February 22, 2016

7 Tiny Hotels Leave Room to Dream

Art, history, and fantasy are fellow guests at these small hotels.

1. Firm: Giovanni Cagnato and Humusstudio and TomoArchitects.

Project: Conconct Milano.

Styling:Chiara dal Canto.

StandoutEach firm was tasked to “concoct” its ideal digs for short or extended stays, resulting in such one-of-a-kind features as a dining area in an iron cage.

2. Firm: Ministry of Design.

Project: Loke Thye Kee Residences.

Location: George Town, Malaysia.

Standout: Landmarked shophouses from 1919 have been revitalized as duplex suites with original ceramic floor tile and, a contemporary adaptation, latticework in CNC-cut MDF.

3. Firm: Gilles & Boissier.

Project: Chess Hotel.

Location: Paris.

Standout: Set on the lobby’s chessboard floor in black and white Italian marble, wing chairs in birch resemble kings or queens ready to make their move.

4. FirmDimorestudio.

Project: Casa Fayette.

Location: Guadalajara, Mexico.

Standout: While an art deco 1940’s mansion houses public spaces, a new tower contains guest rooms and suites mixing European forms with Mexican colors.

5. Designers: Scott King; Jim Lambie; Jonathan Monk; Scott Myles

Project: Progetto Lira Hotel.

Location: Turin, Italy.

Standout: What began as an installation at a gallery has morphed into an immersive experience, with buyers of limited-edition artwork eligible to stay overnight.

6. Firm: Stonehill & Taylor Architects.

Project: Renwick.

Location: New York.

Standout: F. Scott Fitzgerald once worked in this building, where guest rooms are now modeled on artist’s studios complete with a “paint-splatter” carpet pattern.

7. Firm: Commune and Maurer Architecture.

Project: Durham Hotel.

Location: Durham, North Carolina.

Standout: Behind a restored facade, a 1969 bank’s mid-century spirit lives on via Scandinavian-esque furniture and carpet and tile patterns à la Anni Albers.

 > See more from the January 2016 issue of Interior Design

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