino’s homage

to New York’s Central
Park/Upper East Side/
Upper West Side
neighborhoods graces
the elevator lobby on the
Distrikt Hotel’s 27th floor.

Big Apple Slices

OTTE Architecture and artist Chris Rubino take
guests at the Distrikt Hotel on a tour of 10 New York
neighborhoods—all without leaving the building.
B y M a t t h e w Ha l l
Michael Lisowski,
OTTE Architecture

28 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 The hotel’s New York
touches include this
“living wall” of green
plants representing
Central Park in its lobby.

Artist Chris Rubino

G
uests routinely play a game
of “name that neighborhood”
while riding the elevators at the
Distrikt Hotel in New York. That’s because
every time the door opens on one of the
Imogen Brown and Paul Austin (hotel images); Courtesy of OTTE Architecture (Michael Lisowski); Anna Wolf (Chris Rubino)

31 guest floors, the view changes—thanks

to original photo collages by artist Chris
Rubino. The 8-by-4-ft. murals honor
several Manhattan neighborhoods, an idea A wall graphic in the
Distrikt’s restaurant
hatched by OTTE Architecture as one way features vertical-
to make the Midtown property stand out strip excerpts from
from a cluster of nearby competitors. the photo collages
in the hotel’s
The New York theme is both “engaging elevator lobbies.
and experiential” for guests, says Michael
Lisowski, OTTE’s co-owner. That approach
began with the unusual spelling of hotel’s
name—Distrikt is the Dutch word for
“districts,” a nod to Manhattan’s early colo-
nial settlers—along with wood carvings and
other visual references to the althea flower,
which once blossomed throughout the
hotel’s neighborhood. The new-build, 155-
key hotel is a member of Choice Hotels
International’s Ascend Collection. But it’s the photo collages that serve as David Lisowski, Michael Smith and Glen
OTTE also installed New York touches the centerpiece of the hotel’s home-grown Fernandez for making major contributions
in the hotel’s lobby, including a 14-ft.- visual theme. to the project. “He spoke passionately
tall “living wall” of green plants arranged “When we met with Chris about this about the city and how we could repre-
in the rectangular shape of Central Park project, he recognized that we wanted sent it in a unique manner, and we were
and a hand-carved wooden wall installa- to capture the essence of the districts instantly sold.”
tion behind the reception desk that bears while avoiding the cliché and pastiche,” After getting the gig, Rubino went
patterns reflecting the city’s street grid. says Lisowski, who also credits his firm’s through roughly 10,000 photos that OTTE

Boutique Design | March+April 2011 29

 D i s t r i k t h o t e l

of the guest rooms, but only in the form

of small swatches hung in picture frames.
“The rooms are meant to be a break from
the city’s hustle and bustle, so we didn’t
inundate them with New York imagery,” he
explains.
However, pieces of the murals play a
much more prominent role in Collage, the
hotel’s on-site restaurant. There, Rubino
created two 22-ft.-by-8-ft. wall installations
consisting of vertical strips of images taken
from the collages on the guest room floors
alternated with accent stripes bearing the
althea flower graphic used throughout the
hotel. The idea behind those wall cover-
ings, designers say, is to whet patrons’
appetite for exploring the hotel’s other New
York-themed visual elements.
Jennifer Rota, the hotel’s general
manager, notes that all of the property’s Big
Apple-based visual features play a central
role in the property’s ongoing marketing
efforts, both online and on-site. “For
example, we have animated the collages on
our web site to help convey the idea behind
The Distrikt,” Rota says. “And when guests
check in, they’re not simply given a floor
and a room number—instead, they’re told
which neighborhood they’ll be staying in

Above: Guest rooms include small, framed

snippets from the neighborhood photo images.

right: Visually exploring the wall collages helps

guests pass the time as they await elevators in
the 32-story hotel.

staffers had taken throughout the city and

distilled them into visual mash-ups of 10
neighborhoods: Chelsea, Central Park, the
Financial District, Harlem, the Lower East
Side, Midtown East, Midtown West, Soho,
Tribeca and The Village. The hallway
collages, which intermix images of the
skyline, street signs and local landmarks
from each neighborhood, were installed
in lightboxes lit by internal fluorescent
fixtures and sheathed in Plexiglas.
“We looked into a variety of methods
for mounting these works, and found that
the lightboxes really brought the images
to life,” says Rubino, who notes that the reflecting off each one varies from floor to and receive an address that’s also refer-
displays also serve a secondary, utilitarian floor. “That means each floor has its own enced on their ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs. The
purpose: as light sources for the elevator distinct color identity,” he says. hotel’s New York-themed elements, big and
lobbies. In addition, because the collages OTTE’s Lisowski noted that designers small, are designed to add up to unique,
all have a distinct color scheme, the light also incorporated the murals into the décor memorable experience for our guests.” BD

30 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

www.brintons.net/commercial
 R u m o R b o u T i q u e h o T e L

The mesh wall at the center of Rumor’s lobby

serves as a “perfect backdrop for paparazzi
moments,” says Tandem’s Kim Daoust.

