Kimpton Marlowe Hotel’s extensive guestroom redesign, which takes inspiration from the academic and literary history of the neighborhood surrounding the hotel, along with the scenic Charles River, is complete. The project features a transformation of all 237 guestrooms and suites, finishing up Phase I of Marlowe’s redesign. Phase II, to include all common areas, the lobby, and meeting and function spaces, is under review.
KKAD, a hospitality design and architecture studio in Newark, New Jersey, executed the guestroom redesign, working with Kimpton’s in-house design team. The refreshed style brings in a mix of elements that are both contemporary and vintage, and creates a sense of tradition without being traditional.
“To help refresh Kimpton Marlowe, the team wanted to bring some edge to the guestrooms while creating an updated, fresher version of the hotel,” says James Goldsmith, design manager, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “The overall feel of the room, with plenty of thoughtful details and some unexpected character, is inviting and charming. The aesthetic is tailored but definitely not buttoned up. Mostly in shades of gray and blue, it’s thoughtful, grounded, and unexpectedly casual.”
When asked about key design moments, Goldsmith points to several including the wave-pattern custom blue carpeting inspired by the Charles River; the channel-stitched headboard in a cool tone of brownish gray; the velvet, blue green lounge chair; and an oval mirror above the credenza with both metal and leather accents. He also notes that a side table next to the lounge chair has a marble top with dramatic veining detail in shades of white, brown, and black. A bronze mesh material is used on the face of several case pieces including the hospitality unit as well as some armoires in the hotel’s specialty suites. Large benches in the guestrooms are upholstered in a sumptuous cognac leather to add a rich layer to the room.
Photo: Kelly Marshall (@sans.murs)
