Hospitality Design - September 2017 - 50

trends motels

Photo by ANDREW CEBULKA

perspectives

3
2. Studio Tack renovated
the rundown L-shaped
Brentwood Hotel into a
sophisticated equestrian
escape in Saratoga
Springs.
3. Unscripted Durham
mixes midcentury
elements with a colorful
mural from graffiti artist
Jose "Prime" Reza in the
Studio, a public space
off the lobby.
4. Rustic guestrooms
in Studio Tack's Anvil
property boast woodpaneled dark blue and
white walls and iron bed
frames.

4
Lawrence Partners, as well as West Hollywoodbased Kevin Corn Design and Reverie Studio,
Dream Hotel Group's in-house creative
studio and design atelier, collaborated on the
Unscripted Durham's look. The midcentury
modern architecture that defined this landmark
was largely maintained with many original
aspects preserved, a spirit now echoed in the
74 guestrooms featuring walnut, brass, and
a turquoise and red palette. "It's midcentury,
but it's a fresh perspective," adds Ingram, with
restored furniture of the era juxtaposing one-ofa-kind murals with colorful, vintage geometric
patterns "so it feels more updated," he explains.

Brentwood

By the time Brooklyn-based Studio Tack was
serious about buying an L-shaped, 12-room
motel from the 1970s on the grounds of New
York's historic Saratoga Race Course, the
design firm already had fashionable motel
conversions-like the Dogfish Inn in Lewes,
Delaware, which opened in 2014-under its belt.
Thus, acquiring the Brentwood in 2016 was an
organic process. "When we look at development

050

September 2017 hospitalitydesign.com

projects, we always ask, 'Could this be recreated
somewhere else?' We're interested if the answer
is no," explains Studio Tack cofounder Ruben
Caldwell. "The location was so spectacular
that we were able to overlook a pretty decrepit
building at the time to see the potential." From
the lobby's porch, for instance, guests can see
horses going to and from the racecourse across
the street. That theme plays out inside as well,
where custom wood beds, brass light fixtures,
and moody oil paintings evoke a luxe equestrian
club. "Saratoga is an unbelievably beautiful town
with some incredible culture," he adds, "but
being three hours from New York City, it seems
to still be a little off the radar for the weekend
crowd. We saw it as a chance to build some new
awareness about an amazing place."

Anvil

Most recently, Studio Tack unveiled hotelier
Erik Warner's 49-room Anvil Hotel, yet another
do-over of a motel, this time in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming. It glamorizes the predictable Western
frontier theme with a clean-lined approach.
Patinated brass light fixtures, iron bed frames,

and window lace pop against restrained navy
and white walls. "One of the best compliments
I've heard about the Anvil was from a guest
who said that the space felt exactly like Jackson
without feeling like Jackson. It's sensitive to the
culture and surroundings without leaning too
heavily on the usual mountain design tropes,"
says Caldwell. "The idea wasn't to be retro or
historicist, but rather to do a modern take on
what we thought the Old West could be."

Mountain Modern

Jackson Hole is also the site of another
recent motel reboot, the 135-room Mountain
Modern from Crystal Creek Capital and the
Yarrow Group. Burlington, Vermont-based
TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design
thoughtfully reimagined the 1970s Painted
Buffalo Inn as an outdoor enthusiast's paradise.
"We didn't want to significantly change the
existing architecture, but the lobby lacked a lot
of roadside flair, and now we gave it a sense of
arrival," says associate principal Keith Nelson.
The former lounge was extremely small, so
one of the rooms was demolished to make way
for an F&B area. Here, adds Nelson, furniture
was fashioned by Vermont craftsmen and "a
small, circular, glass fireplace evokes the idea
of a campfire." In the guestrooms, the motel's
location is amplified through wallcoverings
depicting Jackson Hole's immersive landscapes
and oversized trail maps. "When people
come back from fly fishing or climbing, they
can continue to learn about where they are,"
principal Kim Deetjen explains.
Sophisticated country touches like buffaloplaid blankets and leather chairs are woven
into a design scheme showcasing Baltic birch
plywood millwork and durable carpeting
"striped with charcoal and popping with red
that delineate the room and give it a graphic
punch," Deetjen says.

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Hospitality Design - September 2017

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