T
he opening of the CityCenter
complex has dominated the news

Betting on
out of Las Vegas over the past
year or so. Undeterred by all the attention
that high-profile, high-rise complex was

a Boutique receiving, The Siegel Group opened its

two-story, 150-key Rumor Boutique Hotel
almost literally in CityCenter’s shadow.
At the Rumor hotel in Las Vegas, Located about a mile east of the Strip,
Rumor is housed in the former St. Tropez
designers from Tandem and Chemical Hotel. Siegel bought that boarded-up prop-
Spaces created a smaller-scale, sexy erty for about $10 million, and pumped
alternative to its “big box” competitors. $4 million into remaking it into Rumor.
Hired to make over most of the
By MAT THew HALL complex’s interiors was Tandem, whose
portfolio includes work on such projects as
the Santa Fe Station Casino in Las Vegas
and the Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa in

32 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

Mark Tracy Kim Daoust

Reno, Nev. Tandem principal Kim Daoust

says Rumor “is designed to be a departure
from the typical Las Vegas resort, where
guests can easily get lost and disconnected
from their rooms. What guests encounter
at Rumor, by contrast, is an intimate,
Courtesy of Rumor Boutique Hotel (hotel); David Marquardt

personal, casual and quirky destination on

a scale that’s easy to navigate.”
In keeping with Tandem’s desire to
(Mark Tracy); Courtesy of Tandem (Kim Daoust)

create an eclectic ambiance, Daoust says

there is “no particular rhyme or reason
behind the artwork and artifacts” scattered
throughout the complex. “If we came across
something that was visually interesting, we
tried to find a home for it in the hotel,” she
says. As a result, ensconced in Rumor’s Visual treats in the
hotel’s public spaces
lobby are such items as a seated manne- include an oversized
quin, a pig statuette wearing a lavender wall graphic and a
seated mannequin.

necktie, an overstuffed circular couch and

a shimmering mesh wall bearing the prop-
erty’s name.
That whimsical approach is also on
display in the hotel’s guest rooms. The carved
wall medallions above the rooms’ beds, for
example, were an “accidental find” at a
hardware store, Daoust says. “We saw this
extra large-sized ceiling rosette, and thought
it would make a gorgeous head board, in
place of your usual artwork or upholstered
wall,” she recalls. The guest rooms are also
home to a wall graphic of a chandelier that
suggests a touch of elegance and tradi-
tion, along with a contrasting graphic of a
tattooed lady that Daoust says adds a “down
The hotel’s bar and lounge features
metallic tones and tufted touches.
and dirty” element to the space.
Beyond the work done by the Tandem

Boutique Design | March+April 2011 33

 R U M O R B O U T I Q U E H O T E L

The Siegel Group spent $4 million to redo the

interior and exterior of the former St. Tropez Hotel.

The centerpiece of the “Diva” mega-suite—

one of four oversized rooms designed by
Mark Tracy—is a mural of a woman holding
a bright red rose.

The hotel’s guest rooms feature carved wall

team, The Siegel Group sought to up the stripes that zig-zag the walls and a king bed
medallions above the beds that Tandem’s resort’s eye-candy quotient by hiring high- that sits atop a small stage. The dominant
designers discovered at a local hardware store. profile designer Mark Tracy of Chemical graphic feature in the room is a mural of a
Spaces to create four 1,000-sq.-ft. “mega- woman’s corset-clad torso. The bathroom,
suites” for the locale. Siegel executives with its open shower, includes a sofa that
approached Tracy after seeing his handi- seats, ahem, 10. A slightly more understated
work in suites at the Paradise Tower addi- décor is on display in Tracy’s “Camouflage”
tion to the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & suite, which features a tri-colored blue
Casino—which just happens to sit across camouflage pattern on its walls and ceiling.
the street from the Rumor property. The main mural in this space is of a woman
“The basic idea is to provide a wild, with piercing blue eyes and hair.
colorful backdrop for people to hang with “I believe our mega-suites will be
their friends,” says Tracy. “I tried to break talked about long after the guest heads
down different personalities of guests and back home,” says Stephen Siegel, The
translate these personalities with colors, Siegel Group’s founder and chief operating
textures and visuals.” officer. “They are sophisticated and sleek,
In the “Swinger” mega-suite, for instance, but more importantly, they are definitely
the black bedroom area features mirrored sexy and eccentric.” BD

34 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 The event that brought hospitality design back to New York
returns this fall with a fashion-forward lineup of exhibitors and events.

