Boutique Design - March/April 2009 - (Page 10)

Boutique Buzz Versace’s House-turned-Hotel Defines Miami Luxury lthough everyone refers to the place as the Versace Mansion in South Beach, Casa Casuarina is the real name for this 1930 landmark on Ocean Drive and 11th Street in Miami Beach. It was Gianni Versace’s private residence and his oasis for friends and family Starwood’s at a Thousand. Well, almost. t the American Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in San Diego, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced it will open its 1,000th hotel in 2009 as part of its plan to open 100 new hotels throughout the world in the coming year. It still plans to expand its portfolio by 40 percent in the next five years with a pipeline of more than 400 hotels, 60 percent being outside the U.S. W Hotels is also celebrating 10 years of excellence in 2009 and plans to triple its portfolio in the next three years. Aloft, another of Starwood’s boutique-style brands, will also double its portfolio with openings in Houston, Phoenix and the UAE. A A also the ultimate boutique hotel with a unique character created by Versace himself and further polished by the current ownership. There are 10 lavish hotel rooms for rent including the ‘Safari Room’ for $5,000 a night. The occupants have the run of the house including a special cabana area on the beach, Above: The Safari Room has no qualms about glitz and glam while he was alive, but it has since become a private club for 260 members under the ownership of Peter Loftin. But it isn’t completely exclusionary; it also includes a worldclass restaurant which is now open to the public. The Versace Mansion is the Davidoff smoking room and the Moroccan Room. While most of the décor is Versace, his signature printed upholstery has been replaced by soft leather pieces which blend into the subdued atmosphere of the public areas. The individual rooms are all dressed in Versace and sport heavy use of marble, stone floors and decorative painted wood doors and panels — some painstakingly painted by Versace himself. The Safari Room is the most lavishly appointed with a 12-foot by 12-foot bed and a lion’s head on the floor. The Madonna and Elton John Suites also deserve a nod, but it’s the Safari Room that gets the award for most expensive and grandiose. The inner courtyard which greets visitors offers a massive space for dining but the surroundings are a banquet for the eyes. A retractable fabric roof protects the space from inclement weather. Versace built the pool on the former grounds of an art deco hotel. The pool was first created in Italy, disassembled, shipped and reassembled at the current location. It contains a reported $5 million worth of real gold tiles. In fact, Versace’s original investment in the estate was said to be $30 million. —ES —KH Home2 by Announced Hilton H BBG-BBGM Names Key Principals he architects and designers at BBG-BBGM have some new principal members. As part of the company's global strategy to strengthen the firms' infrastructure and growing design business, the company named Roderick A. Petschauer and Ronda McCrea as principals. Petschauer was BBG-BBGM's CFO and Controller and in his new role as principal, he will continue to oversee the firm’s overall financial strategy and administrative operations while continuing to develop economic strategies and objec- T tives. Also a new principal, McCrea will be responsible for new business development for the New York office's architectural practice. She brings to the table more than 25 years of marketing, business development and hospitality industry experience. BBG-BBGM's current projects include the Smyth Tribeca Hotel, Vdara at MGM MIRAGE CityCenter and Trump International Hotel and Tower in Dubai. —KH ilton is making waves. At the ALIS conference, Hilton announced that it will create a new brand and will explore the mid-scale segment. “The addition of Home2 Suites to Hilton’s industryleading family of brands is an exciting milestone for our company,” said Christopher Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton Hotels Corporation. “During challenging economic times, developers turn to strong brand names they can trust.” This news came on the heels of the announcement that Hilton will move its HQ to D.C. —RG 10 • boutique DESIGN march/april 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boutique Design - March/April 2009

Boutique Design - March/April 2009
Contents
Boutique Buzz
Marie Coleman, USGBC Communications Coordinator, on Green Building in Today’s Economy
Designer/ Philosopher Karim Rashid - In Profile
Business Sense: Social Networking for the Design Community
How the Merging Worlds of Eco-Consciousness and Wellness Affect Design
Looney & Associates Creates a Sustainable, One of a Kind Mountain Chic Hotel
Leading Hotel Companies, Including Kimpton, IHG, Wyndham and Best Western Talk Green
Antonio Di Oronzo, Bluarch Architecture + Interiors, on the Firm’s Sustainable Portfolio, Including Greenhouse, a LEED Certified Nightclub
How Art is Re-Shaping Hotel Design
PowerStrip Studio Designs Hutton Hotel, Nashville’s First Green Luxury Boutique
Shopping the Market: 12 Pages of Green Textiles, Bedding, Bath, Furniture, Wallcovering, Surfaces, Flooring, Lighting and Seating
Wanda Jankowski Shares Planet-Saving Bath Options
Calendar/Advertisers Index

Boutique Design - March/April 2009