On to the Next Adventure
Cheryl Rowley, who is closing up shop, shares the details of her favorite hospitality projects.
After 25 years with her namesake firm and 38 years in the design business, Cheryl Rowley is retiring, or as she says, reinventing herself. Here, she discusses some of her favorite past projects and her last yet-to-open hotel, opening up about inspirations and memories.
Read HD‘s full interview with Rowley in our May/June 211 issue.
Hotel Hana-Maui
Client: Rosewood Hotels
A James Northcutt project
The open-aired Library Lounge-a favorite gathering spot for morning coffee-featured the brilliant work of Zen, Rosewood’s very own floral department. It was great fun to comb the property for coconut bark, breadfruit and anthurium flowers for a photo shoot highlighting the property’s casual elegance and sense of place. Lessons learned on this very early project stayed with me throughout my career.
Hotel Monaco, San Francisco
Client: Kimpton Hotels
A sense of whimsy and layered detailing captures the essence of the Hotel Monaco brand. This, the first Hotel Monaco, laid the groundwork for seven additional Hotel Monacos that we completed for Kimpton. I will never forget the opening night when Bill Kimpton swept me off my feet and twirled me around in delight. It was a great night.
Hotel Palomar, San Francisco
Client: Kimpton Hotels
While the Monaco was all about color and whimsy, the Palomar brand was created to counter that design approach. Originating in Kimpton’s hometown of San Francisco, and inspired by a local men’s clothing store, The Palomar’s signature was restrained, geometric masculinity. Creating the design language and establishing the identities for both the Monaco and Palomar brands was a highlight of my years of work with Kimpton.
Jumby Bay, Antigua
Client: Rosewood Hotels
Working in another fabulous resort destination with Rosewood afforded us the opportunity to take risks with the boundaries of bathroom design, this time literally pushing the bathing experience outdoors into a private garden. Our success with Rosewood was found in the creation of unique guest experiences, and what could be better than soaking in a hot tub on a remote island under the stars?
Renaissance Boston Waterfront
Client: Marriott
The completion of this flagship property at the Boston waterfront was the culmination of a five year consulting relationship with Marriott’s corporate design team in the development of the signature design language for their Renaissance Hotel brand. This favorite image actually came from the solution to a challenging architectural dilemma-a ceiling that abruptly reduced by some eight feet. A rhythmic staccato of soffits and side-lit pilasters provides a graphic counterpoint to the fluid swirl of the foreground ceiling, and transforms an otherwise tricky condition into a vivid architectural focal point.
Epic Hotel & Residences, Miami
Client: CMC Group, Lionstone, & Ponte Gadea Group Joint Venture
Designed as an urban sanctuary in the heart of Miami’s financial district, the soothing textural palette of the Epic provides relief from the city’s frenetic pace, while the repetition of the dark wood vertical columns provides contrast, and emphasizes the verticality of the soaring ceilings. Spare of decoration by design, the elegant, relatively simple space is punctuated with graphic architectural elements.
Four Seasons, St. Petersburg
Completion date: December 2011
Client: Tristar Investment Holdings
Still under construction, this neo-classic 19th century palace-Four Seasons’ first Russian hotel-is sure to be the premier accommodation in St. Petersburg. A highly complex four-year historic restoration involved a full roster of international consultants and stakeholders including the Russian government-and the completed project will be a true testament to the dedication of the entire project team.