It has a European feel. It’s not overwhelming, yet has attracted everyone
from the East Coast to Israel, from big hotel chains to independent hoteliers.
ROGER TURNBOW • vice president of sales and merchandising • Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
BDNY will once again showcase unique, trend-setting designs seldom seen at other FF&E trade
fairs. See new introductions from 200 exhibitors—an edited mix of established suppliers and
emerging vendors. Hear from trailblazers in hospitality design at the BDNY Educational Forum.
And network with fellow designers at the opening kick-off party, the Boutique Design Awards
celebration and other events on the show floor.

Get email updates as 2011 show details are finalized. Subscribe to bdnyNEWS at bdny.com .
To exhibit, contact Michael Schneider at 513.263.9379 or [email protected].

Presented by In Partnership With

DREAMbook
DREAMbook

Creative Genius
I
nventive design often involves the use of unique materials or
cutting-edge technologies. For example, steel can be used to
create art trees that transform interiors into whimsical retreats
and a basic steel table can be updated with a graphic modern
twist. Catch an intriguing glimpse of a chandelier made from dried
fern set in resin or pump up the volume with color-changing glass
speakers. Sometimes the smallest details can have the biggest
impact. Let these audacious pieces be your next inspiration.

38 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 2

2 Floris Wubben 5 John Beck Paper & Steel

www.floriswubben.nl www.johnbecksteel.com
Ply-felt, two-person sofa combines AntiTrunk steel tables are hand-
white and gray felt and steel-chrome painted, distressed and waxed, and
pipe. Available in a variety of color have tabletops bearing large numerals.
combinations. The tables are 18-in. tall and 14-in. in
diameter. Available in a variety of colors
1 Vibia Lighting (opposite page) 3 Lightexture and numbers.
www.vibialight.com www.lightexture.com
Designed by Pete Sans, the modular The flexible arm of the Claylight Sconce 6 Hospitality Furniture Group
AMEBA pendant is formed by five bends to serve as task or reading www.hfggreen.com
shapes that can be combined in light, and the 4-in.-by-4-in. starry night Made of dried fern encapsulated in
a variety of ways to create custom lampshade creates V-shaped light resin, The Ferna Kometa Chandelier
compositions. Pendant’s energy- textures on the wall. is available in clear and dyed-color
efficient fluorescent lamps are versions. Material is also available for
dimmable. 4 CraftedSystems use in lamps, headboards, tabletops,
www.crafted-systems.com mirror frames and wood table inlay.
Founder Aurelie Tu has partnered with
women from the YWCA in Portland,
Ore., to create die cut, hand-woven
wall hangings, floor coverings (shown),
vessels and table pieces from 100
percent industrial wool.

Boutique Design | March+April 2011 39

DREAMbook

11

9 10

7 Mind of Couture 8 NatureMaker 10 Chilewich

www.mindofcouture.com www.naturemaker.com www.chilewichhospitality.com
The ARTIST’S CHAIR program A composite bark medium is hand- Woven on a jacquard loom, the animal
encourages clients to create custom, applied over steel, sculpted and skin-inspired design of the Croc
hand-painted Ambassador Chairs to hand-painted to capture a realistic Floormat is available in bronze, dark
meet their project needs. The prototype texture in Steel Art Trees. Made to silver and light silver. Also available as
shown here was made by creative meet architectural and structural a reversible table mat.
director Karin Akermann-Fry. specifications.
11 Greensound Technology
9 Duffy London www.gstspeakers.com
www.duffylondon.com The Serac glass speaker offers 360
The Stainless Steel Satellight is a mirror degree high-fidelity sound for spacious
by day and a light feature by night. or public environments, and has built-
Based on satellite images, small holes in lighting options with multiple colors
cut from the surface allow light through and patterns. BD
to give the illusion of the U.K. and
Republic of Ireland from space at night.

