Only sparse architectural elements were retained from the original Paces 88 restaurant shell, including the dome-vaulted ceilings, adjusted with a fine layer of sound resistant acoustical plaster to deaden sound and better facilitate conversation.
Set within an expansive wall of vibrantly colored translucent emerald green glass, an oversized European-style American walnut door featuring a brass doorknob creates a separation between the restaurant and the hotel.
Books and accents in the library lounge were carefully curated to cover topics such as classic and contemporary art and Georgia history, while other historically significant items on display include a program from Martin Luther King’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony speech.
The “Portrait d’une Jeune Fille” by Chaïm Soutine hangs above an American Empire-era buffet repurposed as a host station. A marble top was added, while the backside was reconditioned to accommodate maître d’ storage needs.
A reflective display case showcases luxe items such as a set of blown glass Cognac bottles, and acts as a partition between it and the main dining room.
The bar features zigzag mirrored midcentury-inspired liquor shelving, a polished brass bartop and foot rail, a fluted walnut bar die, and two ceramic gilded goose-neck lamps.
The true gem of the jewel-toned lounge is the authentic “La Femme Rouge” by Chagall, one of the many pieces throughout on rotation from the Lewis private art collection.
Walnut laser-cut screens create a filtered look into an open kitchen where rustic glazed green tiles with variegated patterning pop against the screens’ warm tone. “The kitchen is art and chefs are celebrities,” says Johnson. “Everyone in this culture loves watching what goes into their food. It’s a cultural phenomenon.”
Inside the private dining room, a 360-degree display of fine art—including pieces such as “La Bonheur-La Partie de Campagne” by Fernand Léger and Picasso’s “Portrait de Dora Maar”—adorns the walls, while a double-sided fireplace, original to what was once a patio space, features a mirror display in the place of a real fire.
The opposite side of the fireplace is fully operational and faces a grouping of settees and chairs on the patio accented with brightly hued pillows.