Boutique Design - December 2014 - 58

2014 GOLD KEY AWARDS

BEST GUEST ROOM - MIDSCALE/BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE

FINALIST

UNIVERSAL'S CABANA BAY
BEACH RESORT, ORLAND, FLA.
Designer: Daroff Design Inc + DDI Architects, Philadelphia

FINALIST

LORD BALFOUR, MIAMI BEACH
THE CHALLENGE: Rescue one more Miami Beach relic from tired
obscurity with a concept that can get attention in a market where every
hotel is a head-turner.
THE CHALLENGE: Downshift the Age of Acceleration flash of the
bright, bold public spaces to a safer speed in the guest accommodations without putting the brakes on mid-century style
THE INSIDE STORY: Judge Trisha Wilson appreciated the "Jetson

look" of the 900 guest rooms and 900 suites. Daroff Design made it
work for modern families by distilling the essence of the late 1950s and
early 1960s rather than getting caught up in details. The orange and
turquoise color scheme, the matchy-matchy effect of a pattern used
for the bedspread, the room divider and the draperies, and the proliferation of circular forms as tops for barstools and nesting tables give
retro a new relevance for adults and kids.

THE INSIDE STORY: Witty, vain, charismatic and "not afraid of indul-

gence," the early 20th century British statesman who serves as the
hotel's namesake was the logical starting point for its newest incarnation. Since the designers didn't want "a museum or a tribute to the man,"
they imagined a design that would suit his unconventional, full-on lifestyle as he'd live it today. There are a lot of inside jokes. A lifelong bachelor who famously commented,  "A good speech, like a woman's skirt,
should be long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create
interest," Balfour would have appreciated photographer Justice Howard's
oversized photo of a tattooed woman, looking out with a sensual sidelong glance above the bed.
THE TAKEAWAY: Ground over-the-top elements with time-tested

THE TAKEAWAY: Size matters. Today's FF&E proportions would

overshadow mid-century-inspired spaces. For these guest rooms, a
neat little loveseat replaces the usual sofa, while a low-slung credenza
with colorful drawers provides period-inspired storage.

SOURCES
CLIENT: Universal Studios Creative and Loews Hotels; DESIGNERS: Daroff

Design Inc + DDI Architects: Karen Daroff, principal; Stephen Beacham,
Katie Pass, associate, Joe Montante, project job captain; ARCHITECTS:
Shulman + Associates (design architect); LBPC (architect of record);
PURCHASING COMPANY: Benjamin West; GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Balfour Beatty; GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Wrenhouse Design; LIGHTING
DESIGNER: CD + M Lighting Design Group; FURNITURE: American
Leather; Herman Miller; JLF; Knoll; Kravet; Shelby Williams; Unifactor;
WALL COVERINGS: Formica

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boutiquedesign.com DECEMBER 2014

classics. Only in this locale would a solar yellow, diamond-tufted headboard seem like a natural choice. But the balance of the sustainable
bamboo floors and custom-designed hair-on-hide leather chair and
writing give the design gravitas.

SOURCES
CLIENT: Cometsa, a joint venture between Green Comet II and Etsa; DESIGNER:
EoA, Inc; Malcolm Berg, president; Viviane Savornin, senior architect; Leslie
Schultz, associate; ARCHITECT: EoA, Inc; PURCHASING COMPANY: Merchandizing
Associates; GENERAL CONTRACTOR: CRS; ACESSORIES: Foundation Art; FABRICS:
American Upholstery (pillow fabrication); Bramson House Inc. (drape fabrication);
Magilite (bench);Valley Forge Fabrics (chair, pillow, drapes, vinyl on hair on hide
chair, bedding); FURNITURE: Charter Furniture (chair); DBC Millwork (desk); F&R
Interiors (headboard and bench); Lee Industries (hair on hide chair) Phillips Collection
(side table); LEATHER: Green Hides (leather on hair on hide chair); LIGHTING: HB
Architectural Lighting; WALL COVERING: Expose Yourself

G A R R E T T R O W L A N D ( U N I V E R S A L' S C A B A N A B AY B E AC H R E S O R T ) ; M O R I S M O R E N O P H O T O G R A P H Y ( L O R D B A L F O U R )

Designer: EoA, Inc., Coral Gables, Fla.
http://www.boutiquedesign.com
Boutique Design - December 2014

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