40 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

© 2011 Crypton, Inc. Crypton and the red planet logo are registered trademarks of Crypton, Inc. U.S. patent 5,565,265 and other U.S. and global patents issued and pending.

Re_think

CRYPTON
Leather. Fabric. Carpet. Wallcovering.
New applications. Same incredible durability.
Always stain, microbial and moisture resistant.

Visit cryptonfabric.com for more information and a list of distributors.

Crypton designs and manufactures environmentally responsible performance fabrics and furnishings.
 S
O M I N ATION X X X X
OR N
Produced by:

CALL F

If you know—or are—a young

interior designer who has pushed
the envelope in the hospitality design
industry, we’d like to know what
makes him, her or you stand out.

Coverage of the winners will

appear in the May+June 2011 issue
of Boutique Design.

Boutique 18 Bash
Joint venue with Young Leaders
Nominators: Please provide us with a little background information.
in Hospitality (YLH) party (This information is confidential and will not be printed.)

WHAT: Boutique 18 Bash honors

18 up-and-coming interior Nominator’s name
design stars
WHEN: Thursday, May 19, 8:00–9:00 PM Company Title
WHERE: Beso Restaurant in City Center,
Las Vegas Phone Email

TICKETS: $75; can be purchased at

www.boutiquedesign.com/bd18
Ticket cost includes open bar Name of nominee
and hors d’oeuvres
Company Title

YLH Party Phone Email

WHERE: At the adjoining Eve Nightclub

Length of time with company
WHEN: Following the Boutique 18 Bash,
9:00–11:00 PM
TICKETS: $50 for buyers, $100 for What type of projects has the nominee worked on? Where?
suppliers; can be purchased
at www.tinyurl.com/ylhvegas

SPONSORED BY:

What makes the nominee a stand out?

Please send nominations to:

Matthew Hall, Editor
Boutique Design
11262 Cornell Park Dr.
N S:

, 2011
IO
Cincinnati, OH 45242 You can download R N O M IN AT
D EA D LI N E FO

MARCH 28
fax: 513.744.6957 nomination forms at
[email protected]
42 Boutique Design | January+February 2011 www.boutiquedesign.com
 bath + spa
SHOWROOM
bath + spa
SHOWROOM

Modern Classics
Clean lines and intricate detailing yield
eye-catching basins, tubs and fixtures.

2 3

1 Watermark 3 Porcher
www.watermark-designs.com www.porcher-us.com
Designed by Clodagh, the Sense27 The Porcher Solutions 16-in.
Collection faucet and handles set is Floorstanding Vanity is made of select
characterized by hammered accents veneers and hardwood construction
and clean shapes. and comes in five designer finishes. 5 Linkasink
Shown with square countertop lavatory, www.linkasink.com
2 Hastings Tile & Bath part of the Solutions Collection. The hand-hammered Acorn vessel
www.hastingstilebath.com sink features a satin nickel finish. Also
Handmade in Murano, Italy, the 4 SPI Contract available in weathered copper and
Cenedese Sink measures 16 in. in www.spicontract.com other finishes.
diameter and is available in a variety of Natural stone surfacing systems made
colors. with ThinSlab Technology may be used 6 JACLO
as tub/shower surrounds, interior/ www.jaclo.com
exterior wall cladding, flooring and Constructed of solid brass in a
vanity tops. Backing options include polished chrome finish, the Cascata
honeycomb, polymer aluminum, Piccolo waterfall spout can be used
ceramic, glass or fiberglass. as a shower head or tub filler.

44 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 626.855.4854

High Art, Low Impact

800.591.9050
For more info please visit
neo-metro.com

Contemporary bath décor with a sustainable future

 bath + spa
SHOWROOM

9 10

11

12

7 Altmans 9 GRAFF 11 ROHL

www.altmansproducts.com www.graff-faucets.com www.rohlhome.com
Inspired by the Victorian period, the The Zen-inspired Tranquility Floor Named after a northern region of
Soraya Collection faucet and handles Mounted Tub Filler has a curved spout Italy, the Lombardia series faucet
set is embellished with light-diffusing and a sloping handle reminiscent of a and handles set uses cleanly stacked
Swarovski crystal handles. Available in bamboo shoot. Includes hand shower circular shapes that offer a modern
30 designer finishes. with spiral flexible hose and optional interpretation of the Alpine Mountains.
in-line pressure balancing valve. The Lombardia 5-hole deck mount
8 Caroma Available in polished chrome or bath mixer with c-spout pictured here
www.caroma.com Steelnox satin nickel. is available in polished chrome (shown),
The Liano semi-recessed square basin nickel and satin nickel.
offers a large bowl area and a tapeware 10 PFISTER Hospitality
platform. The white vitreous china www.pfisterfaucets.com 12 Mincey Marble
basin is available with zero, one or The Carnegie fixture evokes the drama www.minceymarble.com
three tap holes. and industrial enlightenment of the The partial curved front shower pan
1920s, with crafted lines and ornate provides extra room underneath the
details reminiscent of the art deco shower head and fits a standard tub
movement. drain. Comes with curved glass
shower panel.

