I think most of us are ready to put a wrap on 2020 and look forward to the new year like never before. Some of us are just looking to get out of the house, but others are ready to venture out a little further.
As you look forward to your next adventure, you might pay attention to the design elements of the accommodations you choose because they often dictate how you feel during your stay. Consider this small but crucial element of hotel design:
The Importance Of Lighting
Lighting is a functional part of any hotel interior design, but also important for creating ambiance and enhancing the guest experience. While public areas in the hotel need to be lit to enable guests to find their way around, and to do practical things like read a menu, lighting must not detract from the promised experience.
For example, stark lighting in the bedroom may enable guests to read a book or apply their makeup, but it doesn’t add anything to the luxury guest experience. More subdued and soft lighting is required for this, with specific lighting solutions for different needs such as lighting around a mirror or positional lighting for reading. (As a side note, I’ve always found lighting in the bathroom woefully inadequate for putting on make-up.)
For the A-list experience, lighting must be flattering. Not just when a guest looks in the mirror in their room, but also – perhaps even more so – when using public areas such as the hotel lift. If you want to make your guest feel like a superstar, a mirror and unflattering lighting in the lift or in the restaurant’s bathrooms will not achieve this. (Source: Paton Developments)
With that in mind, I’d like to highlight a few hotels from around the world that have incorporated exceptional design with luxury accommodations. Just something for all of us to look forward to in 2021!
ITALY
Forestis
Appearing to grow straight out of the alpine terrain, “The wooden facades have simple lines, and the colors draw on the hues of the surrounding tree trunks,” Armin Sader (architect) says. “They’re unadulterated, clean, and purist.” Whereas the towers soar, the historic main building, where the restaurant and remaining suites are located, appears rooted in the earth.
WASHINGTON D.C.
Rosewood
“The idea was to create a villa-style experience here in Georgetown,” says (Thomas) Pheasant, whose studio is walking distance from the hotel and who also looked after the recent redo of Rosewood’s beloved Mansion on Turtle Creek property, in Dallas, Texas. “Even before COVID-19,” he continues, “people often wanted something other than the typical hotel. Visitors coming for two weeks or a month on business, or for other purposes, want something more private, a space that can give them the sense of really living in D.C.”
MEXICO CITY
Hotel Umbral
“The building dates to the 19th century, when it was built as an office building, and went through four renovations,” the architect (says). “And its height was increased three times.” Then came the 1920s. That’s when the historic edifice was totally restructured with steel and masonry to house office suites, 59 of them to be exact. By the time JSA and Nomah came on board, it had been derelict for years. But its salient features, symbolic of the industrial age, were still there in full glory. The entry level’s gracefully curved stairway with stainless-steel railings is one such feature. More indicative is the skylight-capped atrium with its long corridors, runs of glass-block ceiling, and original glass mosaic flooring. It’s there that the building’s bones and its essence are celebrated.
CHICAGO
21c Museum Hotel Chicago
Articulating the brand’s art-driven concept was the firm’s primary charge as it renovated the property. “It’s all about the gallery spaces and the experience of contemporary art,” DBP partner Terrence Schroeder affirms. “So the heavy lifting involved the public areas and flow.” He, Berke, and their team began by creating a double-height lobby and relocating the main staircase, interventions that open up the arrival space and provide an engaging visual path from the street deep into the hotel.
Moving On to 2021
So, whether you’re planning on staying stateside or ready to branch out a little further, consider your accommodations. After all we’ve been through, we deserve more than just a place to rest our heads – we deserve an amazing experience.