46 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 bath + spa
SHOWROOM

14

13

16
17

15

18

13 THG 15 Americh 17 INAX

www.thgusa.com www.americh.com www.inax-usa.com
Featuring a spout designed by Pierre- The freestanding oval Sirena Tub The REGIO integrated toilet includes
Yves Rochon, the Capucine Mauve features curves that rise to an overall the water-saving Vortex flush system, a
faucet and handles set has clover- height of 24 in. Measuring 72 in. in Silent Stream Flushing system, a dual
shaped cross handles. Shown with length, the tub’s ergonomic design nozzle bidet, heated seat, deodorizer
gold décor on white Bernardaud retains heat for extra-long soaks. and air purifier. Available in white and
porcelain. matte black.
16 Xylem
14 WETSTYLE www.xylem.biz 18 Neo-Metro
www.wetstyle.ca Crafted from black granite, yellow www.neo-metro.com
The IMAGE-in tub collection uses onyx, dark emporador marble and The seamless, linear shape of the
organic designs to create subtle Italian carrera marble, stone sinks are SLAB basin has no visible supports or
tone-on-tone textures. Custom available with a rough or smooth outer embellishments, and may be offset to
reproductions available. surface. Available in a variety of shapes the right, center or left. Available in 36-
and sizes. in, 42-in. and 55-in. configurations, and
with one or two basins. BD

48 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

Craftmade Hospitality featuring Woodard Outdoor Furniture and
Craftmade Indoor/Outdoor Lighting products.
One stop for all of your indoor and outdoor hospitality needs.

www.craftmade.com | 800.486.4892 | www.woodard-furniture.com

 SHOWROOM
surfacing
SHOWROOM
surfacing

2 3

Another Dimension
Multifunctional surfaces bring texture and depth to walls, floors, counters and ceilings.

1 Pulp Studio 2 Maya Romanoff 4 Texture Plus

www.pulpstudio.com www.mayaromanoff.com www.textureplus.com
Perla PINTURA reflective sheet glass Inspired by natural fiber weaves, Sun-drenched Ledgestone Select Light
coating is available as a direct wall Fabricadazzle uses partially recycled Tan panels offer an alternative to the
application or in a back-to-back polyester and GreenShield stain hand-chiseled look of traditional stone.
laminated version for glass partitioning. protection to create a 54-in. textile Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
The material contains no VOC, and is alternative to vinyl. Also available in
offered in standard and custom colors. a backed version for upholstery and 5 Bisazza
drapery applications. www.bisazza.com
The Summer Flowers glass mosaic,
3 New Ravenna designed by Fabio Novembre, is shown
www.newravenna.com at Hotel Una Vittoria in Florence, Italy.
The Silk Road Collection is offered in
five marble colors: Thassos, Calacatta,
Carrara, Bardiglio and Nero. Available
in numerous glass or stone color
combinations. Shown is Jacqueline in
tumbled Thassos marble.

50 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

IT’S NOT YOUR MOTHER’S COUNTRY CLUB ... ANYMORE!
SHOWROOM
surfacing

6 UltraGlas 7 Daltile 8 Architectural Systems Inc.

www.ultraglas.com www.daltileproducts.com www.archsystems.com
The tempered, heat-strengthened and The Del Monoco glazed porcelain Lamellux panels come in a variety of
laminated glass shown here features tile comes in five modular sizes with patterns, resins, wood species and
a translucent alabaster film interlayer. rounded edges, a mosaic, floor deco colors, and may be backlit. Wood and
The installation, designed by Remedios and wall decos, and a full trim package. Resin, Vibrato, is shown with wenge
Studio, was created for the reception Available in four colors: Carmina Beige wood and blue sapphire resin on the
areas at the Aria Convention Center at (shown), Adriana Rosso, Tatiana Noce bar at the Chez Gerard in London.
City Center Las Vegas. and Leona Grigio.

52 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

May 18 - 20 Expo & Conference
May 17 Green Day
Las Vegas
hdexpo.com
presented by In association with produced by
Nielsen Expositions,
a part of the Nielsen Company
SHOWROOM
surfacing

9 10 11

9 Nella Vetrina 10 Formica Corp. 11 Tagina

www.nellavetrina.com www.formica.com www.tagina.it
Designed by Maria Christine Andretto, The 180fx series offers 16 designs, Designed by Simone Micheli, the Wire
Line Next 1036 offers decorative including granite, natural stone and tile collection is suitable for interior
panels in varied sizes and shapes. Tiles petrified wood (shown). The laminate, and exterior projects such as raised
are handmade by melting sheets of which comes in 5-ft. spans, has FSC flooring, modular wall systems or tile.
Murano glass and adding gold, silver or Chain of Custody Certification. Available in two thicknesses, and with
platinum. an anti-slip protection finish. BD

54 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

SHOWER YOUR GUESTS
More guests want less tubs and
better showers. Which is why
many hotels are specifying
showers instead of tubs for both
new and refurbishing projects.

MTI offers shower bases in Lucite®

cast acrylic and Engineered
Solid-Surface. Both are
non-porous, so they are easy to
clean and sanitize. A superior
approach to tile, which requires
grout that can harbor bacteria
and potentially leak. Equally
smart are two lines of frameless
glass enclosures that are
custom-looking but not custom-
priced, such as the Shower Shield
pictured here.

Go to our website to learn how

MTI’s full range of bases and
enclosures can help
you shower your
guests … with
hospitality.

mtiwhirlpools.com | 1.800.783.8827

Advertisers’ Index
Boutique Design Vol. 7, Issue 2,
is published bi-monthly by ST 54 Angela Cameron Fine Art 13 HG Art & Framing Consultants
Media Group International Inc.,
11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, 51 Blue Leaf Hospitality 18/19 Hospitality Match
OH 45242-1812. Telephone: 513-
421-2050, Fax: 513-362-0317. 36/37 Boutique Design New York OBC Kravet
No charge for subscriptions to
qualified individuals. Annual rate
31 Brintons USA 43 Lightfair Iternational
for subscriptions to nonqualified
individuals in the U.S.A.: $42 USD.
27 Caroma USA 47 Mincey Marble
Annual rate for subscriptions in
Canada: $70 USD (includes GST &
postage); all other countries: $92 (Int’l
49 Craftmade 55 MTI Whirlpools
mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed
in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by ST
41 Crypton 45 Neo-Metro
Media Group International Inc. All
rights reserved. The contents of this 55 Dex Studios 53 The Nielsen Co.
publication may not be reproduced in
whole or in part without the consent 35 Eaton Fine Art 9 Oriental Weavers
of the publisher. The publisher is
not responsible for product claims 17 Ellington Fans 5 Royal Custom Designs
and representations. CHANGE
OF ADDRESS: Send old address 3 Fabricut 52 Teak Warehouse
label along with new address to
Boutique Design, P.O. Box 1060, IBC Global Allies 7 Valley Forge
Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies
or back issues: contact Debbie Reed 11 Gloster 15 Vaughan Benz
513-421-9356 or debbie.reed@
stmediagroup.com. 23 Hallmark Collective IFC/1 Walters Wicker

Boutique Design | March+April 2011 55

 TT H
H EE LL A
A S
S TT D E TT A
D E A II LL

Scantily Clad Door

N
ot surprisingly, the first restaurant bearing the Rolling Stone name features such rock-and-roll décor as
a life-size mural of The Who in concert and a smattering of RS magazine covers throughout the space.
But what about this provocative photo on the ladies’ room door? Is it Madonna? Lady Gaga? Neither, it
turns out. The image, by British photographer Michael Bernard, is of an unnamed model with an eye-catching back-
side. “The light reflects off the bathroom door while complimenting the metallic tones throughout the lounge,” says
designer Gavin Brodin. “The sleek, sexy design embodies Rolling Stone.” —Megan Krause

Michael Bernard

56 Boutique Design | March+April 2011

 Designed for a Lifetime
of Luxury & Comfort.

No other chair is up to the task™

The Coronado Task Chair

Patented & Available Exclusively from Global Allies
www.globalallies.com | [email protected] | +1.415.453.6041

© 2011 | Global Allies, LLC | All rights reserved

GUARANTEED IN STOCK
tel. 888.891.4112 kravetcontract.com
kravetcontract